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Cruz’s go-ahead 3-run HR lifts Dodgers over Cards

Sports

September 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luis Cruz greeted St. Louis reliever Edwin Mujica with a first-pitch, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers tightened up the NL wild card race with an 8-5 victory over the Cardinals on Friday night. Trevor Rosenthal (0-2) inherited a 4-3 lead from fellow rookie Joe Kelly after five innings and gave up a leadoff single by Andre Ethier, who got the Dodgers back into the game in the third with a two-run homer. Rosenthal hit Hanley Ramirez on a 1-0 count two outs later and manager Mike Matheny made the switch to Mujica — who has given up 17 runs and six homers in 21 1-3 career innings against the Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez made it 8-4 with a two-run double in the seventh off the glove of a diving Holliday.