CHICAGO (AP) — Slumping outfielder Dexter Fowler hit his fourth career grand slam, All-Star Miles Mikolas tossed six innings of three-hit ball and the St. Louis Cardinals routed the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Tuesday night.

Kolten Wong had four hits, including a two-run homer and a double, as every St. Louis starter except catcher Yadier Molina got at least one hit. Jose Martinez had three hits and two RBI.

Fowler lofted his sixth homer this season, but first since May 6, to cap the Cardinals’ seven-run sixth. He finished with two hits and played right field in only his second start since June 27.

Fowler entered batting just .167 — and .111 in his previous 20 games. Wong entered hitting only .208 for the season, but has 10 hits in his last 18 at-bats.

Mikolas (10-3), selected to his first All-Star team Sunday, faced only three hitters in five of his six innings. The right-hander allowed two runs and struck out six.

Charlie Tilson drove in two runs for the White Sox in the third, one of only two innings in which Chicago had baserunners against Mikolas.

White Sox starter Dylan Covey (3-5) lasted five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks. The right-hander lost his fourth straight decision and has an 11.70 ERA in his last five starts.

Mikolas came out dealing, fanning five of the first six White Sox hitters. Covey started strong, too, retiring eight of the first nine Cardinals batters and striking out four.

Then with two outs in the third, four consecutive line-drive singles gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead.

The White Sox tied it 2-all in the bottom half. Tilson’s single, the third straight hit off Mikolas to start the inning, drove in both runs.

The Cardinals moved back ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Jedd Gyorko scored from third on a forceout. St. Louis made it 4-2 in the fifth on Molina’s sacrifice fly.

Then the Cardinals broke it open in the sixth with seven runs on three hits and four walks.

Omar Narvaez’s passed ball and a wild pitch by reliever Bruce Rondon allowed two runs to score. Rondon then issued three straight walks to force in another run before Fowler went deep to left-center off Hector Santiago.

Wong’s two-run shot off Santiago in the eighth made it 13-2. Martinez doubled home a run in the ninth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Tommy Pham (bruised left ankle) was scratched from the lineup and replaced by Yairo Munoz. Pham fouled a ball off his foot on Sunday in San Francisco. . Molina returned after sitting out two games with a sore shoulder. He also was added to the NL All-Star roster as a replacement for Giants catcher Buster Posey, who will miss the game because of a nagging hip injury that requires an injection. … RHP Luke Gregerson (right shoulder impingement) rejoined the team from a rehab stint at Triple-A Memphis, but had not yet been activated from the disabled list.

White Sox: OF Avisail Garcia was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. Garcia, an All-Star in 2017, missed two months earlier this season with a more serious strain to the same muscle, but in a different location. GM Rick Hahn hopes Garcia will return after the All-Star break. The White Sox added outfielder Ryan LaMarre to take Garcia’s place.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Luke Weaver (5-7, 4.92 ERA) faces LHP Carlos Rodon (1-3, 4.29) on Wednesday in the finale of the two-game set. Weaver pitched two-hit ball over a career-high eight innings last Thursday in San Francisco and carried a perfect game into the sixth.

— Associated Press —

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At some point, Giants manager Bruce Bochy plans to give Pablo Sandoval a day off. It’s just that Sandoval’s bat, coupled with a slew of injuries in San Francisco’s infield, is making it increasingly difficult to rest the portly third baseman.

Sandoval homered and had five RBI to back an uneven start by Madison Bumgarner as the Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 13-8 on Sunday.

“I come here every day to play and help the team to win,” Sandoval said. “That’s my main goal. I know I’ve been playing a lot but I know what my role is. I’m going to be ready for everything. I feel good.”

Andrew McCutchen and Alen Hanson each added three hits. Brandon Belt and Gorkys Hernandez had two apiece to help the Giants split the four-game series.

Bumgarner (2-3) earned his second win this season despite an erratic outing. Making his seventh start after missing the first two months with a broken left pinkie, Bumgarner allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and hit a batter with a pitch.

“Nothing really was working for me,” Bumgarner said. “Fortunately our offense did a tremendous job getting us back in the game and getting a big enough lead where they couldn’t come back.”

The Giants bailed out their ace with a pair of three-run innings and a five-run sixth while setting a season high for scoring.

