Lohse leads Cards past Brewers

ST. LOUIS -- Kyle Lohse leads the St. Louis Cardinals with 13 victories after silencing the Milwaukee Brewers' runaway express.

He'll be ready for his next start, whenever that is.

Lohse threw six scoreless innings on eight days' rest, and the Cardinals got home runs from Jon Jay and Matt Holliday in the third, slicing into the Brewers' formidable NL Central lead with a 4-2 victory Tuesday night.

"I think I said about a month ago when I started getting moved around and skipped, I'd take the ball when Tony [La Russa] says it's my turn and go as long as I can until he says that's enough," Lohse said. "I try not to worry about all the other stuff, because then you're going to be distracted. I try not to get upset."

The Brewers thought wind blowing in from center robbed them of three homers against Lohse. But they didn't get upset, either.

"The elements played their part," said Nyjer Morgan, who had three hits. "It's all good. We'll come back tomorrow and bring it to them."

Lohse (13-8) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked three. He was pushed back two days behind Chris Carpenter and Jake Westbrook after giving up four runs over five innings in a win against Pittsburgh in his last start.

"I don't think he enjoyed it and was upset because he got bumped," La Russa said. "But the difficulty today was that he was pitching against a good team and he did great."

Yovanni Gallardo (15-10) gave up three runs in six innings, and has allowed six home runs over 10 2/3 innings over his last two starts, both losses to the Cardinals. He gave up only three runs his previous seven starts combined.

Jonathan Lucroy had an RBI double in the eighth for the Brewers, who lead the Central by 9 1/2 games with 19 to play after their four-game winning streak was snapped.

Jason Motte allowed three hits and Prince Fielder's RBI single in the ninth before earning his third save. The run ended a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless appearances for Motte, and also was the first earned run he allowed in 34 appearances since June 24.

Lance Berkman, who struck out three times against Gallardo the last meeting, gave the Cardinals the lead with an RBI in the first.