MILWAUKEE -- For the second consecutive game, rookie outfielder Tommy Pham gave the St. Louis Cardinals plenty to think about, collecting three hits in a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Afterward, however, Pham had little interest in his performance or even the team's result thanks to a scary moment in the third inning.

With a runner on second and no outs, Pham stepped in against Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson.

Pham worked the count to 1-1, then lined a 89 mph slider right back at Nelson, hitting the 26-year-old right-hander on the right side of the head.

"You don't really know what you are supposed to do," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "My reaction was to take two steps out there, but it wasn't my guy, I have no right going out there, but you are worried about that. You are just human. It is good to know that they think that way, but the game has to continue. There's no way to teach that."

Nelson fell to the ground and lay face down and motionless for about a minute while the Brewers' medical staff evaluated him. He eventually sat up and was able to walk off the field under his own power. A CT scan later revealed only a contusion.

"That was really, really scary for me," said Milwaukee third baseman Elian Herrera, who fielded the ball near the Cardinals' dugout as Pham went to second with an RBI double. "I saw the ball hit him right in his face. I was praying he would be OK."

Nelson was taken to a local hospital.

"I think he escaped without any serious harm," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We're very, very fortunate. It's scary. It's not something you ever want to see."

Pham was visibly shaken at second base while Nelson was being evaluated.

"It was tough," Pham said. "I talked to Scooter (Gennett, the Milwaukee second baseman). Scooter said when (Nelson) was walking off the mound that all the signs were that he should be OK."

Nelson (11-12) already was off to a rough start.

Third baseman Matt Carpenter kicked off his three-hit day with a first-inning single, then scored on a triple by Pham. Carpenter would score again on the play that resulted in Nelson's injury. With the Cardinals up 5-0, he added a solo home run with two outs in the sixth off right-hander David Goforth, who covered four innings for the Brewers after Nelson went down.

Counsell said, "David Goforth saved us tonight; he did a nice job, but we couldn't get anything going against (Cardinals starter John) Lackey. He pitched really well tonight."

The duo of Carpenter and Pham provided plenty of support for Lackey (12-9), who scattered five hits and two walks while striking out eight over seven scoreless innings.

"He had everything working today," Matheny said. "He had a good tempo. When he got guys on early, he got ground-ball double plays. Just a very good outing."

Brewers first baseman Adam Lind accounted for two hits off Lackey. However, Milwaukee went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position until the ninth, when shortstop Jean Segura cut the deficit in half with a two-out, three-run home run off reliever Mitch Harris.

St. Louis won its fourth in a row and increased its division lead to five games over the Pittsburgh Pirates, who earlier in the day fell to the Chicago Cubs for the third time in four games.

NOTES: Ryan Braun returned to the Brewers' lineup Thursday, still battling back tightness that kept him sidelined the night before. ... After going 3-for-4 with two home runs and a triple, Cardinals OF Tommy Pham got his second straight start in center. ... Cardinals OF Matt Holliday returned to action Thursday for the first time since coming off the disabled list Tuesday. Holliday pinch-hit for 1B Matt Adams in the seventh. Holliday said he would remain in a reserve role for the near future as he tries to get back to 100 percent. ... Cardinals C Tony Cruz started behind the plate in place of Yadier Molina, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts Wednesday and is 1-for-14 in his past three games. ... Brewers RHP Matt Garza, who was removed from the rotation Sept. 5, left the team to be with his wife, who is due to give birth to twins. Manager Craig Counsell said Garza likely would not return to the team this season.