After Jose Martinez’s RBI single off Bumgarner in the fifth put St. Louis ahead 4-3, San Francisco rallied against reliever John Brebbia.

Belt doubled and went to third on All-Star Brandon Crawford’s single. Sandoval followed with his eighth home run, a three-run drive that bounced into the waters of McCovey Cove.

“(Brebbia) left it there right in the happy zone,” Sandoval said.

Sandoval added a two-run single in the sixth. The five RBI were one shy of his career high.

“Pablo, he’s a different guy,” Bochy said. “You look at him, you think he’s going to need his rest but he brings it every day. I would like to find a way to get him a day before the (All-Star) break. Between playing first and third base, he’s out there as much as anybody.”

Brebbia (1-3) also took the loss against the Giants on Friday.

“I threw him a pitch in the strike zone with a 1-2 count, which is never any good,” Brebbia said. “When that happens with a guy like that, there’s going to be some damage.”

Matt Carpenter hit his 17th home run and Yairo Munoz also went deep for St. Louis.

Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty gave up three runs, two earned, in 2 1/3 innings.

GIANTS TRADE

San Francisco traded OF Austin Jackson, RHP Cory Gearrin and a minor league player to the Texas Rangers for a player to be named or cash.

MIXED DEBUTS

Center fielder Steven Duggar and right-hander Ray Black made their major league debuts for the Giants after getting called up earlier in the day. Duggar went 2 for 6 with a double, and Black allowed three runs and retired one batter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Tommy Pham left in the seventh with a bone bruise after fouling a ball off his left foot. X-rays were negative. … C Yadier Molina sat out for the second consecutive day because of soreness in his right shoulder. … OF Dexter Fowler was back on the bench, one day after making his first start since June 27.

Giants: Hernandez exited with a tight calf after hitting a two-run single in the sixth. Derek Holland, who has been pitching out of the bullpen lately, was brought in as a pinch-runner. Hernandez is likely to miss at least one game, Bochy said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: All-Star RHP Miles Mikolas (9-3, 2.63 ERA) starts Tuesday in Chicago against the White Sox. Mikolas matched his career high for walks in his last outing but is second in the NL in fewest free passes per nine innings (1.4) among qualifying pitchers.

Giants: LHP Andrew Suarez (3-5, 3.92) faces the Cubs on Monday night at home. Suarez took the loss in his last start despite allowing only one run over seven innings.

— Associated Press —

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — St. Louis pitcher Carlos Martinez found his rhythm early, both on the mound and at the plate.

It was another encouraging sign for the right-hander, who struggled through a rough May and wound up on the disabled list for the first time in his career.

Martinez pitched seven effective innings for his third consecutive win and doubled in the Cardinals’ first run in a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Saturday.

“You could tell he found something in the `pen that he carried right onto the mound in the first inning,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s a great place for him to be and he just kept building on it. Now it looks just like he was before he got hurt.”

Martinez missed 23 games while sidelined with a right lat strain and was only marginally effective upon his return. In his last three starts, however, Martinez has a 2.36 ERA while allowing five runs in 19 innings.

“Right now my arm is great so I don’t have any pain in there,” Martinez said. “I have focus always and I believe in myself.”

Martinez allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts and did not walk a batter for the third time this season.

Kolton Wong had two hits and scored a run, disgruntled outfielder Dexter Fowler added a sacrifice fly and Francisco Pena singled in a run.

Martinez (6-4) was steady most of the afternoon and only allowed one runner past first base until the sixth inning. He got Brandon Belt to pop out with a runner on third in the first, stranded runners on base in the second and fourth and then got Brandon Crawford to ground out after Belt’s RBI double in the sixth.

Jordan Hicks allowed a run in the eighth and Bud Norris retired three batters for his 17th save.

“The last outings I’ve had really good focus and I’m comfortable with myself,” Martinez said. “All my pitches are moving, and today I was trying to throw right in the middle because I’ve got a lot of movement on my two-seamer and my cutter.”

Belt had three hits and drove in both runs for the Giants. San Francisco has been held to two runs or fewer in five of its last six games.

Jeff Samardzija had an uneven outing in his first start since May 29. Activated off the disabled list before the game, Samardzija (1-5) gave up three runs in five innings and repeatedly pitched with runners on base.

“The mistakes aren’t because of the arm,” Samardzija said. “They’re just because of the execution of the pitch, and that’s always a good thing.”

