DENVER — Matt Holliday celebrated another playoff clincher at Coors Field, only this time it was with the St. Louis Cardinals and not the Colorado Rockies.

Jason LaRue, subbing at catcher for injured All-Star Yadier Molina, homered off Ubaldo Jimenez to break a seventh-inning tie and the Cardinals clinched the NL Central crown when they beat the Rockies, 6-3, last night behind right-hander Adam Wainwright's 19th win.

"It didn't matter where it was," said Holliday, who spent a decade in the Rockies organization before being traded last winter. "I have a lot of friends over there. It's a new team and a new experience, a totally different thing."

Colorado's lead in the NL wild-card race shrunk to 2 1/2 games over the Atlanta Braves, who beat Washington, 11-5, yesterday.

Ryan Franklin got the save, stranding runners at second and third in the ninth when pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs grounded out to end it.

Dodgers 8, Pirates 4: Visiting Los Angeles locked up its fourth playoff appearance in six years, getting a two-run single from pinch-hitter Jim Thome during a four-run eighth inning in which Pittsburgh relievers walked four.

Manager Joe Torre is headed to the postseason for a record-tying 14th straight time — only the Braves' Bobby Cox has accomplished the feat — after the Dodgers assured themselves of at least a wild-card spot. They also cut their magic number to three for winning the NL West for the second straight year.

Cubs 6, Giants 2: Aramis Ramirez homered, Jake Fox hit a two-run single and Chicago beat host San Francisco for its sixth win in seven games.

Braves 11, Nationals 5: Tommy Hanson (11-4) allowed four hits and four runs in seven innings, Yunel Escobar drove in three runs and Atlanta earned its fifth consecutive victory by beating host Washington.

Diamondbacks 8, Padres 5: Chad Tracy snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning, sending Daniel Schlereth (1-4) to his first major league win as host Arizona beat San Diego.

Marlins 9, Mets 6: Cameron Maybin hit a three-run homer in Florida's seven-run fifth and the host Marlins rallied to beat New York.

Reds 10, Astros 4: Jay Bruce and Laynce Nix homered and drove in three runs apiece, helping Cincinnati beat host Houston for its sixth consecutive win.

Brewers 7, Phillies 5: Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Walker (2-1) in the ninth, lifting host Milwaukee over Philadelphia.