ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eugenio Suarez reached the 100-RBI milestone for the first time in style.

Suarez’s two-run homer off of Bud Norris in the 10th inning lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The blast gave Suarez RBI 99 and 100 this season. His previous RBI high was 82 in 2017.

“For me to hit that homer and my 100th RBI, that’s special,” Suarez said. “That’s what I always dreamed of and today I can tell my dreams come true.”

Suarez got locked in after spinning away from a Norris fastball two pitches earlier.

“He threw that 95 mile per hour fastball right at my face and then I said, `Now where you want to throw it to me,” Suarez said. “I just wanted to be ready that at-bat. I know how they try to get me out. I put my bat barrel on it and hit it well and the ball went out.”

After Suarez’s career-high 31st of the season, Brandon Dixon hit a solo homer four pitches later as the Reds hit back-to-back homers for the fifth time this season, the sixth and seventh home runs given up by Norris (3-4).

They came right after Michael Lorenzen (2-1) pitched out a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the ninth without giving up a run to send the game to extra innings. Raisel Iglesias earned his 25th save in 29 chances despite allowing a run for the fourth time in his last five outings.

“Your nervous system hits a different gear,” Lorenzen said. “It was definitely a different gear and it feels good to come out on top and with Suarez hitting that home run. It just felt like we’re leaving feeling really good about ourselves right now so it’s a positive.”

Lorenzen’s escape act was even more impressive considering it came against the Cardinals three, four and five hitters.

“Give credit to them and they got out of it and we weren’t able to execute,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “Our situational hitting wasn’t where we want it tonight, but it has been a strength of our club and we expect it to continue to be a strength of our club. You can’t overreact to one, two, three at bats.”

The Reds won for just the third time in their last 11 games, including the last two against the Cardinals, snapping their series winning streak at 10. St. Louis (76-61) fell a half game behind the Milwaukee Brewers into the second wild card spot in the National League.

Billy Hamilton sparked a two-run first inning with a leadoff double. Scooter Gennett’s single scored Hamilton and Joey Votto took home on a Luke Weaver wild pitch.

Weaver, making his first start since Aug. 16, needed 40 pitches to get through the first. He also pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the second before settling in and being lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fourth.

“I think early it was just trying to find that rhythm, trying to sync everything up, just a little hot out there, just trying to gather myself,” Weaver said. “I threw some pitches they were close, I just kept hitting in the wrong spots that he wasn’t calling. It was just trying to make those adjustments.”

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up an RBI double to Harrison Bader and an RBI bunt single to Greg Garcia to tie it at 2-2. His 3 2/3 inning performance was his shortest outing since July 15, when he last just 3 1/3 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Cardinals also at Busch Stadium.

Hamilton used his speed to stretch a leadoff single to right into a double in the seventh. He moved to third on a Jose Peraza sacrifice and trotted home to break a 2-2 tie on a Votto fly to center.

Bader used his legs to tie it for the Cardinals in the eighth, beating out a slow grounder to short for a bases loaded infield single to tie it 3-3.

“They get bases loaded nobody out, they got to figure `Hey we’ve got to win this game right here,’ and you know we’ve been on the other end of that a few times and today that’s one where they legitimately go home and say we’ve got to win that game,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said.

TRAINING ROOM

Reds: OF Preston Tucker was traded to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (left oblique strain) threw a bullpen on Sunday and is expected to go out on a rehab assignment this week.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Matt Harvey (6-7, 4.97 ERA) gets the start in the first game of three-game series Monday afternoon at Pittsburgh and RHP Trevor Williams (11-9, 3.30 ERA). Harvey is 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA against the Pirates this season.

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (8-6, 2.87 ERA) kicks off a three-game series at Washington and St. Louisan RHP Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.22 ERA) on Monday afternoon. Flaherty has won four straight decisions and will make his first career start against the Nationals.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul DeJong hit a three-run homer and a two-run single for a career-high five RBI, helping Austin Gomber and the St. Louis Cardinals pound the Cincinnati Reds 12-5 on Friday night.

