(Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)

Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer, and Tyrone Taylor hit two solo shots as the visiting Milwaukee Brewers rolled past the St. Louis Cardinals 8-2 Wednesday.

Mark Canha hit a three-run double for the Brewers (86-66), who reduced their magic number to win the National League Central title to five games.

Brewers starting pitcher Adrian Houser (7-4) earned his sixth victory in his last seven starts. He held the Cardinals (67-85) to one run on four hits in six innings while striking out four and walking two.

Losing pitcher Zack Thompson (5-7) allowed four runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out four batters and walked one.

St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras departed the game after six innings with left wrist discomfort.

The Brewers jumped on Thompson to take a 3-0 first-inning lead. William Contreras hit a one-out double, Willy Adames drew a two-out walk and Donaldson hit his second homer since joining the team.

The Cardinals answered with one run in the bottom of the inning when Lars Nootbaar hit a leadoff double and scored on Paul Goldschmidt's single. Wilson Contreras drew a one-out walk, but Houser retired the next two batters to prevent further damage.

Taylor's fourth-inning homer increased the Brewers' lead to 4-1.

The Cardinals cut their deficit to 4-2 with a two-out rally in the eighth inning. Jordan Walker hit a single, Ivan Herrera was hit by a pitch and Richie Palacios hit an RBI single.

Brewers reliever Joel Payamps stranded the potential tying runs by getting Luken Baker to pop out.

Milwaukee broke the game open with a two-out ninth inning outburst. Taylor hit his second homer of the game and ninth of the season. Then the rally continued as Sal Frelick hit a double, Andruw Monasterio hit a single and Blake Perkins walked before Canha hit his bases-clearing double to make it 8-2.