MILWAUKEE (AP) — For a team that thinks it can and will play a whole lot better, the St. Louis Cardinals are in decent position.

Mike Leake struck out a season-high 10 over seven innings, Matt Adams and Randal Grichuk homered, and the Cardinals cooled off Milwaukee rookie Junior Guerra in a 5-1 victory over the Brewers on Sunday.

Aledmys Diaz scored from first on a single in the fifth to snap a tie and the Cardinals entered the All-Star break having cut a 12-game deficit to the Cubs to seven in the NL Central.

“That’s pretty impressive,” manager Mike Matheny said, “because we haven’t played well.”

Adams snapped an 0-for-27 skid with a solo homer estimated at 455 feet to lead off the second. That ended a 16 1/3-inning scoreless streak for Guerra (6-2). The right-hander allowed another solo shot to Grichuk in the sixth and snapped a three-start winning streak.

Grichuk and Adams added RBI hits in the ninth.

“Even though the (hitless skid) I felt that I was squaring up some balls and just hitting them hard right at them,” Adams said. “But I was swinging at balls I don’t normally swing at. The last couple days I felt I was able to manage the strike zone a little bit better.”

Jonathan Lucroy had two hits, including an RBI single in the first for the Brewers, who are 0-13-1 in their last 14 series with St. Louis.

Strikeouts have been a problem Milwaukee season, and Leake (6-7) was an unlikely candidate to keep that going.

Leake entered with a rate of 5.7 strikeouts-per-nine-inning, ranking 91st out of 99 qualifying pitchers in the majors. However, he used his slider to keep Milwaukee off balance.

“I had that to go to because it was working and they were swinging over it,” Leake said. “So why not use it a little bit more?”

Leake allowed six hits and no walks in his first win since June 12.

“Mike was really good today,” Matheny said. “He got into some bad spots and made better pitchers when that happened.”

The Brewers wasted Chris Carter’s leadoff triple in the seventh, his first since 2014, and didn’t score after putting runners at first and third with no outs in the third.

“To sustain a rally, you have to get something going there,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Hernan Perez fanned three times, and the Brewers struck out 10 or more times for the 42nd time in 87 games.

Ex-Brewers reliever Jonathan Broxton struck out two in a perfect eighth before a two-run ninth put it away.

The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the fifth thanks to their speedy All-Star. Diaz reached on his 19th infield single with two out. He then never stopped and scored from first on Stephen Piscotty’s bloop single off center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis’ glove.

“I just ran hard and looked at the third base coach,” Diaz said. “I ran like it was a double in the gap and he sent me to home plate. I was ready to keep running.”

The 31-year-old Guerra walked Leake with two out in the sixth to end his day. The former independent league right-hander gave up seven hits and three walks while striking out five.

“I didn’t make quality pitches at times,” Guerra said. “When I missed my spot, they took advantage and got some big hits.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: LF Matt Holliday (ankle) didn’t start for a second straight day, but flied out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. … C Alberto Rosario went 1 for 3 in his first big league start with veteran Yadier Molina resting a sore knee.

Brewers: OF Domingo Santana (elbow) will remain in Milwaukee during the All-Star break to rehab. “The goal is to hopefully increase his on-field activity starting Friday in Cincinnati,” Counsell said. “Hopefully by the weekend, we can determine dates for (a minor league rehab assignment).”

WEB GEM

A fan in the first inning made a leaning catch of a foul ball with his glove, bounced off the top of the Milwaukee dugout and fell backward to the ground. The man held onto the ball and drew cheers from Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, sitting nearby.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Diaz replaces injured teammate Matt Carpenter in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. St. Louis returns from the break Friday against Miami to start a 10-game homestand.

Brewers: Lucroy heads to his second All-Star Game. Milwaukee then begins a six-game trip in Cincinnati on Friday.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Playing with a lineup depleted by injuries, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny enjoyed the Cardinals’ powerful finish.

Jhonny Peralta, Tommy Pham and Aledmys Diaz homered, helping Carlos Martinez and the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-1 on Saturday.

Peralta hit a leadoff drive in the second off Chase Anderson (4-10). Pham connected for a solo shot and Diaz belted a three-run homer during the Cardinals’ five-run ninth.

“It was nice to get a little extra help there at the end,” Matheny said. “We were just trying to see if we could outlast them.”

Martinez (8-6) struck out a season-high 11 in five innings in his first win since June 11. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits with four walks.

“Carlos had electric stuff,” Matheny said. “He was just throwing bullets up there but he was working deep counts on almost every batter. But then he decided to get a little more efficient and you were seeing first-pitch outs.”

Martinez, speaking through a translator, said he was disappointed he wasn’t able to go deeper into the game.

“But I tried to stay focused, especially with my slider,” Martinez said.

Anderson struggled with his command and lasted just four innings. He walked five and allowed two runs and four hits.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit an RBI single in the third for Milwaukee’s only run. The Brewers stole three bases in the inning, including a pair by Jonathan Villar, but left the bases loaded.

Tyler Lyons relieved Martinez and pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings. Matt Bowman got two outs and Seth Maness finished the four-hitter.

Stephen Piscotty had two hits and scored two runs for St. Louis, and Jedd Gyorko singled in Yadier Molina in the eighth.

BEE DELAY

The start of the game was delayed nearly 10 minutes while Milwaukee’s grounds crew attempted to control a swarm of bees that gathered in the corner of the right-field fence.

