Cards leave Chicago with cushion intact

CHICAGO - Pete Kozma picked a big spot for his first major league home run.

Kozma had two hits and drove in two runs to help Kyle Lohse and the St. Louis Cardinals win for the sixth time in seven games, holding their lead in the National League wild-card race with a 6-3 victory Sunday over the Chicago Cubs.

The Cardinals stayed 2½ games ahead of Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot.

Kozma homered in the sixth inning to give his team a 4-2 lead, and added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in St. Louis' two-run eighth.

"Every game means something," Kozma said. "I feel pretty good getting in there every day and working out the jitters."

Kozma was called up when shortstop Rafael Furcal went down with a strained right elbow at the end of August, and has impressed manager Mike Matheny.

"I've been impressed with the way he moves around shortstop, and he's taken good at-bats for us," Matheny said. "He's done a nice job with the opportunities he's had."

Jason Motte recorded his 40th save, joining Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith and Jason Isringhausen as the only closers in Cardinals history to post a 40-save season.

Lohse (16-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.

Allen Craig got three hits and drove in two runs for St. Louis. Craig hit a two-run double in the third and David Freese had an RBI single.

Alfonso Soriano hit his 31st homer for the Cubs, giving him a career-high 105 RBIs.