Molina powers Cardinals’ win

Yadier Molina tied his career high by going 4for-4 with a two-run homer, and Kyle Lohse allowed three runs over six innings to run his record to 4-0 for the first time as the host Cardinals defeated the Brewers 7-3 on Saturday.

Molina’s home run to left field with one out in the sixth off Milwaukee starter Marco Estrada (01) broke a 3-3 tie. Molina has 10 four-hit games in his career, the last coming on May 22, 2011, against Kansas City.

St. Louis has won three straight and leads the Brewers by five games in the NL Central.

Cardinals third baseman David Freese celebrated his 29th birthday with a solo home run. Freese has a hit in 15 of the 17 games he’s started and has driven in 20 runs.

Reds 6, Astros 0: Jay Bruce homered for the third consecutive game and drove in four runs to back Johnny Cueto’s solid effort as the host Reds beat the Astros.

Bruce had a two-run double and Brandon Phillips added two hits for the Reds, who had lost the first two games of a 10day, nine-game homestand.

Cueto (3-0) wasn’t dominant, allowing five hits and a walk while hitting a batter and striking out just three over seven innings, but he was able to make enough quality pitches to keep in check an Astros team that hit .301 over the first four games of their six-game road trip.

Phillies 5, Cubs 2: Carlos Ruiz homered and drove in three runs, Joe Blanton threw 7 ⅓ sharp innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs.

Jimmy Rollins, back in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, added a two-run double for the Phillies, the fivetime defending NL East champions who are off to a 10-11 start.

Blanton (2-3) allowed two runs and eight hits, striking out eight. Chad Qualls got the last two outs in the eighth. Jonathan Papelbon finished for his seventh save in as many tries.

Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 2: Hanley Ramirez hit a run-scoring single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Marlins over the Arizona Diamondbacks, snapping Miami’s losing streak at six games.

Ramirez’s line drive to left off reliever Brad Ziegler scored Giancarlo Stanton after he reached on a one-out infield single and advanced to second on Emilio Bonifacio’s grounder to first. Ziegler (0-1) intentionally walked Jose Reyes to face Ramirez.

Steve Cishek (2-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.