Matt Holliday had four hits and three RBIs and the St. Louis Cardinals pulled even in the National League Central Division race with an 8-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

Holliday snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI double to left in the sixth inning. St. Louis scored three runs in the sixth and added three more in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run single by Holliday.

Yadier Molina had a home run and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who entered the series two games behind the Reds in the NL Central standings and have pulled even after winning the first two games of this series at the Great American Ballpark.

Jaime Garcia (10-5) allowed four runs and two hits in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. He walked five and struck out two. Ryan Franklin came on in the ninth to retire Brandon Phillips with two men on to end the game and record his 20th save of the season.

Johnny Cueto (11-3) took the loss after he allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The game had playoff intensity from the get go as Phillips and Molina started a bench-clearing brawl in the first inning after having words when Phillips came to the plate in the bottom of the first. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and Reds manager Dusty Baker were jawing at each other during the fracas that lasted about seven minutes and both managers were ejected.