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PHOENIX -- The Cardinals' bad luck seems to have trailed them into the postseason -- but so has their remarkable resilience.

Miguel Cairo's single up the middle in the top of the ninth scored Edgar Renteria to give St. Louis a thrilling 2-1 win Thursday over Arizona on Thursday. The Cardinals now hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series.

It could be a costly win for St. Louis, though. Star third baseman Scott Rolen left the game with a shoulder sprain after colliding with pinch-runner Alex Cintron on the basepaths in the seventh.

Earlier, starter Chuck Finley was pulled with a cramp in his left (pitching) hand, but that injury is not believed to be serious.

X-rays on Rolen's shoulder were negative, but the full extent of the injury will not be known until he undergoes a CT scan in St. Louis on Friday.

Cairo's game-winning single came just moments after Arizona had tied the game on Quinton McCracken's RBI double. St. Louis had led 1-0 from the third inning until the bottom of the eighth. But the Redbirds, who have endured tougher challenges than these all year long, rebounded in the top of the ninth for the winning rally.

"We already passed those tests," said manager Tony La Russa. "I'd just as soon we not keep getting tested." More >

Related Links • Cairo's single lifts Cards to victory • Cardinals post-game quotes • Cards will wait and see on Rolen • Finley comes up big for Cards • Vina: Big win over Schilling • Cards MLBeat: Players say Unit wasn't tipping • Bauman: At last, some good pitching • Bauman: Cards show no signs of cooling off • MLB.com rates the performances • Where the series stands • E-Alerts • Play postseason fantasy

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PHOENIX -- The defending world champion Arizona Diamondbacks are suddenly one loss away from seeing their back-to-back dreams disappear.

With a 2-1 defeat by the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday at Bank One Ballpark, the D-Backs find themselves trailing the red-hot Redbirds 0-2 in the best-of-five National League Division Series.

They head now to St. Louis and Saturday's crucial Game 3, knowing their postseason future could be excruciatingly brief.

Manager Bob Brenly doesn't need to say a word to his club now. But if he did ...

"I'd tell 'em the same things I would have told them if we had won the ballgame," said the skipper.

"The same thing I'd tell 'em if we were up two games. To show up on Saturday and be ready to play. That's all you can do.

"There's no pep talks, no magic words that are going to suddenly make everything OK. You keep grinding, you keep playing the game, keep doing the same things you've been successful doing and hope for the best."

The Diamondbacks pulled off a series of miraculous finishes in last season's playoffs, pulling out Game 5 against St. Louis in the NLDS and winning Game 7 of the World Series against the Yankees. More >

Related Links • Cairo puts Snakes in hole • D-Backs post-game quotes • Schilling deserved better in Game 2 • Curt Schilling's career postseason stats • Gonzalez returns to cheer • Bauman: At last, some good pitching • Grace: We can still pull it out • MLB.com rates the performances • Where the series stands • Press Row: Tipping tips • Play postseason fantasy • E-Alerts