Yadier Molina recorded three hits and an RBI as the St. Louis Cardinals took advantage of some terrible defense by the visiting Milwaukee Brewers to grab a 7-1 victory on Friday and take a 3-2 lead in the National League Championship Series.

Matt Holliday added a two-run double and the bullpen stepped up again with 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the Cardinals, who are one win away from their 18th trip to the World Series.

The series shifts back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Sunday.

The second inning proved to be the Brewers’ undoing. Molina doubled to right to drive in a one-out run as St. Louis opened the scoring.

Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (1-1) got Nick Punto to line out and looked like he was out of the jam when opposing pitcher Jaime Garcia hit a hot shot on the ground to third.

The ball ended up going right between third baseman Jerry Hairston’s legs, plating a pair of unearned runs.

The Brewers appeared ready to jump back into the game in the fifth, pushing a run across and bringing Ryan Braun to the plate as the tying run. But Cardinals manager Tony La Russa went to his bullpen for Octavio Dotel (1-0), who struck out Braun swinging to end the threat.

Milwaukee had something going in the eighth inning with two runners on and the middle of the order coming up. But Lance Lynn got Braun to ground into a fielder’s choice, Marc Rzepczynski struck out Prince Fielder and Jason Motte got Rickie Weeks to ground to third.