The costly hiccups that convulsed the Cardinals and reliever JoJo Romero on Wednesday began long before misplacing that game and contributed to why Romero was in the ninth inning at all.

Colorado All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman vaporized the Cardinals’ one-run lead with a pinch-hit home run in the top of the ninth to win 6-5 and flip the series at Busch Stadium in the Rockies’ favor. A bullpen that has been nearly foolproof in the weeks since shedding veterans at the trade deadline had its first significant late-game leak.

A club that has spent weeks tripping over losing teams continued to do so.

The Cardinals got home runs from left-handed hitters Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson off left-handed pitcher Austin Gomber to build a three-run lead. But the Rockies kept nibbling away at it un

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