Matt Carpenter hit his NL-best 35th homer as St. Louis pulled within 3 1/2 games of NL Central-leading Chicago. Gomber (5-0) pitched seven effective innings and also contributed a two-run double.

The surging Cardinals have won eight of 10 to improve to 28-13 since the All-Star break. They also lead the NL wild-card standings.

Scooter Gennett and Scott Schebler had three hits apiece for last-place Cincinnati, which has dropped three straight and eight of nine. Homer Bailey (1-13) was charged with seven runs, three earned, and nine hits in five innings.

Gennett had an RBI single in the Reds’ two-run first, but the Cardinals took over from there.

Gomber hit a tying double before Carpenter connected in the second, sending a drive down the right-field line. DeJong added his 15th homer in the third.

Cincinnati closed to 7-5 when Schebler hit a two-run shot and Jose Peraza added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. But St. Louis responded with five runs in the bottom half.

Patrick Wisdom hit his second homer. DeJong drove in Yadier Molina and Jose Martinez, and Yairo Munoz added another two run single.

The Reds dropped 1-18 in Bailey’s 19 starts this year.

LOFTY COMPANY

Carpenter became the fourth lefty batter to hit at least 35 homers in a season for St. Louis, joining Stan Musial, Jim Edmonds and Johnny Mize.

PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHING

Matt Wisler relieved Bailey in his first appearance with Cincinnati. Wisler was acquired in a July 30 trade with Atlanta and recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Friday.

Wisler allowed one hit in two scoreless innings. Infielder Brandon Dixon got the final out for the Reds, retiring Wisdom on a fly ball to deep right-center.

TRAINING ROOM

Cardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna (right shoulder inflammation) is expected to be activated Saturday, but manager Mike Schildt said the outfielder will see limited action for the near future. … RHP Michael Wacha (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday. He has been out since June 21.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (7-11, 5.07 ERA) gets the ball on Saturday. He went 1/3 with a 5.57 ERA in four August starts.

Cardinals: RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (0-0, 2.08 ERA) returns as part of the team’s September promotions.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals pitcher John Gant got a new label from teammate Jose Martinez — power hitter.

Harrison Bader and Gant hit back-to-back home runs, Gant pitched into the sixth inning and St. Louis beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 on Thursday night.

“You hit one, you’re lucky,” Martinez said of Gant’s second blast of the season. “You hit a second one, you’re a power hitter.”

The Cardinals have won 17 of 21 and took their tenth consecutive series, their longest series winning streak since 2009, when they also won ten in a row.

“It’s an important thing,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “We want to get better as the game goes and we want to get better as the series goes. And if you take care of the series, the rest of it just falls into place.”

Gant (6-5) pitched out of a bases-loaded situation in the first and a two-on, no-out jam in the third to win for the third time in his last four tries. He struck out six in 5 2/3 innings and has allowed one earned run in his last 12 2/3 innings.

“It was a great team win, a great series win,” Gant said. “Another series win, and we’re going to try to keep on chugging.”

Pirates starter Joe Musgrove (5-8) opened the game with 21 consecutive strikes, a first in the majors since pitch tracking began in 1988, according to Stats. That control didn’t do him much good, though. He gave up five runs in six innings.

“I came out sharp but I didn’t keep my foot on the gas,” Musgrove said. “I didn’t keep going. That’s got to be done against a good lineup like that.”

Musgrove’s strike streak ended with a first-pitch ball to Bader in the third, and two pitches later, Bader went deep to left. Gant then homered on a 2-1 pitch, giving St. Louis consecutive home runs for the seventh time this season.

“I’m just trying to make contact and contact was made tonight,” Gant said.

Gant tied Miles Mikolas for most home runs among St. Louis pitchers this season. After starting his career 0 for 30, Gant has homered twice in his last six at-bats. He is the third pitcher in the expansion era to have his first two career hits as home runs.

