PITTSBURGH — Steven Brault pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game, Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped an eight-game skid with a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

St. Louis dropped to third place in the NL Central, 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs and one back of the Cincinnati Reds. The top two finishers in each division advance to the expanded playoffs this year, along with two wild-card teams.

Brault (1-3) had never pitched more than seven innings in his previous 43 starts. The Cardinals got their only hits in the third. After Rangel Ravelo walked, Kolten Wong and Tommy Edman hit back-to-back singles, with Ravelo scoring on Edman's hit.

Brault retired his final 16 batters. He struck out eight, walked two and threw 110 pitches.

Polanco's homer with two outs in the fourth off Austin Gomber (0-1) just cleared the fence in right-center and put the Pirates ahead 3-1. Josh Stallings capped the four-run inning with an RBI double.

Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson left after two innings because of right elbow tightness. Hudson, who allowed one hit and walked two, has a 2.77 ERA in eight starts.

Ke'Bryan Hayes doubled in the fifth and came home on Josh Bell's sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals began their second straight five-game series after losing three of five at Milwaukee in a set that ended Wednesday night. St. Louis also closes the regular season with a five-game series against the Brewers next weekend at home.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (0-2, 10.32 ERA) will pitch the first game of Friday's doubleheader.Pirates: RHPs Trevor Williams (1-7, 6.35 ERA) and Chad Kuhl (1-2, 5.50 ERA) are the scheduled starters.