ST. LOUIS (AP) - Matt Adams hit a two-run home run and the Cardinals broke open a tight game with four runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 on Wednesday night.
The Cardinals won their fifth consecutive game to maintain a one-game lead over Pittsburgh and a three-game advantage on Cincinnati in the NL Central. The Pirates finished a three-game sweep at Texas and the Reds knocked off the Chicago Cubs earlier in the day.
Milwaukee has lost three of five.
Brandon Kintzler (3-2) gave up three runs on two hits and a walk while only getting two outs. He surrendered a game-tying hit in the seventh before loading the bases with one out in the eighth.
Carlos Beltran's sacrifice fly off Michael Gonzalez scored Matt Carpenter to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. An error by catcher Jonathan Lucroy allowed Jon Jay to score and Adams followed with his 12th homer of the season.
Trevor Rosenthal (2-3) pitched a hitless eighth inning for the win.
The Cardinals broke through on an RBI hit from David Descalso. Matt Holliday led off with a single, the second hit against starter Marco Estrada, and moved to second on a two-out walk to David Freese.
Descalso sent Kintzler's second pitch down the left-field line to score Holliday and tie it at 1-1.
Estrada took a no-hitter into the sixth, losing it with two outs. Carpenter, who struck out in his first two at-bats, hit a liner that bounced just in front of the pitcher, nicked his leg and bounded to third baseman Aramis Ramirez. His throw pulled Juan Francisco off first base in what otherwise would have been a close play.
Estrada gave up two hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two. He has made six starts since returning in early August from the disabled list with a strained hamstring and has gone 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA in that span.
Cardinals starter Lance Lynn had one of his best outings in more than a month. He went six innings and struck out 10, the third time this season he has reached double digits and the sixth time in 61 starts. He also walked two, including Scooter Gennett in the second that led to the Brewers' run.
Carlos Gomez singled with one out and moved to second on Gennett's walk. On a successful double steal, Gomez came home when Tony Cruz's attempt to get Gennett bounced into center field.
Lynn lost his previous five starts leading into Wednesday's game as his ERA rose to 4.37 from 3.78. He last win came Aug. 4.
Notes: St. Louis C Yadier Molina missed the game for "family matters," according to manager Mike Matheny. The Cardinals did not elaborate on the reason or say when the All-Star catcher would return to the team.
Pro Baseball (MLB)
The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff greeted players in the Washington Nationals clubhouse before the game, handing out blue and gold Navy caps. Manager Davey Johnson and his players held those caps from Adm. James Winnefeld over their hearts during a pregame moment of silence, disturbed only by the sound of a helicopter hovering nearby.
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