Shildt said Gant put in a gutty performance.

“He was making pitches,” Shildt said. “He missed a few spots and the guys made some plays, but John’s a really good competitor, he’s a mentally tough guy, so he was really just able to compete with what he had and used all his pitches.”

Martinez singled and scored in the fourth and drove in two more with a single in the fifth to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead. Martinez has hit safely in 20 of 25 games in August and has a team-high 18 multi-RBI games.

“He was actually trying to mix in some pitches and he was throwing some different pitches than we were expecting,” Martinez said of Musgrove. “We just had to make the adjustments.”

Pittsburgh lost for the seventh time in its last nine games. The Pirates stranded 12 runners and went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

“There was hard contact,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s not fair. There’s times when it’s not fair. You hit hard balls, you hit them right at people but you’ve just got to play man.”

FACE IN THE CROWD

St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko signed autographs on the field before the game.

TRAINING ROOM

Cardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna (right shoulder inflammation) took batting practice Thursday and is on track to return from the 10-day disabled list when eligible on Sept. 1.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (10-9, 3.49 ERA) kicks off a three-game series on the road against the Atlanta Braves and RHP Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 3.05 ERA). Taillon has allowed three earned runs or fewer in his last 16 starts.

Cardinals: LHP Austin Gomber (4-0, 2.79 ERA) will open a three-game home series Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds and RHP Homer Bailey (1-12, 6.17 ERA). The Cardinals are 6-0 when Gomber starts.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The month of August has been great for rookie pitcher Jack Flaherty and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Flaherty allowed just one run in seventh innings and Jose Martinez and Tyler O’Neill homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Tuesday night in Mike Shildt’s first game since being promoted to full-time manager.

Flaherty (8-6) retired his first 12 batters and gave up one run and four hits with no walks. He is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in five August starts. Flaherty has allowed only 14 hits and three runs in 32 innings, walking nine and striking out 38 batters in those starts.

The recipe for his success is simple, Flaherty said.

“Get ahead and stay ahead. Try not to get into deep counts and try to stay from a 3-2 count,” Flaherty said. “Try to make things happen quick. Move the ball in and out. Trust in my stuff.”

A meeting two weeks ago with Cardinals legend Bob Gibson inspired Flaherty.

“I got the chance to talk to him,” Flaherty said. “I asked him what his mentality was every time he went out. I haven’t talked to him since then but it’s more on me to reach out to him and than the other way around.”

Flaherty improved to 3-1 against the Pirates.

“He’s gotten better the more we’ve faced him I think as this season has shown,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “His stuff has gotten better, the consistency of it, the execution of pitches.”

The Cardinals have won six of seven and are 20-5 in August. Earlier in the day, St. Louis took off the interim tag on Shildt, who was put in charge after Mike Matheny was fired last month a day before the All-Star break.

St. Louis is 27-12 under Shildt. He was rewarded with a contract through 2020 after guiding the Cards back into playoff contention.

“He’s been doing his thing and he hasn’t tried to do too much,” Flaherty said about Shildt. “He hasn’t tried to change anything. It’s just been him. I think the biggest thing is for everybody to be themselves and he’s done the same thing. I’m just happy for him.”

The Pirates have lost eight of 10.

Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 32 opportunities.

Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first off Ivan Nova (7-9). Martinez connected for his 16th homer after Matt Carpenter reached base on an infield single.

“I was trying to drive a ball middle in and he threw it there and I hit it out,” Martinez said.

O’Neill hit a 436-foot homer into the left field bleachers in the fourth inning for a 4-0 lead. Martinez singled ahead of O’Neil’s drive.

“The command, it was not as sharp as it was last time,” Nova said. “I gave up two two-run homers. The first home run, I thought that was a really good pitch that the guy just jumped on. The other one was down the middle of the plate. It’s frustrating.”