FOWLER’S FUNK

Fowler went 0-for-3 to drop his batting average to .168. Earlier this week, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak appeared to question Fowler’s effort but later backed off those comments.

“That’s a big run right there,” Matheny said, adding that Fowler has been taking better at-bats. “I know he’s looking for results right now and the fact that we can get a run in, that’s a result. But I know he’s looking for some hits to fall in, just like everybody else.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Yadier Molina was given the day off after experiencing soreness in his right shoulder. LHP Tyler Lyons (elbow strain) began his rehab assignment and threw 13 pitches in one scoreless inning for Triple-A Memphis. Lyons has been out since June 6. RHP Luke Gregerson (shoulder impingement) threw nine pitches in a rehab appearance with Double-A Springfield.

Giants: 2B Joe Panik was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain he injured while running from first to third during Friday’s game. Closer Hunter Strickland (broken hand) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. INF Chase d’Arnaud was called up from Triple-A Sacramento and RHP Chris Stratton was optioned down.

UP NEXT

Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-3, 2.58 ERA) pitches the series finale Sunday against Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty (3-4, 3.19). Bumgarner has lost five of his last six starts against St. Louis. Flaherty allowed five runs in four innings during his only career appearance against San Francisco in 2017.

— Associated Press —

PHOENIX (AP) — Yadier Molina homered and had three RBI, Carlos Martinez pitched six effective innings and the St. Louis Cardinals ended a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Molina hit a two-run single in the Cardinals’ four-run first inning against Robbie Ray (3-1) and hit his 12th homer off the Arizona left-hander in the sixth.

Jedd Gyorko also homered and had two RBI to end Ray’s nine-game winning streak, dating to last season.

Martinez (5-4) allowed two runs on six hits and lined a double. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances.

Paul Goldschmidt had four hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four straight.

Martinez snapped a three-game losing streak his last start, holding Cleveland to two runs on six hits in six innings. The right-hander was staked to a four-run lead before taking the mound and gave up Jake Lamb’s run-scoring single in the bottom half.

Goldschmidt lined a run-scoring single in the fifth inning off Martinez, who struck out seven.

Ray returned from the DL (strained right oblique) to throw six scoreless innings in a 2-1 win over Miami on Wednesday.

The Arizona left-hander had a shaky start to his second post-DL outing, allowing four runs on five hits in the first inning.

Ray struck out six while retiring 12 of the next 13 hitters before Molina and Gyorko connected on consecutive solo homers to put the Cardinals up 6-2 in the sixth inning.

Ray allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings in his 100th career appearance.

CARDINALS MOVES

The Cardinals place OF Dexter Fowler on paternity leave so he could be with his wife, Aliya, for the birth of their second child. St. Louis recalled rookie OF Tyler O’Neill from Triple-A Memphis to fill his roster spot. O’Neill started in right field and batted third, going 1 for 4.

TRAINER’S TABLE

Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte returned as a replacement in the seventh inning after missing Sunday’s game to a right hamstring cramp suffered Saturday against San Francisco.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke is 12-5 with a 3.42 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 19 career games against the Cardinals headed into Tuesday’s game. He’ll face RHP Jack Flaherty, who will be making his first career start against Arizona.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Foltynewicz loves trying to one-up his fellow hurlers in the Atlanta Braves red-hot pitching rotation.

He kept even with cohorts by tossing five shutout innings and Freddie Freeman homered as the Atlanta Braves held off the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Sunday.

“It’s like a friendly competition with a fun group of guys,” Foltynewicz said. “It’s a good vibe.”

The Braves outscored St. Louis 22-10 in sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis for the first time since May 11-13, 2012.

Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis, which has lost four in a row. The Cardinals scored five times in the seventh to rally from a 6-0 deficit.

Foltynewicz matched Julio Teheran and Max Fried to post the Braves third successive scoreless appearance by a starter. Teheran tossed six scoreless innings a 5-1 win on Friday. Fried did not allow a run in 6 2/3 innings of an 11-4 victory on Saturday.

“They’ve been awesome,” said Atlanta infielder Charlie Culberson, who had two hits and drove in two runs on Sunday, “It makes it easier for us (hitters). A little bit more relaxed for us going up there.”

Foltynewicz (6-4) surrendered one hit — a fourth-inning single to Marcell Ozuna. He struck out nine and walked three in an 86-pitch outing.

