Lackey, Molina pace Cardinals’ 3-2 win over Twins

Yadier Molina homered and John Lackey worked eight strong innings for the St. Louis Cardinals, who won their fourth in a row with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Mark Reynolds connected three pitches ahead of Molina in the fourth, giving the Cardinals back-to-back homers.

Randal Grichuk tripled, singled and scored for St. Louis, which is 42-21 overall and 25-7 at home — both major league bests. The Cardinals have won 15 of 20.

Twins rookie Byron Buxton tripled for his first career hit with one out in the eighth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brian Dozier that cut the gap to a run. Buxton also slammed into the wall, but didn’t stay down long, after just missing a running catch on Grichuk’s triple leading off the third.