Rival watch: Cards beat Milwaukee 8-6, remain ahead of Reds by 2 games
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Carlos Beltran and Allen Craig hit towering home runs in St. Louis' six-run second inning, and the Cardinals held off the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Wednesday.
Matt Holliday also homered and Shane Robinson had three hits for the Cardinals, who have a slight lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Central race.
After taking a one-run lead in the first inning on a double by Craig, the Cardinals went ahead 7-0 in the second off Brewers starter Tom Gorzelanny (3-5). Starting pitcher Jake Westbrook hit a bases-loaded double into the left-center field gap that scored two runs. He entered the game hitting only .167 with two RBIs this season.
Following Matt Carpenter's sacrifice fly, Beltran launched a two-run shot that caromed off the center-field scoreboard. With two out, Craig hit a solo homer to right-center.
