MLB: St. Louis 3, Chicago Cubs 1

ST. LOUIS, May 21 (UPI) -- Adam Wainwright came within one out of a complete game Thursday and St. Louis got homers from Albert Pujols and Brian Barden to down the Chicago Cubs 3-1.

St. Louis swept the Cubs in a three-game series.

Wainwright (4-2) allowed four hits through eight innings and retired the first two batters in the ninth. When Derrek Lee singled, however, Ryan Franklin was called on to record the final out of the game.

Franklin did so by getting Milton Bradley on a liner to right, earning him his 11th save.

Pujols hit a solo homer in the first inning and Brian Barden delivered another one in the fourth to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. They went on to sweep the Cubs for the first time in three years.

Sean Marshall (2-3) took the loss, giving up three runs on four hits over five innings. Chicago scored just two runs in the series and has lost four straight games overall.