Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in the 12th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

Jason Heyward added a solo blast and Nate McLouth drove in a pair for the Braves, who pulled into a tie for first place in the National League East with the Philadelphia Phillies.

With Rick Ankiel on third and Eric Hinske on first after a walk and a single, Gonzalez fouled off two pitches before getting a 1-2 offering he liked and driving it down the left-field line for a three-run blast off Mitchell Boggs (2-3).

Knotted at 2-2, Heyward led off the bottom of the seventh against St. Louis left-hander Denny Reyes and drove a 2-1 pitch out to right to give Atlanta the lead with his 17th blast of the season.

The Cardinals battled back in the top of the eighth, when Nick Stavinoha led off with a single and Johnny Venters hit Tyler Greene with a pitch. Pedro Feliz then reached on an error to load the bases and Albert Pujols brought in the tying run when he beat out a field’s choice grounder.

Tommy Hanson went the first seven innings for the Braves, yielding five hits and two runs while striking out five and not walking a batter.