Josh Bell scored both runs for the Pirates. He doubled in the fifth and Colin Moran hit an RBI single.

Bell drew a leadoff walk from reliever Jordan Hicks in the eighth, took third on a bloop single by Moran and scored on a double play.

Paul DeJong was hit by a pitch to start the St. Louis eighth and an apparent two-run homer by Jedd Gyorko was overturned in a crew chief review. Gyorko was given a double and he was pulled because of discomfort in his left groin. Greg Garcia’s single made it 5-2.

Gyorko said he hurt himself leaving the batter’s box. He said it’s “tightness” and he will be looked at Wednesday.

“I thought it was a home run,” Gyorko said about his hit. “I ran around the bases. I haven’t looked at it yet.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Josh Harrison didn’t start for the second consecutive game after tweaking his left hamstring Saturday running from first to third. He walked as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and stayed in the game at second base.

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong was put on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain, retroactive to Aug. 26. Wong, who injured his hamstring while running out a ground ball in Saturday’s game in Colorado, was batting .244 with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 110 games.

WACHA START

Starter Michael Wacha (left oblique strain) left in the third inning with a trainer at Double-A Springfield after allowing five earned runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings Tuesday against Arkansas. He threw 52 pitches and exited because of fatigue, the Cardinals said. Wacha, who will be evaluated Wednesday, went on the disabled list June 21 and has missed 60 games.

ROSTER MOVE

With Wong going on the disabled list, the Cardinals recalled INF Patrick Wisdom from Triple-A Memphis. Wisdom, 27, is batting .288 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI in 107 games for Memphis. Wisdom was purchased from Memphis on Aug. 11 and played in nine games for the Cardinals, batting .333 (4 for 12) with a home run and three RBI. He had played in 747 career minor league game before his major league debut.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Trevor Williams (10-9, 3.44) has allowed just four runs in his last seven starts covering 42 innings. He is 2-4 with a 6.93 ERA in 10 career appearances, including seven starts against St. Louis. He is 1-2 in four starts this year.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (13-9, 2.94) allowed a season-high 12 hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings in last Friday’s start at Colorado. He lost to the Pirates on June 1 at Busch Stadium.

— Associated Press —

DENVER (AP) — Matt Carpenter led off the game with a double to right.

It was the start of a double feature — a big day for him and another big series win for the Cardinals.

Carpenter tied a St. Louis record with four doubles, pitcher Austin Gomber had a two-run infield single in a six-run first inning and the Cardinals routed the Colorado Rockies 12-3 on Sunday.

Carpenter matched a franchise mark that Joe “Ducky” Medwick set on Aug. 4, 1937, against the Boston Bees (now Braves). Carpenter doubled twice in the first, had another in the third and lined his fourth in the seventh on a day when St. Louis pounded out 16 hits. The first baseman wound up 4 for 5 with two RBI.

The Cardinals took two of three from the Rockies in a series between NL playoff contenders. It was the ninth straight series St. Louis has captured.

“I don’t know why it couldn’t last for the rest of the year,” Carpenter said. “I don’t see why it shouldn’t, why it couldn’t.”

The score was 6-0 before many of the fans even had time to settle into their seats. The Cardinals sent 11 batters to the plate in a wild first and had seven hits off Tyler Anderson, including a two-run homer by Tyler O’Neill. Anderson later intentionally walked Yairo Munoz to get to Gomber, who bounced a high hopper for an infield hit. A hustling Harrison Bader scored from second.

The runs in the first were scored with two outs.

“For us to come out early and put up that 6-spot, it makes my job a lot easier,” Gomber said.

Wearing “Big G” on the back of his uniform as part of Players’ Weekend, Gomber (4-0) threw six efficient innings and allowed two runs, one earned, to become the first left-handed Cardinals starter to win at Coors Field since Kent Mercker on July 24, 1999.

