Yadier Molina went 4-for-4 with five RBIs as the St. Louis Cardinals pounded Mat Latos and rolled to a 14-4 triumph over the San Diego Padres.

Matt Holliday homered and drove in three runs while Albert Pujols collected three hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who climbed within six games of first-place Cincinnati in the National League Central. Colby Rasmus recorded three hits and scored four times as St. Louis' No. 3-6 hitters went 12-for-18 with 10 RBIs and eight runs scored.

Miguel Tejada hit a solo homer in the first inning for San Diego, but it was all St. Louis afterward as it plated three runs in the bottom of the first and five more in the second to build an 8-2 cushion.

Molina capped the first-inning rally with an RBI single and highlighted the uprising in the second with a two-run base hit. He added an RBI double in the fourth before completing his impressive performance in the sixth with a run-scoring single.

Pujols drove in a run in the first with a double and another in the second with a single, while Holliday contributed an RBI groundout in the first, a run-scoring single in the second and his 27th home run in the sixth.

Kyle Lohse (4-7) posted his third win in seven decisions thanks to the Cardinals' offensive outburst. The veteran allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings with a walk and four strikeouts.

Latos (14-7) suffered his second consecutive loss in his shortest start in the majors, surrendering a career-high eight runs and nine hits while retiring just four batters. The 22-year old fell to 0-2 with a 25.33 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis.

Chase Headley homered and Will Venable went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Padres, who have lost 11 straight games at Busch Stadium.