MILWAUKEE — After coming off a 15-inning loss at Colorado the night before, another extra-inning affair wasn’t what a weary St. Louis Cardinals team needed.

Fighting to maintain control of the lead in the NL Central, the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night on Carlos Beltran’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, preserving their roost atop the division.

“Getting taken into extra innings isn’t what we were looking for, but what a win,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.