Cardinals 8, Cubs 0: Adam Wainwright scattered three hits over seven innings to record his career high-tying 20th win and Jon Jay drove in three runs as visiting St. Louis inched closer to clinching the National League Central title.

Jay and Matt Adams each had a two-run single before the former drove in another run in the eighth for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 10 to remain 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central. Jhonny Peralta ripped an RBI double and Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday each had a run-scoring single.

Wainwright (20-9) matched his 2010 victory total and tied Los Angeles Dodgers stud Clayton Kershaw for the most wins in the majors. The 33-year-old struck out eight and walked one while extending his scoreless innings streak to 21.

Peralta snapped a scoreless tie in the fourth as his double to the left-center field wall scored Randal Grichuk. Molina followed with an RBI single to right field before Jay's single to left off Travis Wood (8-13) plated both Peralta and Molina to cap the four-run frame.

St. Louis continued the onslaught in the following inning as Holliday's soft single to right plated Matt Carpenter. Adams followed with a line drive to center to score Holliday and Peralta to stake the Cardinals to a 7-0 advantage.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wood permitted seven runs on eight hits in five innings to fall to 0-5 in his last 11 home starts. ... Adams and Carpenter returned to the lineup after missing each of the last two games due to a stomach bug. ... Chicago prospect Addison Russell visited Wrigley Field for the first time on Monday. The 20-year-old was acquired in the deal that sent Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland on July 4.