MILWAUKEE (AP) — Matt Carpenter broke Stan Musial’s team record for doubles by a left-handed batter in a season, Lance Lynn won for the first time since early August and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2 Saturday night to maintain a two-game lead in the NL Central.

Seeking their first division title since 2009, the Cardinals (91-64) have surged ahead of Pittsburgh (89-66) and Cincinnati (88-67), which dropped three games back with a 4-2 loss in Pittsburgh.

St. Louis would clinch a playoff spot for the third straight postseason if the Washington Nationals lost to the Miami Marlins later Saturday in a game delayed by rain at the start. The Cardinals have won for the 12th time in 17 games and improved to 14-4 against the Brewers this year, including 8-1 in Milwaukee.

Carpenter’s fifth-inning double was his 54th of the season, one more than Musial’s total in 1953.