Rafael Furcal hit a solo homer in the eighth inning and Edwin Jackson tossed seven strong frames as the St. Louis Cardinals stayed alive in the NL wild-card race with a 3-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Yadier Molina tied it with a solo blast in the seventh, and Jackson chipped in a sacrifice fly for the Cardinals, who pulled to within one game of wild-card leader Atlanta. The Braves lost at Washington on Sunday.

After the Cubs scratched out a run in the top of the seventh to go up 2-1, Molina came up with one out in the bottom of the frame and laced a 3-1 offering on the inside corner into the Chicago bullpen off Randy Wells.

Furcal, whose error against the New York Mets on Thursday triggered a ninth-inning collapse and put the team on the brink of elimination, redeemed himself in the eighth. After taking a strike on the first pitch from Wells (7-6), Furcal jumped on the 0-1 pitch and found the seats in right for his seventh homer.

Jackson allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings, and Octavio Dotel (5-3) picked up the win in relief.

Jason Motte worked the ninth for his ninth save.