The Cardinals hit 4 HRs in their second straight game and defeated MLB leaders Braves 11-6

ATLANTA (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt, Masyn Winn, Willson Contreras and Nolan Gorman went deep as the St. Louis Cardinals hit four homers in their second straight game and the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves 11-6 on Wednesday night defeated and secured first place two games of the three-game series.

Gorman hit his 27th homer of the season a day after hitting two homers as the NL Central worst cards beat the Braves 10-6.

Dakota Hudson (6-1) beat NL Cy Young Award hopeful Spencer Strider, allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings.

Strider (16-5) only lasted 2 2/3 innings and gave up six runs in six hits, including a home run. Strider had won his last four starts.

The Braves, who entered the series against St. Louis 8-2 after a road trip, had won their last eight series from Aug. 4-6 against the Chicago Cubs. They will attempt to salvage a game in Thursday’s series finale.

Matt Olson hit his MLB-leading 46th home run, and Austin Riley also hit a home run for the Braves.

Gorman’s triple home run in the eighth inning against Dylan Lee put the game out of reach for the Cardinals.

The Braves finished a 7-2 deficit with three runs in the sixth inning. Olson led with a home run and Michael Harris with a two-run double. With runs tied in first and third place, Ronald Acuña Jr. ended the threat by executing a double play.

The Cardinals hit four runs in the first inning. Goldschmidt put the Cardinals 2-0 up after just two batters with a 406-foot home run over the Cardinals’ bullpen in left field, his 23rd of the season. Three batters later, Contreras threw Gorman from third to second with a grounder, and Alec Burleson followed with an RBI single that hit Nolan Arenado. Burleson was knocked out in play by Acuña second, but the Cardinals maintained a 4-0 lead, forcing Strider to throw 26 throws.

Contreras extended the lead to 5-0 in the third by shooting a groundball single past a flying Orlando Arcia who hit Gorman. Burleson picked up another RBI after picking a fielder.

Contreras hit his 17th home run of the season in the seventh inning and Winn hit his first home run of the year in the sixth inning.

NEXT

Brave’s LHP Max Fried (6-1, 2.52) meets veteran Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (3-10, 8.10) in the final game of the three-game series. Wainwright, who has lost nine straight decisions, is aiming for the No. 199 career win.