MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — The Milwaukee Brewers scored two runs in the eighth inning to rally past the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Wednesday afternoon at American Family Field, completing a three-game sweep and extending their lead in the National League Central.

Dustin May pitched seven dominant innings for St. Louis, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out nine, but the Cardinals managed only one run against a bullpen-heavy Brewers pitching staff. Aaron Ashby earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, improving to 9-0, and Trevor Megill recorded his sixth save with a perfect ninth.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Jordan Walker led off with a single and later scored on a triple to right field by Bryan Torres, who drove the ball to the wall. Torres finished 1 for 4 with the RBI, and Walker went 2 for 4.

From there, May kept the Brewers in check. He retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced and struck out the side in the first inning. Milwaukee did not have a hit until the fourth, when Luis Rengifo singled. May worked around a hit-by-pitch and a catcher’s interference call, stranding runners in scoring position.

The Brewers finally broke through in the eighth. Garrett Mitchell led off with a double to left, and Rengifo followed with a bunt single that placed runners at the corners. Sal Frelick grounded into a fielder’s choice, forcing Rengifo at second but moving Mitchell to third. After Andrew Vaughn struck out, Christian Yelich singled to right field, scoring Mitchell and tying the game at 1. Yelich was 1 for 4 with the RBI.

The go-ahead run came on the next play. Jackson Chourio hit a ground ball to shortstop Masyn Winn, who misplayed it for an error, allowing Frelick to score from third. That unearned run put Milwaukee ahead 2-1.

St. Louis threatened in the ninth. Megill allowed a one-out single to Winn, who advanced to third on a flyout by Torres, but Yohel Pozo struck out swinging to end the game.

The Cardinals finished with eight hits to Milwaukee’s three, but left seven runners on base and grounded into two double plays. JJ Wetherholt doubled and Walker had two hits, but St. Louis could not convert opportunities.

Milwaukee starter Chad Patrick allowed five hits and one earned run over four innings with four strikeouts. Shane Drohan followed with two hitless innings, and Ashby worked the seventh and eighth. JoJo Romero pitched a scoreless eighth for St. Louis.

The game lasted 2 hours, 17 minutes in front of 30,391 fans.

St. Louis fell to 29-25 with its fourth straight loss and seventh in its past eight games. Milwaukee improved to 33-20, taking its third consecutive victory.

The Brewers have now won four straight head-to-head meetings with the Cardinals dating to May 4.

Both teams continue their schedules this weekend. St. Louis returns home to face the Chicago Cubs, while Milwaukee begins a road trip against the Houston Astros.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Milwaukee 6, St. Louis 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Milwaukee a 63.70 percent probability to win. The Brewers were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over/under line of 8.5.