Albert Pujols tied the game with a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and Nick Punto lifted a sacrifice fly in the 10th as the host St. Louis Cardinals pulled within 6 1/2 games of the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild card race with a 4-3 victory on Friday.

Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman started the 10th with singles off Scott Linebrink (4-3) and after a sacrifice, Skip Schumaker was walked intentionally before Punto drilled a fly ball to center field. Holliday scored easily as the Cardinals climbed within seven games of Milwaukee in the NL Central with 18 to play.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Pujols' single. The hit ended Kimbrel's scoreless innings streak at 38 1/3 and his run of consecutive successful save opportunities at 25.

Jason Motte (4-2) notched the win with a perfect 10th.

Brian McCann and Freddie Freeman hit run-scoring doubles in the first to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Holliday plated a run in the bottom of the inning to halve the deficit, but Michael Bourn restored the two-run advantage with an RBI triple in the ninth.

Bourn collected four hits for Atlanta, which fell 11 games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.