Arizona’s playoff hopes take a blow

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals beat Randy Johnson for the second time this month and put a dent in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes with a 7-4 victory Tuesday night.

Ryan Ludwick hit a three-run home run in the first inning and Albert Pujols had two hits and two runs batted in for the Cardinals, who won for the third time in 13 games.

St. Louis had four runs and five hits in the first inning against Johnson (10-10) and then hung on after Kyle Lohse (15-6) gave up a two-run home run to Chris Young in the fourth and a solo drive to Miguel Montero in the sixth.

Conor Jackson had three hits for Arizona, which lost for the second time in nine games and dropped to three games behind the first-place Dodgers in the National League West.