Rowand prevented the tying and go-ahead runs from scoring with a tumbling catch on the warning track that ended the eighth inning, and the Phillies outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals 13-11 Monday night after enjoying an 11-run lead earlier in the game.

"That was unreal," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'm telling you, you never have enough runs."

The Phillies pulled within 2 1/2 games of the NL East-leading Mets, who committed four more errors and wasted Carlos Beltran's 30th homer in a 12-4 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Add in their six miscues Sunday, and the Mets set a franchise record with 10 errors over two games. They never had more than eight errors over two games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"It needs to turn around quickly or we're going home," catcher Paul Lo Duca said.

In other NL games, it was: Chicago 7, Cincinnati 6; Milwaukee 6, Houston 0; San Diego 3, Pittsburgh 0; San Francisco 8, Arizona 5; and Atlanta 11, Florida 6.

In St. Louis, Ryan Howard hit a grand slam and a solo homer for the Phillies, who led 11-0 in the sixth inning and were clinging to a 12-11 lead when Rowand hauled in Ryan Ludwick's drive in the eighth. Rowand then homered in the ninth, and Francisco Rosario threw a called third strike past Russell Branyan with two on and two out to earn his first career save.

"You try and score as many runs as you can," Howard said. "In this case, we really needed it."

Skip Schumaker's RBI single off Kane Davis, his third hit of the game, cut the gap to 12-11 before Rowand's catch ended the eighth. The All-Star center fielder ran to the track, twisted around and nearly fell down before the ball tailed back into him. He brought it in as he tumbled backward.

Philadelphia, which swept New York over the weekend, has won five straight to move a season-high 12 games above .500. It remained 1 1/2 games behind San Diego in the wild-card race.