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National League Game Summary - Cincinnati at St. Louis

St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Jay Bruce homered twice and knocked in three runs to help the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set.

Devin Mesoraco hit a three-run home run and Todd Frazier also homered for the Reds, who snapped a six-game losing streak.

Alfredo Simon (15-10) earned the win after going six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits.

St. Louis, which clinched its fourth consecutive playoff berth earlier in the day via Milwaukee's loss to Pittsburgh, leads the Pirates by 2 1/2 games in the NL Central.

Lance Lynn (15-10) took the loss after he yielded three runs on four hits with nine strikeouts over six innings.

"(Lynn) was good enough for us to win tonight. We just couldn't put enough together offensively," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.

Xavier Scruggs and Randal Grichuk each knocked in a run for the Cardinals, who had four straight and seven of eight overall.

Bruce got the scoring started with a solo shot to right in the fourth.

St. Louis got the run back in the fifth, though. Daniel Descalso doubled to begin the frame, then Scruggs slapped a single into left that tied the game.

Frazier homered with one out in the sixth to restore the lead for the Reds before Brandon Phillips doubled with two outs and scored on Bruce's single to left.

Yadier Molina and Grichuk contributed back-to-back doubles with one out in the home sixth to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Cincinnati broke the game open in the eighth. Kevin Siegrist replaced Jason Motte on the hill and immediately walked Kristopher Negron and Frazier. Sam Tuivailala came on to replace Siegrist and allowed a three-run blast from Mesoraco. Bruce added his 18th homer of the season later in the inning.

"To be able to get to (Lynn) a little bit and continue to keep our foot on the gas and score some runs to kind of ease into a win is nice," Bruce said.

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