Wainwright, Molina star as Cards close within 2 1/2 games in NL Central

MILWAUKEE -- The way thing are going for the Milwaukee Brewers right now, even Yadier Molina is a power hitter against them.

Molina hit two home runs and the Cardinals beat the Brewers 8-0 on Thursday, completing a three-game sweep and closing to within 2 1/2 games of the NL Central lead for the first time since April 20.

''I'm excited, because we want to have some of that contention fun over the last six weeks,'' Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. ''And this gives us a better chance to have that fun.''

It was the first career multihomer game for Molina, who came into Thursday's game with one home run this season. But afterward, the catcher preferred to talk about pitcher Adam Wainwright, whose seven scoreless innings of two-hit baseball included a baffling 3-2 curveball to Brewers rookie sensation Ryan Braun that ended a bases-loaded jam in the third inning.

Braun, who thought he had seen ball four and turned to walk to first base before being called out -- another misstep in a rough stretch for the sputtering Brewers.

The Cardinals outscored the Brewers 28-7 in the series, and Milwaukee now has lost 13 of its last 18 games. The Brewers remain in first place, but just by a half game after Chicago beat Cincinnati on Thursday.

Before the game, several Brewers players took turns giving each other crewcuts in an attempt to lighten the mood in the clubhouse. It changed their look but not their luck.

The Brew Crew was swept at home for the first time since Florida took three games at Miller Park last September. Milwaukee has been swept on the road twice this year, at San Diego in May and at Colorado last week.

Wainwright (11-9) struck out a career-high eight while walking three. His biggest moment came in the third, after allowing a double to Gabe Gross and back-to-back walks to J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder. With a 3-2 count on Braun, Wainwright threw a waist-high curveball. Braun, thinking he'd just watched ball four sail past, turned to jog toward first base -- but instead was called out on strikes to end the inning.