Cardinals 5, Dodgers 2 (12): Jon Jay doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th and visiting St. Louis moved one game ahead of Los Angeles in the race for the National League’s final wild card spot.

Jay was 1-for-17 in the series before driving in Matt Carpenter from second base with a two-out double down the right field line on an 0-2 pitch from John Ely (0-2). The Cardinals added two insurance runs in the inning before Jason Motte pitched the bottom of the 12th for his 35th save.

The Dodgers threatened to end the game in the 10th when the Cardinals intentionally walked Andre Ethier with two outs to load the bases, but Matt Kemp flied out to center field against Fernando Salas. Rookie Shelby Miller (1-0) picked up his first major-league win in relief.

Dodgers rookie Stephen Fife ran into trouble in the top of the first, allowing Allen Craig’s RBI double before Matt Holliday scored from third on a wild pitch. Fife escaped further damage by striking out David Freese and Skip Schumaker to end the inning.

The Dodgers answered in the third on Ethier’s two-out, two-run homer off Adam Wainwright, who gave up two runs over six innings.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Fife had nine strikeouts in five innings while starting in place of Clayton Kershaw, who is out indefinitely with lingering right hip pain. … St. Louis won for just the third time in their last 11 games. … The Cardinals improved to 5-10 in extra-inning games this season.