“He never gave in, he kept grinding,” manager Brian Snitker said.

Foltynewicz has allowed just two hits and one run over 10 innings in two outings since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his right tricepts on June 25.

“He was kind of wildly effective,” St. Louis infielder Kolten Wong said. “When you’re throwing as hard as he was, it makes it tough.”

The Braves three starters allowed seven hits over 17 2/3 innings with 24 strikeouts in the series.

“We’ve been feeding off each other,” Foltynewicz said. “We’re always pulling for each other, pushing each other, asking questions. We hang around together and you can see that we take it out to the mound. It’s been a really fun time.”

A.J. Minter picked up his third save in as many tries by setting the side down in order in the ninth. He has not allowed a run in his last seven appearances.

Freeman’s 16th homer of the season, a two-run drive, pushed the lead to 3-0 in sixth. The blow highlighted a five-run uprising that also included a run-scoring hit from Culberson.

Pham hit a three-run homer off Peter Moylan in the seventh to bring the Cardinals to within 6-5.

St. Louis starter John Gant (2-3) allowed four runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings.

“I’ve definitely got to do better,” Gant said. “Came out on the losing end, so anytime that happens, improvements need to be made.”

Francisco Pena had a two-run single in the seventh for St. Louis, which will play 17 of its next 20 games on the road.

The Braves have been in first place or tied for first in 60 of the last 62 days. They kicked off their 10-game road trip in style.

“To come out and win the first three games, that’s really nice,” Culberson said. “But this series is done. We took care of business. Time to move on.”

Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: C Tyler Flowers returned to the starting lineup after missing Saturday’s game. He suffered a muscle cramp in the sixth inning of Friday’s 5-1 win.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Gregerson began a rehab stint with Triple-A Memphis on Sunday. He did not allow a hit over one inning. Gregerson was placed on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder impingement on May 16.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 2.68) will face RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0, 1.93) in the first of a three-game series against the Yankees in New York. Sanchez is 4-1 in six lifetime starts against the Yankees.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.22) takes on Arizona LHP Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.01) in the opener of a three-game series in Arizona that kicks off a nine-game road trip. Martinez is 2-0 in three starts at Chase Field.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Edwin Encarnacion and Lonnie Chisenhall hit back-to-back homers, rookie Shane Bieber pitched six strong innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Bieber (3-0) struck out seven to become the seventh pitcher in baseball’s modern era to strike out six or more batters in each of his first four major league starts. Bieber has given up just two runs in his last three starts and lowered his ERA to 2.22.

The Indians avoided a series sweep and have won eight of 10. Cleveland starters improved to 17-2 with a 2.26 ERA across 26 starts in series finales, including wins in their last nine decisions.

Bieber ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Jack Flaherty in the fourth for a double, his first major league hit.

Jose Martinez snapped Bieber’s scoreless innings streak at 14 innings with a one-out RBI single in the third.

Encarnacion and Chisenhall gave the Indians a 2-0 lead in the second, marking Cleveland’s fifth back-to-back home runs this season.

Francisco Lindor walked and Michael Brantley doubled to spark a two-run third that extended the Indians’ lead to 4-0. Tyler Naquin doubled home another run in the sixth.

Flaherty (3-3) went four innings, his shortest outing this season as the Cardinals had their four-game winning streak snapped. It followed perhaps his most dominant start, in which he carried a no-hitter for 6 1/3 innings against Milwaukee on Friday.

Matt Carpenter walked, doubled and scored his sixth run in his last two games.

TRAINING ROOM

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow contusion) threw a bullpen session and will throw about 65 pitches on a rehab assignment Saturday at Double-A Akron.

Cardinals: SS Paul DeJong (left hand fracture) is scheduled to meet with doctors Thursday with the hopes of being cleared to head out for a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer (7-5, 2.44 ERA) will kick off a three-game series against Oakland and RHP Paul Blackburn (1-2, 8.83 ERA) on Friday. Bauer is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in five career starts against the A’s.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (8-2, 2.69 ERA) will get the start as St. Louis hosts Atlanta and RHP Julio Teheran (5-5, 4.52 ERA) in the first of a three-game set Friday. Mikolas threw 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings in his only career appearance against the Braves on Aug. 15, 2012.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Carpenter homered twice, matched a career best with five hits and helped chase Corey Kluber in the shortest start of the right-hander’s career in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 11-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Carpenter scored a career-best five runs and also drove in three.

