Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer to lift the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs Sunday.

The Cardinals (17-15) won their third straight game against the NL Central-leading Cubs (23-18) to move within 1 1/2 games of first place.

Cardinals starting pitcher Dakota Hudson (2-2) earned the victory after allowing three runs on five hits in five innings. Relievers Alex Reyes, Genesis Cabrera and Giovanny Gallegos combined to blank the Cubs for the final four innings.

Cubs starter Jon Lester (2-2) lasted just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on six hits, two walks and a hit by pitch.

Lester has allowed at least five runs in four of his last five starts. His 9.26 ERA during that span lifted his season ERA to 5.80.

Tommy Edman launched a one-out, first-inning homer to give the Cardinals a quick 1-0 lead.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo answered Edman's blast with his solo shot in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 1-1.

The Cubs took a 3-1 lead in the second inning. Willson Contreras drew a leadoff walk and Jason Kipnis crushed a two-out, two-run homer.

Lester hit Harrison Bader with a pitch leading off the third inning. Bader moved to third on Kolten Wong's double.

After shortstop Javier Baez threw out Bader trying to score on Edman's ground ball, Goldschmidt's homer put the Cardinals up 4-3. Tyler O'Neill hit a two-out single and scored on Rangel Ravelo's double to the right field wall to make it 5-3.

The Cardinals tacked on two runs in the sixth. Lane Thomas led off with a single off reliever Josh Osich. He moved to third on Bader's double and scored as Wong reached on Baez's throwing error.

Paul DeJong's RBI single off reliever Rowan Wick made it 7-3.

Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward departed the game after four innings due to illness.

--Field Level Media