ST. LOUIS -- Jason Conti drove in a career-high five runs, including a go-ahead single in the ninth inning that helped the Milwaukee Brewers rally past the Cardinals 7-6 Wednesday night.

Pinch-hitter Brooks Kieschnick tied it with a two-run homer off Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen, who blew a 6-4 lead in the ninth. The loss dropped St. Louis 5 1/2 games behind first-place Houston in the NL Central -- the Astros played later at Colorado.

Isringhausen (0-1) failed for the third time in 21 save opportunities.

Keith Osik led off the ninth with a walk. With one out, Kieschnick, a relief pitcher who is a former outfielder, hit an 0-1 pitch into the right-field seats to tie it. It was the second homer Isringhausen has allowed this year.

Scott Podsednik then walked and stole second. Conti followed with an RBI single up the middle.

Leo Estrella (7-3) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Dan Kolb worked the ninth, earning his 19th save.

The Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak. Milwaukee had lost its previous five games against the Cardinals and have won three of 13 meetings this season.

St. Louis tagged Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets for five runs on six hits and a walk in the third inning. All the runs scored after two outs.

Starter Garrett Stephenson, who pitched six innings, led off with a single and advanced to third on a single by Fernando Vina, starting for the first time in three games after sitting out with a sore Achilles' heel.

Third baseman Wes Helms made a diving stop of a shot hit by J.D. Drew and threw out Stephenson at home. After Albert Pujols flied out, Jim Edmonds drew a walk. Scott Rolen drove in two runs with a sharp single up the middle, giving him 99 RBIs. Rolen finished 3-for-4 with a walk.

Tino Martinez walked, and Edgar Renteria singled off Helms' glove for two runs. Chris Widger extended his hitting streak to eight games with a run-scoring single to center. Sheets struck out Stephenson to end the inning.

The Brewers cut it to 5-4 on a three-run homer to right by Conti, who drove in Milwaukee's first run in the first inning with a sacrifice fly. It was the 30th homer Stephenson has allowed this season in 174 1-3 innings.

The Cardinals made it 6-4 on a two-out infield single off the glove of Sheets by Drew. Widger, who went 3-for-4, led off with a double and advanced on a sacrifice by Stephenson.Noteworthy

The Cardinals' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award is Pujols. He will be honored in a pregame ceremony Saturday. All 30 teams nominate a player and the winner will be announced during the World Series. ... Cardinals rookie right-hander Dan Haren celebrated his 23rd birthday. ... The Brewers' pitching staff has allowed the most home runs in the major leagues with 203. The Cardinals are second with 201.