Yadier Molina hit the decisive homer to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over the visiting Chicago Cubs 2-1 Saturday.

The National League Central-leading Cardinals won for the third time in four games and expanded their lead over the second-place Cubs to three games.

But the victory may have been costly. Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas lasted just four innings in his first outing since 2019.

He missed the 2020 season after undergoing forearm flexor tendon surgery, then his comeback this season was slowed by shoulder inflammation.

Mikolas held the Cubs to one run on three hits. He went to the mound to warm up for the fifth inning, but he was unable to continue due to right forearm tightness.

Relievers Daniel Ponce de Leon, Genesis Cabrera, Giovanny Gallegos and Alex Reyes shut out the Cubs for the final five innings. Cabrera (1-1) got the victory and Reyes earned his 14th save.

Cubs starting pitcher Adbert Alzolay (2-4) allowed two runs on five hits in a strong seven-inning outing.

Mikolas hit the first hitter he faced, Joc Pederson, and it cost him a 1-0 deficit. Pederson moved to second base on Willson Contreras' single, took third on a forceout grounder and scored on Javier Baez's RBI single.

Anthony Rizzo led off the fourth inning with a bloop single. Matt Duffy drew a two-out walk, but Mikolas retired Nico Hoerner to end the threat.

Goldschmidt hit a one-out double in the bottom of the inning, but Alzolay got Nolan Arenado to ground out and Molina to fly out to end the threat.

The Cardinals tied the game 1-1 in the fifth inning when Edmundo Sosa hit a two-out triple and scored on Lane Thomas' single.

Molina's homer down the left-field line put the Cardinals up 2-1 in the seventh inning.

Kris Bryant hit a one-out bloop single in the eighth inning and Contreras followed by drawing a four-pitch walk. Gallegos struck out Rizzo and got Baez to fly out to end the threat.

--Field Level Media