Ludwick's two taters lift Cards

Outfielder's walk-off homer secures extra-innings win vs. Rays
ST. LOUIS -- Ryan Ludwick hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th and the Cardinals beat the Rays, 9-8, at Busch Stadium on Saturday.

Up 8-4 in the top of the seventh, the Cardinals' bullpen unraveled and nearly spoiled the team's second-largest offensive output of the year. Carlos Pena hit a three-run home run and Evan Longoria added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to tie the game. But Ludwick came through to give the Cardinals just their third win in the past 11 games.

With a struggling Adam Wainwright on the mound, Tampa Bay took the early advantage. The Rays scored three runs in the first two innings and forced Wainwright to eclipse the 60-pitch mark in the third.

But the Cardinals chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the first, one in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to take a 7-3 lead.

Albert Pujols and Ludwick added homers in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.