CHICAGO -- While all the rest that Cardinals All-Star closer Ryan Helsley has gotten over the past three weeks did nothing to take the starch out of a blazing fastball that topped out at 101 mph on Thursday night, the time off did greatly affect his command on breaking pitches.

Out of nowhere at noisy Wrigley Field, pitches that Helsley usually uses to get chases out of the zone from hitters having to gear up for his triple-digit heat stayed up, spun in the strike zone and were very hittable.

As much of a sure thing as the Cardinals have had all season, Helsley proved hittable in the ninth inning, and that allowed the rival Cubs to storm back for an improbable 5-4 come-from-behind victory against St. Louis’ lone All-Star.

Not long after a rare curveball from Helsley was driven over the wall in left-center by Chicago slugger Cody Bellinger to make it a one-run game, Dansby Swanson smacked a flat slider into left field to knot the game even though he had been down to his final strike. Ultimately, Mike Tauchman sprayed a 2-2 fastball the other way for the game-winning hit, but it was the misplaced breaking balls earlier in the inning that had Helsley shaking his head.

“My breaking ball has been good this year, but looking back at it, I probably left them up too much and this was the third or fourth time they’ve seen me [this season], so the pitches need to be better,” said Helsley, who set Cardinals records earlier this season for consecutive saves (31) and saves before the All-Star break (33). “I’ve got to mix in the fastball more and make sure that [breaking balls] are more of chase pitches instead of strikes.”

Helsley’s rare wobble -- he’s now 33 for 36 in save opportunities on the season -- ruined an otherwise impressive night from several Cardinals. Rookie shortstop Masyn Winn hit a two-run, go-ahead home run off Cubs ace Shota Imanaga in the sixth inning to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. Paul Goldschmidt, who homered in the first inning, had three hits and scored in the sixth to give the Cards bullpen a seemingly safe two-run lead.

For Winn, six of his eight home runs this season have come off left-handers and he timed up a four-seam fastball from Imanaga and hit the ball into the basket in left for what was the biggest swing of his young career. Winn, who was 2-for-5, said he was taking out some aggression from his recent struggles on his home run swing.

“The past few days, I’m swinging for the fences, no doubt,” said Winn, who hit 417 and 416-foot homers in recent weeks. “I’m just trying to let some emotions out and I’m letting them out at the plate. I’m swinging really hard and trying to hit balls really far. I haven’t been hitting well, so it’s just kind of frustrating.”

The Cardinals leaned heavily on Helsley early in the season while he was racking up 31 straight saves at one point. St. Louis went into Thursday at 20-14 in one-run games, and a big reason for that success was Helsley’s ability to protect narrow margins. However, as the Cardinals' offense has started to come alive in recent weeks, the closer’s workload has diminished.

The Cardinals had Helsley opt out of pitching in the MLB All-Star Game because of a nagging hip injury, and Thursday’s appearance was just his fifth in the past 19 days. While his workload was a major concern early in the season – especially after a flexor tendon strain cost him 2 1/2 months of time away in 2023 -- Helsley said it’s been nice working less as the Cards have had more comfortable wins in recent weeks.

“It’s been great because the offense has been swinging the bats great and the bullpen has been throwing the ball well,” he said of his recent inactivity. “Early on, I was out there every day, but it’s been fun of late to watch the offense. Now, I just need to do my job and close the deal.”

Of his 24 pitches on Thursday, Helsley threw 12 sliders, 11 fastballs and the one curveball that Bellinger hit 399 feet. He got six whiffs, but the Cubs punished the pitches he left up in the zone. He said the time off had nothing to do with his ineffectiveness, but the rare results spoke otherwise.

“After the game, for sure, [it upsets me], but after that you just want to learn from it,” he said. “For me, it’s just about going out there and trusting my process. Once the ball leaves your fingertips, you can’t control what happens. As long as I’m taking care of my business and knowing that I’m prepared, that’s all I can do.”