Piscotty was the right fielder for the Cardinals, and Matheny said he asked him if he was allergic.

“Then you’ve got a major issue,” Matheny said. “That’s deathly. I wouldn’t have started the game until they figured it out. But he was all right with it, so the show goes on.”

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW

An apparent inning-ending double play turned by the Brewers in the third was overturned after a review, which showed second baseman Scooter Gennett did not get his foot on the bag at second.

When play resumed, Molina drew a walk before Anderson struck out Gyorko. Anderson had to throw 11 additional pitches as a result of the ruling.

FLASHING LEATHER

With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Cardinals second baseman Greg Garcia made a diving stop of a hard ground ball by Milwaukee’s Ramon Flores. Garcia got to his feet and fired a throw to first that Gyorko dove to catch while keeping his foot on the base, ending the inning.

“It was a better play by Jed. That was such a bad throw,” Garcia said. “For him to stay on the bag like that, for a guy that doesn’t play a lot of first base, that was an incredible play by him.”

ONE TO REMEMBER

Alberto Rosario drove in the Cardinals’ final run with a single in his first career at-bat. The 29-year-old catcher has played 11 years in the minors.

“It’s taken me a little bit longer than others but I’ve worked so hard for this moment,” Rosario said through a translator. “I’ve been through some hard moments and it has been a long time coming.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Matt Holliday, who sprained his left ankle rounding first base on Friday, was a late scratch. Holliday was initially slated to play left field and bat third. He was replaced by Pham. … Peralta, who pinch-hit on Friday but had been out of the starting lineup for three games with a left thumb injury, started at third base. … Reliever Trevor Rosenthal, who left Friday’s game with what was described as left hamstring cramps, got an MRI. “It’s going to be day to day with no DL, it looks like,” Matheny said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Mike Leake (5-7, 4.33 ERA) gets the ball in the series finale on Sunday. He is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts against the Brewers this season.

Brewers: Junior Guerra (6-1, 2.93 ERA) has won his last three starts, posting a 0.81 ERA. He has pitched 15 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. In his only start against the Cardinals this season, Guerra gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jonathan Villar had to wait to celebrate his first walk-off hit in the major leagues.

Villar hit a game-ending RBI single with two outs in the ninth, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

The play had to be reviewed while Villar and his teammates gathered behind the mound.

“We were pretty confident he was safe,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Villar’s hit, off Seung Hwan Oh, got past diving third baseman Greg Garcia. Left fielder Tommy Pham’s throw to the plate was on line and Yadier Molina slapped a quick tag on Kirk Nieuwenhuis as he slid. Home plate umpire Will Little ruled Nieuwenhuis safe, leading to an argument from Molina.

The call was confirmed after a brief review setting off a celebration.

“I was ready for that turn at-bat,” Villar said.

Nieuwenhuis said getting a running lead with a 3-2 count on Villar was crucial in beating the throw to the plate.

“It was really important because I had to avoid the third baseman, too,” he said. “He dove for the ball and I kind of had to re-route and I almost rolled an ankle because I had to avoid him and touch the bag.”

Chris Carter homered twice for Milwaukee, and Jonathan Lucroy also went deep. Jeremy Jeffress (2-4) got the win in relief.

Nieuwenhuis led off the ninth with a walk off Trevor Rosenthal (2-4). He moved to second on a sacrifice by Hernan Perez.

Carter connected for a towering leadoff drive in the second against Michael Wacha, but the Cardinals jumped in front on consecutive run-scoring singles by All-Star Aledmys Diaz and Matt Holliday in the third.

The Brewers regained the lead in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Lucroy and Carter. Lucroy’s home run, which bounced back onto the field, was upheld after a review. It was Carter’s fourth multihomer game this season.

Wacha was hit in the lower right leg by a low liner off the bat of Villar with one out in the seventh. The ball, which struck Wacha on the right heel, ricocheted to Garcia, who threw Villar out at first.

Wacha remained sprawled on the mound for several minutes while the team trainer examined his leg before walking off the field on his own.

Molina’s leadoff homer in the eighth against Will Smith tied it at 3.

Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. He walked four, one intentionally, and struck out two.

Wacha surrendered three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

RIVERA RETURNS

The Brewers recalled INF Yadiel Rivera from Triple-A Colorado Springs. He fills the roster spot of Aaron Hill, who was traded on Thursday to Boston for Aaron Wilkerson and Wendell Rijo.

SPLITTING TIME

Hernan Perez and Will Middlebrooks will share third-base duties with the departure of Hill, who had been the everyday starter at the position, Counsell said.

PIGEON PLAY

After throwing out Garcia on a ground ball leading off the game, Brewers 2B Scooter Gennett had to duck out of the way of a swooping pigeon.

NO ALL-STAR NOD FOR BRAUN

Brewers OF Ryan Braun finished fifth out of five players vying for the final spot on the National League All-Star team. San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt won the fan balloting.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) took batting practice but didn’t start. He pinch-hit in the ninth and flied out to right field.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (7-6, 2.90 ERA) is winless in his last four starts despite a 1.33 ERA. Martinez is 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA in five career starts versus Milwaukee.

Brewers: Chase Anderson (4-9, 5.49) is 0-3 with a 10.91 ERA over his last four starts. He is 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA in two starts against St. Louis this season.

— Associated Press —