ST. LOUIS (AP) — Game 3 of the World Series ended on a bizarre play that allowed to St. Louis Cardinals to take a two-games-to-one lead over the Boston Red Sox. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks was called for obstruction in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Allen Craig to score the winning run in the Cardinals’ 5-4 victory against the Red Sox. Yadier Molina started the winning rally with a single and moved to third on Craig’s double off Koji Uehara before craziness ensued.

Jon Jay hit a grounder right at second baseman Dustin Pedroia with the Red Sox playing the infield in. Pedroia threw a strike to the plate to get Molina, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia fired to third in an attempt to nail Craig and end the inning. Saltalamacchia’s throw sailed over the head of Middlebrooks and down the left-field line, prompting Craig to make a dash for home. But Middlebrooks got tangled up with Craig, who tripped before he was tagged out by Saltalamacchia. Third base umpire Jim Joyce made the obstruction call and allowed the run to count.

The Cardinals blew a pair of two-run leads before winning. Matt Holliday hit an RBI single in a two-run first and doubled home a pair to make it 4-2 in the seventh. The Red Sox tied it in the eighth as Daniel Nava hit an RBI grounder and Xander Bogaerts singled home the tying run. Trevor Rosenthal blew the save in the eighth but picked up the victory. Uehara was tagged with the loss.

Game 4 is this (Sunday) evening in St. Louis, where Lance Lynn will start for St. Louis against Clay Buchholz. Pre-game coverage begins at 6-p.m. on KJAN.