Kluber (11-4) allowed six runs in 1 2/3 innings and has lost two of his past three decisions. He gave up six hits, including homers to Carpenter and Jose Martinez, and walked one on 48 pitches.

Prior to Tuesday, Kluber’s shortest start had been two innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013. His previous low this year was a five-inning game on June 15 against Minnesota when he took his third loss of the season.

Carlos Martinez (4-4) settled down after a rough first inning for his first victory since May 2. He had lost three straight decisions over his previous five starts. He went six innings, allowing two runs, six hits and a walk while striking out eight.

St. Louis has won four straight after struggling through a 2-8 stretch. Cleveland entered the series on a seven-game winning streak before dropping the first two of a three-game set.

The Indians used three singles and a walk to take a 2-0 lead in the first but had only three more singles against Martinez and none after the starter was pulled.

Carpenter answered the Indians’ fast start with his 14th home run. It marked Carpenter’s third leadoff homer of the year and 18th in his career. He also led off the eighth with his 15th homer, a solo shot, and finished a triple shy of the cycle on a 5-for-5 night. The five hits matched a mark he set June 14, 2014 at Kansas City.

Jose Martinez’s 12th home run, a three-run blast to left field, chased Kluber. Kolten Wong added a two-run shot in the third, his sixth of the season.

RAIN DELAY

Tuesday’s game was delayed 1-hour, 26-minutes by rain, marking the second consecutive game between the Indians and Cardinals that was affected by inclement weather. The first pitch Monday was pushed back 1-hour, 21-minutes because of a thunderstorm.

TRAINING ROOM

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to throw 40 pitches off the mound Wednesday in St. Louis. If all goes well, he could begin his rehab assignment Saturday. Carrasco is currently on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow contusion.

Cardinals: SS Yairo Munoz was pulled after the third inning with a left ankle contusion. He fouled a ball off his leg during his last at-bat before grounding out to short and was replaced by Greg Garcia to start the fourth.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (2-0, 2.45) makes his fourth start of his rookie season. After allowing 18 hits in his first two appearances, he gave up four but struck out nine and blanked the Tigers through seven innings in his last outing.

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (3-2, 2.50) is coming off his best start of his rookie year. He allowed a season-low one hit and tied a season-high with 13 strikeouts but didn’t figure in the decision in the 2-1 loss at Milwaukee. He’s given up two runs on six hits in his previous 18 ? innings over three games.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Spot starter John Gant pitched one-hit ball over a career-high seven innings, Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run double and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cleveland Indians 4-0 on Monday night.

It was the third consecutive win for the Cardinals and the 10,000th regular season victory for the franchise. St. Louis joined the Braves, Cubs, Giants, Pirates and Dodgers among NL teams to reach the milestone.

Cleveland had won seven straight. Mike Clevinger (6-3) allowed two runs over five innings, and the Indians had just four hits.

Gant (2-2) started in place of Michael Wacha, who went on the disabled list last week with an oblique strain. He allowed only an infield single to Yan Gomes that hit third base in the third inning. He walked five and struck out four. It was his first win in three starts this season.

St. Louis closer Bud Norris relieved Austin Gomber with two on and no outs in the ninth. He got a strikeout and a double play to record his 15th save.

Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks put two runners on in the eighth with two outs but got Edwin Encarnacion to ground out.

It was the second shortest outing of the season for Clevinger, who allowed six hits and walked two. Clevinger had pitched at least six innings in five straight starts before facing St. Louis.

St. Louis took a 2-0 lead in the third. Matt Carpenter singled for one of his three hits, and Greg Garcia walked. With one out, Ozuna hit a one-out double to score both runners.

Kolten Wong added an RBI double in the sixth, and Harrison Bader singled in a run in the eighth.

This was Cleveland’s first visit to St. Louis since 2012, and the Indians fell to 15-9 all-time against the Cardinals.

RAIN DELAY

First pitch was pushed back due to a thunderstorm in the area. The game began after a 1-hour, 21-minute delay.

TRAINING ROOM

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow contusion) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session. He got hurt when Minnesota’s Joe Mauer hit a line drive that struck Carrasco on the right elbow on June 16 in Cleveland. The plan is to throw 40 pitches off the mound Wednesday and then perhaps make a minor league rehab appearance as early as Saturday.

