Cubs 7, Cardinals 2: Jorge Soler homered twice and fellow rookie Junior Baez ripped a two-run double to snap a tie in the eighth inning as host Chicago won the opener of a four-game series.

Luis Valbuena belted a solo homer in the second inning and rookie Arismendy Alcantara also went deep to lead off the ninth for the Cubs, who have won five of their last seven. Neil Ramirez (2-1) picked up the win after allowing two hits in one scoreless inning of relief of rookie Kyle Hendricks.

Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta each had an RBI single for the Cardinals, who reside 1 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central and hold the NL's second wild-card spot by one game over the Atlanta Braves. Veteran Yadier Molina went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in his return from the disabled list after tearing a ligament in his right thumb on July 9.

With the score tied at 2-2, Logan Watkins had a pinch-hit single to lead off the eighth inning against reliever Pat Neshek (6-1) and advanced to third on Chris Coghlan's ground-rule double. Baez sent a 2-2 sinker into the left-center gap to plate both runners and Soler added his third homer in as many games with a two-run shot to send St. Louis to its third straight loss.

The Cardinals jumped out of the blocks in a hurry as Holliday's RBI single opened the scoring before Peralta shattered his bat while sending a base hit to left to plate Kolten Wong. Valbuena answered in the second with his 14th homer before Soler deposited a first-pitch fastball from Shelby Miller over the wall in center in the seventh.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Neshek allowed four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning. Prior to Friday's contest, he had surrendered five in 55 1/3 frames. ... St. Louis will activate LHP Marco Gonzales and position him to make his fourth career start in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. ... Hendricks allowed two runs on five hits in six innings for a no-decision. The 24-year-old hasn't yielded more than two runs in any of his eight outings since surrendering four in his major-league debut.