Leake and Molina lead Cardinals to 8-1 win over Nationals

Mike Leake pitched eight strong innings and Yadier Molina drove in four runs to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 8-1 on Friday night.

The Cardinals have won five of their past six, while the Nationals have dropped four of six.

Leake (6-6) got his first win since he last went eight innings in a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 24. He was 0-4 with two no-decisions before picking up the victory Friday. He pitched eight innings, giving up one run on five hits, striking out four and walking three.

A wild Tanner Roark (6-6) took the loss, lasting just three innings. He gave up four hits but walked a season-high five, the final two of which resulted in the Cardinals' first two runs. Of his 85 pitches in the game, only 46 were strikes.

Molina extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a two-run single in the third and added another two-run hit as the Cardinals scored five times in the fourth off reliever Jacob Turner.