MLB: Atlanta 7, St. Louis 4

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ST. LOUIS, May 13 (UPI) -- Atlanta's Jason Heyward stroked a bases-clearing double Sunday and the Braves completed a three-game sweep of St. Louis with a 7-4 win.

Heyward's big hit came in the third inning, breaking a scoreless tie, and Atlanta scored three more times in the seventh on run-scoring hits from Martin Prado, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla.

The victory was the third straight and seventh in nine contests for the Braves, who entered the contest one-half game behind Washington atop the National League East.

Atlanta starter Tommy Hanson (4-3) struck out nine over five innings, yielding one run on five hits while walking three.

The Cardinals' Lance Lynn (6-1) absorbed his first loss of the season after starting the year with six straight wins. The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits in a six-inning effort.

Allen Craig went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and Carlos Beltran added a solo shot for National League Central-leading St. Louis, which dropped its fourth straight.