Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer to power the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 Thursday.

Nolan Arenado added two RBIs for the Cardinals, who won for the seventh time in their last nine games. They moved within 3 1/2 games of the San Diego Padres for the National League's second wild-card spot.

Kolten Wong drove in two runs for the Brewers, who finished their 10-game road trip with an 8-2 record.

Cardinals starting pitcher Jon Lester allowed four runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter in 4 1/3 innings. Junior Fernandez (1-0) relieved Lester and earned the victory by coaxing a double-play grounder.

Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (7-7) allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings.

The Cardinals struck first when Tommy Edman and Arenado hit doubles to put them up 1-0 in the first inning.

Lester got through the first three innings unscathed, but the Brewers jumped on him in the fourth when his command slipped.

First Lester hit leadoff hitter Avisail Garcia with a pitch, then, one out later, he walked Luis Urias.

Manny Pina drove in one run with a double, Wong drove in two runs with an opposite-field single, and Willy Adames hit an RBI double into the left field corner to put the Brewers up 4-1.

But the Cardinals got to Woodruff in the fifth inning. Andrew Knizner hit a leadoff single, Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-out single, and Arenado hit an RBI single to start the rally.

O'Neill followed with a three-run homer and Lars Nootbaar hit a solo shot to put the Cardinals up 6-4.

They added a run in the sixth inning when Austin Dean walked and scored on Edman's double. In the seventh inning, O'Neill's single and walks to Nootbaar, Paul DeJong and Harrison Bader pushed the lead to 8-4.

--Field Level Media