Cardinals 6, Braves 2
Shelby Miller scattered three hits over seven stellar innings and Carlos Beltran homered among his three hits as host St. Louis won its fourth straight contest.
Matt Carpenter also went deep, Matt Holliday ripped a two-run double and Yadier Molina added an RBI single as the Cardinals moved into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the National League Central.
Julio Teheran (10-7) allowed the solo homers and just one other hit before yielding back-to-back singles to lead off the seventh inning. Teheran saw those runners cross the plate after Holliday greeted reliever David Carpenter with a line drive to center to give St. Louis a 4-1 lead.
Miller (12-8) allowed one run and struck out six to snap a three-start winless streak and improve to 7-3 at home. Edward Mujica retired the final batter to secure his 34th save.
Carpenter answered Freddie Freeman's homer in the bottom of the first inning before Beltran went deep to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead in the third. Beltran drilled a 2-2 slider over the wall in right field for his 23rd homer - and third in six contests - before his RBI single in the eighth extended the Cardinals advantage to 6-1.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Atlanta RHP Kris Medlen apologized to Fredi Gonzalez after publicly criticizing the manager's decision to pull him from Friday's game. Medlen exited the contest with two runners aboard and no outs in the seventh inning. ... Carpenter went 2-for-5 to collect his 50th multi-hit contest. ... Miller avenged a loss to the Braves on July 28 when he permitted three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings.