Redbirds brew up potient to end skid

ST. LOUIS -- Brett Tomko allowed six hits over eight innings and drove in three runs as the St. Louis Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak with an 11-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Tomko went 2-for-4, including a two-run single in the second and an RBI single in the third, as the Cardinals moved within five games of idle Houston in the NL Central.

Albert Pujols hit his 42nd home run, leaving him tied with Barry Bonds for the NL lead. Jim Edmonds also homered for the Cardinals, who scored seven times in the first three innings off Wes Obermueller.

Tomko (13-8) didn't allow a baserunner until Keith Ginter homered with one out in the fourth. Bill Hall also homered leading off the sixth.

Obermueller (0-5) is winless in 11 career starts over the last two seasons. He lasted 2 1-3 innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits.

In the second, Edmonds, Edgar Renteria and Chris Widger walked to load the bases. Tomko hit a two-run single, and Bo Hart added an RBI single to make it 3-0.

Edmonds ended a 4-for-29 slump with his 37th homer leading off the Cardinals' four-run third. Widger, Tomko and Orlando Palmeiro also had run-scoring hits to give St. Louis a 7-0 lead.

Renteria had an RBI single in the fourth, and Pujols homered off Glendon Rusch in the fifth to make it 9-1.