They were already playing catchup by sundown.
A day after allowing five homers to the Cardinals, including Albert Pujols’ Nos. 699 and 700 of his career, the Dodgers answered with three homers of their own. They laced Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery with three homers before the lefty could get a fifth out and then held fast for a 6-2 victory.
The loss stalled the Cardinals’ magic number at four.
The earliest they can clinch the National League Central crown is Tuesday at Milwaukee, where they will play the second-place Brewers.
The Cardinals trailed by six runs before they produced any Saturday.