Cardinals: CF Tommy Pham did not start for the second consecutive game due to flu-like symptoms, but he came in a double-switch situation in the ninth inning. … RHP Matt Bowman threw a fastball-only session in the bullpen before the game. He will receive an injection to stimulate blood flow to his fingers Tuesday, according to general manager Michael Girsch. … Girsch said RHP Adam Wainwright (right elbow inflammation) should be able to begin playing catch next week.

UP NEXT

Indians: Corey Kluber (11-3, 2.10) will be making his second career start against the Cardinals. In the May 13, 2015 start, Kluber struck out a career-high 18 batters, matching the Indians franchise record for a nine-inning game.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (3-4, 3.24) has dropped his last three decisions and allowed a season-high eight hits and seven runs in his last outing at Milwaukee. The Cardinals have lost his last five games, including all four since his return from the disabled list.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Luke Weaver seemed to regain his old form. It just took a while.

He settled in after a shaky first inning to win for the first time in eight starts and Jose Martinez hit a three-run homer to pace the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Weaver (4-6) allowed two runs, both in the first, on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out a season-high nine and walked two for his first victory since May 11.

“I think it means a lot for him to right the ship,” Matheny said. “The first inning, you could tell. It was once again, like, `Here we go.’ Got into the second, that was better. Gave up a walk and at that point he turned it around.”

Martinez’s 11th homer capped a five-run fourth when St. Louis erased a 2-1 deficit. Dexter Fowler, who entered hitting .163, doubled twice and scored twice, and Harrison Bader reached four times, scoring twice for the Cardinals, who won the final two games of the series to salvage a split.

Fowler snapped an 0-for-13 streak with a double to open the fourth and Bader walked. Both runners advanced on Kolten Wong’s fly out to right. After Weaver struck out, Matt Carpenter lined a two-run single to center to put the Cards up 3-2.

Jhoulys Chacin (6-3) issued his fifth walk to Greg Garcia and Martinez then drove an 0-2 pitch over the wall in center to make it 6-2.

“That pitch ran into my bat 100 percent,” Martinez said. “He actually caught me off-guard, got me off my timing. I just reacted to the ball. I got the barrel 100 percent. It was good for me that it actually happened like that. It was a good hit for us in that inning.”

The Cardinals extended it to 8-2 in the fifth. Fowler again led off with a double and Bader followed with an RBI single. Wong singled Bader to third and Weaver laid down an RBI sacrifice bunt.

Chacin allowed a season-high eight runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking five. Chacin dropped to 0-7 with a 6.90 ERA in nine career appearances, including eight starts, against the Cardinals.

“When you walk five guys in four innings, you can’t have much of a good game,” Chacin said. “Just trying to battle from the first inning. I got runners on base every inning. Just battling with control with my pitches. You pay for it.”

The Cardinals pushed across a run in the first when Carpenter walked, Garcia doubled and Marcell Ozuna lofted a one-out sacrifice fly to the wall in right-center.

Milwaukee answered with two runs in the bottom half. Christian Yelich tied it with his 10th home run, a one-out solo shot into the second deck in left. Ryan Braun followed with a double to right and scored on Hernan Perez’s two-out single. Jonathan Villar doubled Perez to third, but Weaver escaped by retiring Erik Kratz on a hard-hit liner to right.

“Being able to get out of that inning with just two runs, it’s obviously not ideal, but the way we’ve kind of been swinging and getting hot, I knew we were going to score some runs,” Weaver said. “It was just about putting up zeroes from there.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cards: OF Tommy Pham was not in the lineup after feeling ill before the game. “He is just under the weather,” manager Mike Matheny said. “It has been going through our clubhouse. Different guys are passing it around. Unfortunately when you spend this much time together, is this kind of space, on flights, it is going to run its course.”

Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw left in the third inning after re-aggravating his sore right wrist on the second swing of his at-bat. The extent of the injury was not known, Counsell said. . RHP Matt Albers (10-day DL, right shoulder discomfort), could start a throwing program next week, but his return is still a ways off. “I think we’re looking post-All Star break for Matt,” Counsell said. . IF Nick Franklin (10-day DL, right quad strain) is in Arizona and still experience soreness. “He’s not over the injury,” Counsell said. . IF Tyler Saladino (10-day DL, left ankle sprain) continues to progress. “We’re closing in on looking at setting a date to send him out on rehab.”

