Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Carlos Beltran's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning boosted St. Louis to a 7-6 win over Milwaukee, on a night the Cardinals increased their lead in the NL Central.

The Cardinals moved two games ahead of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the division. The Reds rallied for a 6-5 win in 10 innings over the Pirates Friday night. St. Louis' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is two.

John Axford (7-7), who was traded from Milwaukee last month, picked up the win despite giving up the tying RBI infield single to Aramis Ramirez. Axford escaped a big jam, though, when Carlos Gomez grounded into a 5-2-1 double play.

"There was excitement in the dugout right away, no matter what was happening down there. The game was tied in the ninth inning. Once I came in everybody was fired up, ready to go," Axford said.

Michael Blazek (0-1), who was sent to the Brewers in the Axford deal, walked pinch-hitter Kolten Wong to start the 10th. Matt Carpenter doubled to right and Beltran then lofted a fly to deep right.

Carlos Martinez retired the side in order to secure his first major league save.

Matt Adams belted a titanic 436-foot two-run homer to the second deck in right off Jim Henderson in the top of the ninth inning to give the Cardinals a 6-4 lead, but Edward Mujica couldn't hold the edge.

"I'm forced to put him in a position I usually don't do with him," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said of Henderson.

Pinch-hitter Logan Schafer singled in Jeff Bianchi. After Jonathan Lucroy walked to load the bases, Axford came in to face Ramirez, who tapped a ball toward third. David Freese couldn't make a bare-handed pick-up and the game was tied.

Matt Holliday singled in a run in the first inning, but Ramirez clubbed a three-run homer off Shelby Miller in the bottom portion.

Holliday had an RBI single in the fifth, but Ramirez's sacrifice fly in the bottom half made it 4-2.

Beltran doubled in a run in the seventh and Adams singled him in later in the frame to forge a 4-4 tie.

Beltran threw Norichika Aoki, who went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, out at the plate to end the seventh.

Cardinals since Allen Craig went down with a foot injury earlier this month.