“Does it show how well (Gomber pitched) or show how few lefties we’ve had?” Carpenter joked. “Gomber was outstanding.”

Despite St. Louis leading 10-2 after three innings, the crowd predominantly stayed around. This provided a big incentive: A screening of “The Sandlot” at the ballpark following the game.

Anderson (6-7) was booed as he walked off the mound after allowing six runs and getting just two outs. He was replaced by Chad Bettis.

The left-hander has been tinkering with a new release point to better utilize his 6-foot-3 frame. He hasn’t won since July 4, and has a 15.09 ERA over his last three outings.

“Whatever I was trying to go to wasn’t working,” Anderson said. “Sometimes when you’re making pitches they’re on the corners, and sometimes they’re just off. Sometimes when you’re going for the corners you miss middle, which is what’s been happening.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Mike Mayers was placed on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation and RHP Dominic Leone (right arm nerve irritation) was activated from the 60-day DL. Leone pitched a perfect ninth. … 2B Kolten Wong wasn’t in the starting lineup a day after straining his left hamstring running out a grounder.

Rockies: OF Charlie Blackmon was rested.

EXPOUNDING ON EXPANDING ROSTERS

Although active rosters are expanding at the end of the month, manager Bud Black would like to see a cap on the number of players that can be used on game day. For instance, a maximum of 27.

“Now you’re talking,” Black said. “For five months, you play a certain roster and then at the most critical time of the year you have all this weaponry, potentially, at your disposal. I don’t know if that’s right.”

M-V-P

Carpenter heard the “M-V-P!” chants from fans after the game.

“It was a neat experience,” he said.

One of his main rivals for the award figures to be Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado.

DID HE DO THAT?

The talk after the game was about Bader scoring from second on Gomber’s chopper. It certainly impressed Carpenter.

“You don’t see that very often. He’s just a special baserunner,” Carpenter said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (7-6, 2.97 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday when the Cardinals open a three-game series against Pittsburgh. Flaherty needs six strikeouts to reach 150 and tie Paul Dean (1934) for sixth-most in a season for a rookie in Cardinals history.

Rockies: Start a two-game series Monday at the Los Angeles Angels. RHP Jon Gray (10-7, 4.67) goes for Colorado.

— Associated Press —

DENVER (AP) — Miles Mikolas and Tyler O’Neill each homered to help St. Louis to an early lead and the Cardinals withstood a rally by Colorado to beat the Rockies 7-5 Friday night for their fourth straight win.

O’Neill also had an RBI double and Kolten Wong added three hits and a sacrifice fly for the Cardinals in a game between teams in the thick of their respective division races and running 1-2 in the NL wild-card race.

The Rockies pulled within two runs with a five-run fifth that featured a two-run drive by Charlie Blackmon and a solo shot by Nolan Arenado, both off Mikolas, who helped St. Louis take a 7-0 lead by hitting a two-run homer as part of a four-run second.

Mikolas had stranded five base runners over the first four innings but could not get out of the fifth. He was relieved by Chasen Shreve after Carlos Gonzalez scored from third on Ian Desmond’s fielder’s choice and Ryan McMahon hit a two-out RBI single that drove in Desmond, who had reached third on second baseman Wong’s throwing error.

Carlos Martinez (7-6) picked up the victory with 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

Bud Norris gave up a two-out double to Ryan McMahon and walked pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta before retiring D.J. LeMahieu on a fielder’s choice for his 27th save in 31 opportunities.

Leading off the second, O’Neill drove a 1-2 offering from Antonio Senzatela (4-4) deep into the left-field bleachers for his fifth home run of the season, marking the 16th straight game in which the Cardinals homered. The streak is the longest since St. Louis connected in a club-record 25 straight games in 2016.

Jedd Gyorko worked a one-out walk and Wong singled before Senzatela struck out Harrison Bader. But after Gyorko scored from third on a passed ball, Mikolas homered over the wall in straightaway center for his second of the season. The right-hander also homered for his first big league hit April 2 at Milwaukee.

