Pitcher Jake Westbrook hit a grand slam inside the left-field foul pole as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the host Milwaukee Brewers for the second straight night, 8-3 on Wednesday.

The Cardinals moved within 8 1/2 games of the Brewers in the National League Central.

Westbrook’s homer - the first of his career - came off Randy Wolf (11-9) in the fourth, minutes after Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun cost himself an inside-the-park homer by stumbling around third. He was thrown out at the plate.

Westbrook (11-7) scattered eight hits over five innings, and Rafael Furcal and Albert Pujols homered in the first for the Cardinals.

Furcal has three homers - all against the Brewers - since the Cardinals acquired him July 31. He also made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch to squelch a second-inning rally.

The Brewers lost consecutive home games for only the second time this season.

Milwaukee’s Corey Hart extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a leadoff homer in the first. It was the first time both teams led off a Cardinals game with homers since Aug. 25, 1995 against the Rockies.