St. Louis (50-39) ensured Chicago (52-36) would post a sub-.500 record on its 10-game road trip by rallying for three runs in the ninth inning Saturday to win 5-4 and even this series. Rick Ankiel delivered a two-out, two-run single off Cubs closer Kerry Wood to end the game.

"We were one pitch away from getting out of it," Wood said after his first blown save since May 24 at Pittsburgh. "But it seems to always be the case when you're in that role."

The Cubs have gone 3-6 on this trip, and the only winning one they've had since April was a 4-3 swing through San Diego and Los Angeles from June 2-8. They have lost nine of their last 12 road games and are 19-26 overall on the road.

Chicago follows this series with a six-game homestand, and will start it just 1 1/2 games ahead of second-place St. Louis if it loses Sunday. That would be the closest any division foe has been to the Cubs since they led the Cardinals by 1 1/2 games on May 30.

Ankiel has helped St. Louis stay close with eight homers and 15 RBIs in his last 16 games.

Todd Wellemeyer (7-3, 3.86 ERA) takes the mound Sunday for St. Louis having thrown more innings this year (93 1-3) than any other season in his career.

Wellemeyer was the NL pitcher of the month in May, but is 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in his last three starts and missed two turns in the rotation last month due to elbow problems.

"I can go back out there," Wellemeyer said. "I don't want to say it, but I could probably use a couple more bullpen sessions and get to where I need to be."

The right-hander won his only career start against the Cubs, giving up two runs and three hits in five innings of a 5-3 victory on May 4. He spent his first three major league seasons pitching out of Chicago's bullpen before being traded to Florida in 2006.

Sean Marshall (0-2, 4.87) could be headed back to the Cubs bullpen after this start due to Carlos Zambrano's recent return from the disabled list. In fact, the only reason Marshall may be getting this turn in the rotation is because he's a left-hander.

Fellow southpaw Ted Lilly held St. Louis to two runs in six innings Saturday.

"You look at the Cardinals, and they're 11 games over against right-handers and one game over against lefties," manager Lou Piniella told the Cubs' official Web site. "That leads me to believe that we have a better chance with left-handers."

This will be Marshall's third consecutive start following 13 relief appearances. He hasn't pitched since last Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, giving up three runs and five hits - including two homers - in seven innings of a 5-1 defeat.

Marshall is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in six career appearances - four starts - versus St. Louis.

Albert Pujols is 3-for-8 with three walks against Marshall, and 4-for-7 with a homer in this series.

Fellow first baseman Derrek Lee of the Cubs is hitting .476 (10-for-21) in his last five games.

Teammate Jim Edmonds, meanwhile, is 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in this series in his return to St. Louis, where he spent the previous eight seasons.