The Cardinals added three runs in the fifth, moving out to a 7-0 lead on run-scoring doubles by Gyorko and O’Neill and a sacrifice fly by Wong.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday night in his second rehab start for Class A Palm Beach against Fort Myers. He’s expected to throw a bullpen session Sunday before making a third rehab start on Tuesday, most likely at Class AA Springfield. Wacha went on the 10-day disabled list June 21 with a left oblique strain. “He’s in the conversation to come back and pitch in early September but what day that looks like — he’s not there yet,” interim manager Mike Shildt said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP John Gant (5-5, 3.76 ERA) has posted a 2.30 ERA over his last three starts spanning 15 2/3 innings. He is making his first career appearance against the Rockies.

Rockies: RHP German Marquez (11-9, 4.42 ERA) is set to make his third career start against the Cardinals but first in more than a year. He won his previous outings against St. Louis, both at Coors Field, going 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA over a combined 10 2/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jhoulys Chacin had some extra motivation.

Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double, giving Chacin all the runs he needed to beat St. Louis for the first time in his career with the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

“I can die now,” Chacin joked to reporters.

Milwaukee (69-57) snapped a three-game losing streak and moved back ahead of St. Louis (68-57) for the second National League wild card. The Cardinals lost for just the second time in their last 12 games.

“We talk about racking up wins and banking wins and we banked a win today and got a great pitching performance,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “I thought we swung the bats pretty good. It’s a good win. That’s a team that’s right in the thick of things and going to be there for the rest of the year.”

Chacin (13-4) entered the game 0-7 with a 6.90 ERA in nine career games, including eight starts, against the Cardinals, but shut them out through six innings as the Brewers avoided their first three-game sweep at St. Louis since July 1-3, 2016.

“This might be the biggest game of the season for me,” Chacin said. “The Cardinals have always been tough on me and this year it was an obsession.”

Chacin has won his last three starts and has given up three runs in his last 19 innings. The Brewers improved to 19-8 in his starts this season.

“I thought he kept them off balance, his slider was again good and his fastball,” Counsell said. “He threw fastballs and it was good sequencing.”

Jeremy Jeffress gave up a run in two innings of relief and Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 10th save in 13 opportunities for the Brewers.

Moustaskas hammered an 0-2 pitch down the first-base line to score Orlando Arcia and Lorenzo Cain, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead in the third. Arcia and Cain each stole a base to help get them into scoring position ahead of Moustaskas.

“We always talk about little things and being able to vary our times and our holds and being quick to the plate is important, something that we’ve done really really well all year,” Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt said of Cain’s steal. “The reality is the guy’s an accomplished base stealer as well. It was a big play.”

John Gant (5-5) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Gant has failed to make it past 4 1/3 innings in three of his last four starts.

“It was just one of those days,” Gant said. “I never really found a good, solid groove.”

Brett Cecil pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, Tyson Ross followed with three scoreless innings and Mike Mayers added another as Cardinals relievers combined for 4 2/3 shutout innings.

Patrick Wisdom hit his first career home run 414 feet into the bleachers in left-center to lead off the eighth for St. Louis.

The Brewers had lost six of their last eight heading into the game.

“It was a really good day for me and for the team,” Chacin said. “I think anything is possible for me and for the team. We win on Sunday, a day game and finally beat the Cardinals. It couldn’t get better. From this day I hope we keep rolling.”

IRONMAN

Yadier Molina started his 27th straight game, a major league record for catchers 35 years or older.

TRAINING ROOM

Milwaukee: C Manny Pina (left shoulder) missed his third straight game and is day-to-day.

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (bruised elbow) pinch hit and flew out after being taken out of Saturday night’s game. RHP Carlos Martinez (right shoulder strain) and IF Yairo Munoz (right wrist sprain) were scheduled to play Sunday at Double-A Springfield and could join the team in Los Angeles.

