MLB: LA Dodgers 4, St. Louis 1

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Clayton Kershaw yielded an earned run and seven hits in seven innings to help the LA Dodgers record a 4-1 victory at St. Louis.

Kershaw (2-3) walked four batters and struck out seven while the Dodgers reached .500 mark (57-57), two games behind National League West-leading Arizona.

Manny Ramirez launched a two-run third inning homer.

James Loney and Juan Pierre had one RBI apiece and Jeff Kent added three hits in the Dodgers' third win in their last five games.

St. Louis' lone run scored on Cesar Izturis' fifth inning triple. He had two of the four hits for the Cardinals, whose deficit behind the idle Chicago Cubs in the NL Central rose to six games.

Losing pitcher Kyle Lohse (13-4) allowed four earned runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Los Angeles is just 3-11 in regular-season contests at Busch Stadium since the start of the 2005 season.