PITTSBURGH -- Allen Craig was looking for his first hit in two months, hoping to cast aside an 0-for-11 slide that included a lengthy stay on the disabled list after he fractured his right kneecap in early June.

He definitely needed this one.

Craig homered twice and had three RBIs Wednesday night to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Craig went 4 for 5 and Yadier Molina added three hits for the Cardinals, who salvaged the final game of a three-game set in hopes of staying within shouting distance of front-running Milwaukee in the NL Central.

"That was definitely a big win to kind of stop things there," Craig said. "It would have been tough to lose this game, definitely."

Cardinals outfielder Allen Craig is greeted at home plate by teammates Rafael Furcal and Albert Pujols, right, after Craig hit a two-run home run during the first inning Wednesday in Pittsburgh. (KEITH SRAKOCIC ~ Associated Press)

Craig had struggled since his return from the disabled list last Wednesday, going hitless in nine at-bats. He worked the count full against Paul Maholm in the first, then -- perhaps a little anxious to bust loose -- swung at a pitch near his eyes even though Albert Pujols was on deck.

Maholm heard the ball come off the bat and figured it was a routine popup to center. It wasn't. The ball sailed into the Cardinals bullpen to give St. Louis a quick 2-0 lead.

"I don't know why he swung. He should have just taken it for a walk," Maholm said. "But obviously it looked good to him."

Craig added a solo shot in the seventh off Brad Lincoln for his first career multihomer game. It was the kind of positive reinforcement he needed after a longer than expected visit to the DL.

He anticipated being out three to six weeks after slamming into the wall in Houston. It was nearly two months before he was back on the field.

"It's tough to put a timetable on something like that," Craig said. "It's a unique injury in a unique spot and eight weeks is what it was. I busted my butt to get my legs strong and rehab."

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa would like to play Craig more often, but it's difficult when the team is healthy. But with a left-hander on the mound, La Russa figured Craig needed to start.

"When he's healthy, I've said it several times, I'd like to get him into the lineup," La Russa said. "This was the perfect time -- a left-hander, give Lance [Berkman] two days off, but it's no hunch. The guy's already proven he deserves some playing time."

Kyle Lohse (11-7) picked up his 99th career victory by pitching seven solid innings. He allowed two runs and five hits, struck out seven and walked one.

Maholm (6-14) dropped his fifth straight decision, giving up three runs -- all in the first -- and eight hits over five innings.

Though Maholm's numbers are solid this season, he's consistently run into trouble in the first inning. He's started the game giving up a team-high 15 first-inning runs this season, and St. Louis wasted little time adding to that total.

Craig's drive kickstarted the offense, and the Cardinals made it 3-0 on a run-scoring single by Molina.

Lohse nearly matched Maholm's early troubles, loading the bases in the bottom of the first. But he escaped when Ryan Ludwick's sinking line drive to right field was corralled by Craig.

"It was a little scary there in the first, but after that I felt like I got rolling," Lohse said.

Lohse settled down after that.