UP NEXT

Milwaukee: RHP Chase Anderson (7-7, 3.97 ERA) will start a three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds and RHP Homer Bailey (1-10, 6.33 ERA) on Monday night. Anderson is 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds.

Cardinals: LHP Austin Gomber (3-0, 2.89 ERA) will kick off a six-game road trip Monday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers and LHP Alex Wood (7-7, 3.51 ERA). Gomber has won his last two starts and has an 11-inning scoreless streak.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna homered and Miles Mikolas tossed six effective innings to push the St. Louis Cardinals into the second wild-card spot in the NL with a 7-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.

St. Louis moved a half-game ahead of Milwaukee and within four of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

The Cardinals, who are a half-game behind wild card-leading Philadelphia, have won 10 of their last 11 and captured their seventh straight series after winning the opener of the three-game set on Friday.

The seven-series winning streak is the longest since St. Louis won eight in a row from April 10-May 7, 2015.

Travis Shaw and Christian Yelich homered for the Brewers, who have lost six of eight.

Ozuna hit his 15th homer of the season in the second off Wade Miley (2-2).

Paul DeJong and Harrison Bader added two-run hits as St. Louis improved to 21-10 under interim manager Mike Shildt, who took over after Mike Matheny was fired on July 14.

Mikolas (13-3) gave up one run on five hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter in winning his fifth consecutive decision.

Miley surrendered four runs on four hits over five innings. Three of the runs were unearned thanks to a missed third strike by catcher Erik Kratz that prolonged a three-run third inning.

Tyler O’Neill broke a 1-all tie with a bloop single to right following the passed ball by Kratz, which would have ended the inning. Following a walk to Ozuna, DeJong hit a two-run single to push the lead to 4-1.

St. Louis infielder Matt Carpenter had a 35-game streak of reaching base snapped with a 0-for-4 performance.

DeJong drove in three runs.

Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell was ejected in the first inning by home plate umpire Cory Blaser. Blaser had warned Miley for throwing inside to O’Neill. Mikolas hit Lorenzo Cain in the top of the first.

Counsell came out to argue the warning and was ejected for the fourth time this season.

St. Louis infielder Kolten Wong was removed in the fourth inning with a bruised right elbow. He was hit by a pickoff attempt from Miley.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: OF Ryan Braun missed his second straight game with a sore rib cage. He is listed as day-to-day.

Cardinals: OF Jose Martinez was originally in the starting lineup, but was scratched 90 minutes before the game with right hip tightness. He was replaced by O’Neill. … RHP Carlos Martinez will make his second rehab appearance on Sunday for Double-A Springfield. Martinez, who was bothered by a right shoulder strain, threw two innings on Friday.

UP NEXT

RHP Jhoulys Chacin (12-4, 3.72) will face RHP John Gant (5-4, 3.74) in the final game of the three-game series on Sunday. The Brewers are 18-8 when Chacin starts. He is 0-2 with a 5.65 ERA in three career starts in St. Louis. Gant hit a two-run homer in his last outing, a 6-4 win over Washington on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kolten Wong and Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs apiece, Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Friday night.

The Cardinals won for the ninth time in 10 games and pulled within a half-game of the Brewers for the National League’s second wild-card spot.

Milwaukee has dropped three of four.

Flaherty (7-6) gave up three hits, walked three and struck out seven. The Brewers had only two runners reach second base against the rookie, who has allowed two earned runs in his past 19 innings pitched.

Bud Norris earned his 24th save in 28 opportunities.

Freddy Peralta (5-4) went six innings, giving up three earned runs. He allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out five. It was his third loss in his last four decisions.

Wong’s two-run double in the eighth padded the Cardinals’ lead to 5-2.

Jedd Gyorko hit his 10th home run of the season to open the fourth. The shot to left field gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

St. Louis took an early lead after Ozuna followed Yadier Molina’s single and a double from Jose Martinez with a hard grounder up the middle.

