Cardinals 3, Brewers 2: Yadier Molina drove in two runs while Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday each collected three hits and scored a run as visiting St. Louis held on in the opener of the crucial four-game series.

Kolten Wong went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Cardinals, who extended their winning streak to six contests and their lead over second-place Milwaukee in the National League Central to four games. Michael Wacha returned from the disabled list and allowed a run and three hits over three innings in his first start since June 17 and Marco Gonzales (2-2) notched the win after yielding a run in 2 1/3 frames.

Rickie Weeks launched a pinch-hit solo homer and Jonathan Lucroy recorded two hits and an RBI for the Brewers, who fell into a tie with idle Atlanta for the second NL wild-card spot as their losing streak reached nine games. Gerardo Parra collected three hits, but Wily Peralta (15-10) suffered his third straight loss after surrendering three runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings.

St. Louis grabbed an early lead, opening the game with three straight singles to load the bases before Molina delivered a one-out base hit that plated a pair. Milwaukee got back a run in the bottom of the first on Lucroy's RBI double, but Wong singled with two out in the third to score Holliday and restore the two-run advantage.

Weeks cut the Brewers' deficit to 3-2 as he led off the sixth batting for Scooter Gennett and deposited Gonzales' first pitch over the center-field wall for his sixth blast of the season. Milwaukee loaded the bases later in the frame before Seth Maness relieved Jason Motte with two out and fanned Logan Schafer to preserve the lead, and Trevor Rosenthal worked around two walks in the ninth for his 42nd save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wacha missed 11 weeks with a stress reaction in his right shoulder. ... Rosenthal pulled even with Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel and Kansas City's Greg Holland for the major-league lead in saves. ... Cardinals CF Jon Jay extended his hitting streak to seven games by going 2-for-4. ... Milwaukee RF Ryan Braun missed his second straight contest as he remained in Milwaukee to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.