ST. LOUIS — Rookie Marco Gonzales struck out nine, Jhonny Peralta homered and the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 Sunday for their third straight win.

The Cardinals held their 3 1-2-game division lead over Pittsburgh. St. Louis has won 13 straight regular-season home games in September and October.

Colorado lost all six games on its just-completed road trip. Third baseman Nolan Arenado left the game soon after bruising his chest diving for a ball in the third inning.

Gonzales (3-2), in his fifth major league start, gave up one run on four hits and four walks over 5 2-3 innings. His strikeout total was the most by a Cardinals rookie left-hander since Rick Ankiel fanned 11 in 2000 against Pittsburgh.

Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his NL-leading 44th save in 49 opportunities. Six St. Louis pitchers combined to fan 16.

Peralta hit his team-leading 21st homer, a two-run shot in the third off Jordan Lyles (6-3).

Matt Holliday hit an RBI double before Peralta homered.

Yadier Molina had three hits for St. Louis and scored in the eighth on a wild pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: 1B Justin Morneau did not start for the second successive game after straining a side muscle in Friday’s 5-1 loss.

Cardinals: 1B Matt Adams was held out of the lineup. He sustained a slight oblique muscle pull in Saturday’s 5-4 win. He is listed as day-to-day.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Christian Bergman (2-3, 4.89) will face Roberto Hernandez (8-11, 4.04) in the opener of a three-game against Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in Denver. Bergman will be making his eighth major league start.

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (15-9, 2.73) will open a three-game series at home against Milwaukee’s Wily Peralta (16-10, 3.75) on Tuesday. Lynn is 5-2 with a 2.37 ERA in nine starts against the Brewers.