Yadier Molina's two-run double in the eighth inning provided critical insurance runs as the host St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Wednesday at Busch Stadium in the third of a four-game series between the two teams.

St. Louis starter Luke Weaver lasted just 2 2/3 innings, surrendering both of the Rockies' runs in the third and scattering five hits. He walked two and struck out three before giving way to Daniel Poncedeleon, who pitched out of a jam in the third.

Rookie Austin Gomber (1-0), the third of six pitchers for St. Louis, earned his first career win with an inning of two-strikeout, one-walk work in the sixth inning.

Kyle Freeland (9-7) took the loss for the Rockies after surrendering three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. Freeland, who had a similar bases-filled effort in his last start (and win) against Oakland on Friday, struck out five.

Colorado got on the board first in the top of the third inning as Trevor Story's sharp single to left field with two outs drove home Ian Desmond. Gerardo Parra then doubled in Nolan Arenado to push the Rockies' lead to 2-0.

The Cardinals answered with single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, the first on Paul Dejong's single to plate Matt Carpenter and the latter on a Poncedeleon groundout that allowed Yairo Munoz to sprint home from third base with the tying tally.

Tyler O'Neil's pinch single to center off Freeland in the bottom of the sixth inning sent home Harrison Bader with the lead run.

Molina's double in the eighth drove off Jake McGee pushed across Bader and Carpenter to expand the Cardinals' lead to 5-2. Marcell Ozuna then doubled home Molina to finish the St. Louis scoring.

Molina, Bader and Ozuna had three hits each in the Cardinals' 13-hit attack. Colorado got two hits from Arenado, including an RBI double with two outs in the ninth, but managed just seven hits, five of them singles.

Molina became just the 13th catcher in major league history to catch 15,000 or more innings in the Cardinals' victory.

--Field Level Media