UP NEXT

Cards: RHP John Gant (1-2, 4.39) opens the three-game series at home against Cleveland on Monday. Gant, filling in for injured Michael Wacha, was sent down to Triple-A Memphis on May 31 and recalled on Thursday.

Brewers: After an off-day Monday, rookie RHP Freddy Peralta (2-0, 2.30) makes his fourth start of the season to open a two-game series at home against Kansas City. Opponents are batting just .113 against him.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yadier Molina’s defense and longevity might earn him a ticket to the Hall of Fame. Suddenly the veteran St. Louis Cardinals catcher is on a home-run tear.

He homered twice to back a strong start by Miles Mikolas and lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Molina’s two-run homer in the sixth inning off reliever Jeremy Jeffress gave St. Louis the lead and the Cardinals held on behind the solid pitching of Mikolas and four relievers.

Molina has five home runs in his last six games, including another two-homer game in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said the 35-year-old Molina has developed more power as he has grown older.

“He was such a young player when he came up,” Matheny said of Molina, who earlier this week set a major league record for most games caught with one team (now 1,762).

“You figured there was going to be room for improvement but the route he has taken is unique because you can’t always count on that kind of willpower. He’s as driven a player as I’ve ever seen.”

Marcell Ozuna led off the sixth with a line-drive single to center and scored on Molina’s shot to right-center, a ball that bounced off the top of the wall and into the St. Louis bullpen for a 3-2 Cardinals lead.

“He did some damage today,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He was their offense.”

The Brewers (45-31) remained two games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central after Chicago lost in Cincinnati on Saturday.

Mikolas (8-2), who pitched in Japan last season, allowed three hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings while walking two and striking out five. Bud Norris earned his 14th save with a scoreless ninth. Jeffress (5-1) took the loss.

“We didn’t have any idea what we were getting when we got him and he’s been everything as advertised from the Japanese league, plus,” Matheny said of Mikolas. “You just don’t know how that’s going to translate.”

Mikolas retired 16 of the last 17 hitters he faced.

The Brewers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Jesus Aguilar and an RBI single by newcomer Brad Miller.

St. Louis closed the gap when Molina led off the second inning with a solo home run to right-center.

Brewers starter Chase Anderson did not yield another run in five innings, giving up two hits and striking out nine while walking four.

The Brewers had a big chance in the eighth when they loaded the bases with two outs on two hit batters and an infield single. Aguilar grounded out to shortstop against Cardinals reliever Sam Tuivailala to end the threat.

MILLER DEBUTS

The Brewers recalled infielder Brad Miller from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned struggling outfielder Domingo Santana.

Miller, acquired from Tampa Bay on June 10 in exchange for first baseman-outfielder Ji-Man Choi, was in the Brewers starting lineup at second base and had a bloop RBI single in his first at-bat.

Santana hit .278 last season for Milwaukee with 30 homers and 85 RBI, but never got on track this season. He hit .249, with three homers and 17 RBI in 189 at-bats.

Miller, who played 95 games at shortstop for Tampa Bay in 2016, likely will play a utility role with Milwaukee.

“I was pretty excited to get the call and come to a team in first place,” Miller said. “I have the versatility to play everywhere but I’m definitely more comfortable in the middle of the diamond.”

TRAINERS ROOM

Brewers: Ryan Braun entered in the fifth inning to play left field, when outfielder Lorenzo Cain exited due to groin tightness. Cain also was hit by a pitch in the right elbow on Friday and hit by a pitch in the back in the first inning Saturday. Counsell said Cain would not play Sunday in the series finale. “He’s just a little beat up,” Counsell said. Braun appeared for the first time since receiving a cryogenic injection in his right thumb on Wednesday and went 1-for-2. . RHP Zach Davies (10-day DL, right rotator cuff inflammation) is scheduled to make a second rehab start for Colorado Springs on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver (3-6, 4.69 ERA) will be making his 16th start of the season and seventh career start against the Brewers. He is 2-2 against Milwaukee.

Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (6-2, 3.18 ERA) had a six-game winning streak snapped in a 1-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Monday. Chacin is 0-6 with a 5.88 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —