Albert Pujols homered twice and Kyle Lohse turned in a solid start to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

Matt Holliday added two hits and scored a pair of runs, while Brendan Ryan drove in two for the Cardinals, who pulled back within six games of the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central.

Facing Atlanta ace Tim Hudson, Pujols gave St. Louis a quick lead in the first with his 38th homer of the season - a solo shot to deep center. The teams traded single runs in the third before the Cardinals broke it open with four runs in the third.

Pujols sparked the rally with another solo shot, sending his 39th over the wall in left. Lohse helped his own cause with an RBI single and Ryan followed with a two-run triple to push it to 6-1.

Lohse (3-7), who had allowed a total of 12 runs in his last two starts, scattered nine hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out one and walking one.

Hudson (15-8) was roughed up for six runs on nine hits to suffer his third consecutive loss as Atlanta fell one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.