ST. LOUIS — Matt Carpenter knew it was just a matter of time.
The veteran infielder busted out of a prolonged slump with a homer and two singles as the St. Louis Cardinals cruised to an 11-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies after a long rain delay Sunday.
Lane Thomas had a pinch-hit homer for the Cardinals, who moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. It is their largest lead since holding a three-game cushion on May 1.
St. Louis, which has won seven of eight and 13 of 16, swept the four-game series by a combined score of 31-12.