Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run and an RBI single as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-2 Sunday to complete a 6-0 road trip.

Arenado hit three homers and drove in nine runs during the three-game weekend sweep.

The Cardinals have won eight of their last nine games overall to move five games above .500 for the first time since June 3.

Salvador Perez hit his 30th homer of the season for the Royals, who lost for the 11th time in 15 games.

Cardinals starting pitcher J.A. Happ (7-6) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and two walks.

Happ is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts since arriving from the Minnesota Twins before the trade deadline.

Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (3-6) retired just four hitters. He allowed seven runs on nine hits, a walk and a hit batter.

The Cardinals took an immediate 3-0 lead. Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado hit singles to produce one run. Lars Nootbaar drew a two-out walk to load the bases, and Jose Rondon hit a two-run double.

The Cardinals kept after Bubic in the second inning. Edman hit a leadoff single, Goldschmidt hit an RBI double and Arenado crushed his two-run homer.

Tyler O'Neill followed with a solo shot to make it 7-0.

The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in their half of the second inning, but Happ escaped that jam by retiring Cam Gallagher on a flyout.

Luis Garcia relieved Happ in the sixth inning and coaxed an inning-ending flyout from Hunter Dozier to strand two runners.

Perez got the Royals on the board with his two-run homer in the eighth inning off Justin Miller. That was his 400th career extra-base hit.

The Cardinals finished 5-1 against the cross-state Royals in interleague play this season.

--Field Level Media