The Brewers threatened a comeback in the eighth. They loaded the bases against Jordan Hicks, and Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run single to pull the score to 3-2 with one out. But Travis Shaw fouled out to left field and Jonathan Schoop’s flair to shallow center field was snagged by shortstop Paul DeJong.

ON BOARD

Cardinals 1B Matt Carpenter was issued an intentional walk in the seventh and has reached base in 35 consecutive games. It’s the longest such streak in the majors.

TRAINING ROOM

Brewers: OF Eric Thames was removed from the game before the bottom of the third inning with a sore right knee. The right fielder collided with center fielder Lorenzo Cain while making a catch in the bottom of the first. … C Manny Pina was held out of Friday’s game as a precaution following a collision with the Cubs’ Javier Baez on Wednesday. Manager Craig Counsell said Pina should be available for the remainder of the weekend series, but wanted to provide another day of rest for his left shoulder that was hurt when he dove back into second against the Cubs.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (right shoulder strain) continues his rehab assignment and was available to work out of the Double-A Springfield bullpen on Friday. The Cardinals announced earlier in the week that Martinez, typically a starter, would serve as a reliever when he returns to St. Louis. The Cardinals hope to have him back next week . IF Yairo Munoz (right wrist sprain) begins his rehabilitation assignment in Springfield on Saturday. . RHP Michael Wacha (left oblique strain) is headed to Palm Beach, Florida to begin a rehab assignment. He went on the DL on June 21.

UP NEXT

Braves: LHP Wade Miley (2-1, 2.23) looks for his first win since he went seven innings July 21 in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was his longest outing of the season.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (12-3, 2.85) has won five consecutive games. He went seven innings in each of his last three starts and the Cardinals have lost just one of the past eight games in which he started.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna homered and Austin Gomber tossed six shutout innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.

St. Louis has won a season-high eight straight. The Cardinals, who are 18-9 since the All-Star break, captured their sixth successive series after taking the first three of the four-game set.

Daniel Murphy homered in the ninth for Washington, which has lost four in a row and seven of nine to fall below .500 and nine games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East. The current skid began with a loss to the Cubs on a two-out, walk-off grand slam.

Ozuna homered in the second inning, his 14th of the season and his first since July 30.

Gomber (3-0), in his fourth start of the year, gave up three hits, struck out six and walked four.

Bud Norris pitched the ninth to pick up his 23rd save in 27 opportunities.

Harrison Bader and Yadier Molina added run-scoring hits for St. Louis, which improved to 19-9 since Mike Matheny was fired and replaced by interim manager Mike Shildt.

St. Louis infielder Matt Carpenter extended his on-base streak to 33 games with a walk in the fifth. It’s the longest current streak in the majors. Carpenter left the game in the seventh after he was hit on the hand by a pitch from Matt Grace, but X-rays were negative.

Jeremy Hellickson (5-3) left in the fifth inning after colliding with Bader on a play at the plate following a wild pitch. Hellickson gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Bader, who had three hits, also made a diving catch of a liner off the bat of Bryce Harper in the fourth.

The Cardinals, who have an NL-best 12-2 mark in August, remain one game behind Philadelphia for the second wild card spot. They are four games behind Chicago in the NL Central.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg threw a simulated game on Wednesday. He threw around 70 pitches and could be ready to return early next week, manager Dave Martinez said.

Cardinals: LHP Brett Cecil was activated from the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday. Cecil, who had been sidelined with inflammation in his right foot, pitched four scoreless innings in four appearances with Triple-A Memphis. LHP Tyler Webb was optioned to Memphis.

UP NEXT

RHP Tanner Roark (7-12, 4.12) will face RHP Luke Weaver (6-10, 4.66) in the finale of the four game series on Thursday. Roark has won his last four decision, Weaver is 1-4 with a 5.13 ERA in nine career games against NL East foes.

— Associated Press —