ST. LOUIS, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Prince Fielder hit a home run helping the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 victory over St. Louis but the Cardinals still held on to win the N.L. Central title.
The Cardinals were able to claim their third consecutive division championship despite finishing the regular season 83-78 -- the lowest number of victories for a division winner. St. Louis heads to San Diego for their first playoff game Tuesday.
Fielder had a first-inning, two-run home run -- his 28th of the season -- to send the Brewers off in Sunday's game. Geoff Jenkins added a solo shot in the inning and Cory Hart tripled and scored on a David Bell single as St. Louis spot starter Anthony Reyes (5-8) lasted just two-thirds of an innings.
Milwaukee, which ended the season with a 75-87 record, added a run in the fourth with a home run by Mike Rivera.
St. Louis scored all its runs in the ninth on solo home runs, with Chris Duncan and Albert Pujols hitting home back-to-back shots off Milwaukee starter Carlos Villanueva (2-2). Scott Spiezio had the third Cardinals' homer.
