CHICAGO -- With nearly 41,000 fans rooting in the stands, Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant called the atmosphere at Wrigley Field the best he has experienced.

A St. Louis Cardinals rally in the ninth inning, playoff implications and other drama added to the excitement.

The Cardinals put the tying run on first before shortstop Addison Russell made a diving grab and flip for a forceout at second to seal a Cubs' 5-4 victory over St. Louis on Saturday.

"It was a lot of fun," said Bryant, who recorded an RBI double and his 25th home run.

The Cubs entered the day one game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first National League Wild Card. The Pirates faced the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

The NL Central-leading Cardinals were unable to get a victory they need to clinch a playoff berth.

"I really can't describe it," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said about the feelings in the locker room.

Hit batters remained an issue a day after Cubs manager Joe Maddon criticized Cardinals reliever Matt Belisle for hitting first baseman Anthony Rizzo with a pitch.

Both benches were warned after the Cubs' Fernando Rodney hit second baseman Kolten Wong in the eighth inning, the second time Wong was hit. Hector Rondon hit pinch hitter Greg Garcia in the ninth, resulting in Rondon and Maddon being ejected. Maddon said all were unintentionally hit.

"I know nobody wants to believe me," Maddon said. "You're not going to believe me. All the Cardinal Nation, god bless you, you're not going to want to believe me."

Matt Carpenter answered for the Cardinals with a two-run home run - his 24th - off Zac Rosscup to make it 5-3. Center fielder Tommy Pham and right fielder Jason Heyward hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with none out.

Pedro Strop entered and struck out shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Catcher Yadier Molina made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly, but Strop got the forceout to end the game and earn his third save.

"That would have been maybe my favorite win ever, just watching how our guys respond to whatever comes at them," Matheny said.

The Cubs have won six of their last eight games against St. Louis after dropping eight of their first 10 meetings.

"Earlier in the year, we were not able to hold on against these guys late," Maddon said. "I said in the beginning of the year they were out-experiencing us. Right now, we're catching up in that regard. Give

them a lot of credit because they always fight to the last drop."

Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back home runs for a three-run lead in the fifth. Soler homered on Michael Wacha's first pitch for his eighth of the season. Bryant followed with his own solo shot, tying the Cubs' franchise record for home runs by a rookie. Billy Williams also had 25 in 1961.

"A guy that I've been able to get to know who's been rooting for us the whole year and has been in the clubhouse a ton of times, it's pretty special," Bryant said.

Cubs rookies have hit 63 home runs this season.

"He is the Rookie of the Year," Maddon said of Bryant.

Cubs reliever Trevor Cahill (1-3) earned the win after striking out three in 3 1/3 innings.

Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (16-6) gave up four runs in five innings. He struck out seven but walked four.

Just as they did Friday to win the opener of the three-game series, the Cubs scored first. Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Bryant hit an RBI double and scored on second baseman Starlin Castro's single.

Wong's sacrifice fly in the second cut the Cubs' lead to one. Catcher David Ross caught the throw from left fielder Chris Denorfia, but the ball came loose as Peralta scored.

The Cardinals put two on with none out against Cahill in the fifth before he got a fly out and two strikeouts.

Pinch hitter Tommy La Stella's RBI single pushed the lead to 5-1 in the sixth.

Cubs left-hander Travis Wood allowed a run in 2 2-3 innings in a spot start.

"It was a very intense game," Carpenter said.

NOTES: Cardinals C Yadier Molina returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the previous two games for rest. ... Cubs CF Dexter Fowler was out of the starting lineup for rest. He entered the game in the sixth in center field. Austin Jackson started in center and moved to right. ... Cubs RF Jorge Soler (left oblique strain) returned to the lineup. He pinch hit Friday in his first game after being

activated from the disabled list. Soler last started on Aug. 23.