Cardinals 6, Braves 3
Yadier Molina capped a five-run rally in the third inning with a three-run double as the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep and inched closer to the National League wild card Sunday with a 6-3 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves.
Molina finished with three hits, and Jon Jay had two hits and scored twice for St. Louis, which climbed within 4 1/2 games of Atlanta in the wild-card race. The Cardinals also remained six games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central after the Brewers shaded Philadelphia 3-2..
St. Louis took advantage of an unusually wild Tim Hudson (14-10) in the third to gain control early. Daniel Descalso was the first of two hit batters in the inning and scored the game's first run on a single by Albert Pujols. Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman drew back-to-back walks, forcing in another run, before Molina cleared the bases.
Jake Westbrook (12-8) allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings in improving to 4-5 at home this season. Jason Motte struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save in eight chances.
Chipper Jones belted a solo homer for Atlanta, which has lost eight of 11.
In acknowledgement of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Cardinals held a pregame ceremony during which legendary announcer Jack Buck's poem "For America" was replayed.