Cards fall, give NL Central to Brewers

Now three back in wild card race

ST. LOUIS - Alfonso Soriano dealt St. Louis' wild-card hopes a serious blow with his first home run of the month, a tiebreaking three-run shot in the eighth inning that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cardinals 5-1 Friday night.

The loss dropped the Cardinals three games behind Atlanta for the wild card. The defeat also clinched the NL Central for Milwaukee.

St. Louis grounded into three double plays, the last in the eighth after getting two hits off Jeff Samardzija (8-4), and lead the major leagues with 165. They're one shy of their own NL record set in 1958.