CHICAGO — Starlin Castro remembered the previous time he had six RBIs in a game.

“Yeah, my debut,” he said. “That was a long time ago.”

Castro accomplished that in his first big league appearance, at Cincinnati on May 7, 2010 at Cincinnati.

He did it again Friday, hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth inning and a three-run drive in the sixth to lead the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3 Friday for their fourth straight win.

Castro went 3 for 3 with a walk in the third multihomer game of his career. He put the Cubs ahead 5-3 in the fifth with his drive off Seth Maness (4-2), then connected off Steve Cishek in the sixth for his 10th homer this season.

Castro, who lost his starting shortstop job in early August, has not lost his swing and upbeat attitude, according to manager Joe Maddon. And the infielder loved the curtain call following his second homer.

“I have like six years here and that never happened, never,” Castro said. “That’s my first time and I enjoyed it so much.”

Maddon was heartened by Castro’s performance and recognition.

“When his name has been called, he’s been ready,” Maddon said. “I’ve been nothing but impressed with him this whole time.

Chicago began the day two games behind Pittsburgh for the NL’s top wild-card berth. The Cubs closed within six games of the NL Central-leading Cardinals.

Tommy Hunter (2-0), the second Chicago reliever, got one out in the fifth, and Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Fernando Rodney and Neil Ramirez combined for four scoreless innings of two-hit relief.