Cardinals 8, Reds 4: Tony Cruz clubbed a three-run homer and Kolten Wong went 3-for-3 with a two-run blast as host St. Louis extended its winning streak to four games.

Randal Grichuk homered for the second straight night and drove in a pair of runs as the first-place Cardinals moved 3 1/2 games in front of Pittsburgh in the National League Central. Jason Motte (1-0) retired one batter to earn the victory after Michael Wacha allowed two runs over 4 2/3 innings in his third start since coming off the disabled list.

Zack Cozart homered and scored twice while Kristopher Negron and Brandon Phillips each recorded two hits and an RBI for skidding Cincinnati, which tumbled to its sixth straight defeat. Mike Leake (11-13) was tagged for six runs - five earned - in five innings as the Reds lost for the 11th time in 13 meetings in St. Louis.

Cruz put the Cardinals ahead to stay in the second inning, when he lined a breaking ball into the seats in left field for his first homer and a 3-0 advantage. Wong belted his 12th shot in the second inning to make it 5-0 before the Reds started chipping away, scoring single runs in three straight innings to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Grichuk drilled a 448-foot pinch-hit homer in the sixth before Cozart answered with a solo shot in the top of the seventh to again pull Cincinnati within three runs. Grichuk provided insurance with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame, sealing the outcome.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wacha's two earned runs allowed snapped a franchise-record streak in which St. Louis starters permitted fewer than two earned runs in eight straight turns. ... Cozart belted his first homer since Aug. 6 for Cincinnati, which matched its run total from its previous five games. ... CF Jon Jay became the first St. Louis player to be hit by a pitch 20 times in a season since Fernando Vina in 2001.