ST. LOUIS — Paul Goldschmidt’s bat sparked an outstanding offensive performance for the Cardinals hitters, which included four home runs — three by Goldschmidt — and six extrabase hits on the way to their second-highest-scoring game of the season.

The Cardinals offense exploded for 12 runs and took advantage of Detroit Tigers miscues as they avoided a series sweep and snapped an eight-game losing streak to end the homestand with a 12-6 win over the Tigers in front of an announced crowd of 44,465 at Busch Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Goldschmidt’s three-homer game was the first by a Cardinals player since Paul DeJong on July 24, 2019. Brendon Donovan also homered as part of a game-turning seven-run sixth inning.

The Cardinals (11-24) gave up a 3-1 lead in the top half of the sixth inning when the Tigers (15-18) scored five unearned runs against the relief corps with the help of a fielding error by shortstop Tommy Edman. Cardinals reliever JoJo Romero gave up a grand slam in the inning.

The Tigers led 6-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the first three Cardinals batters of the inning reached, including a fielding error by the Tigers (they committed four errors in the game). A fielding error on a Nolan Arenado ground ball drove in the first run of the inning, and two batters later Donovan’s threerun home run into the right field stands gave them the lead back.

Andrew Knizner (2-for-4, two doubles) and Lars Nootbaar also drove in runs in the inning.

Steven Matz shows positive signs Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz turned in his best start of the season and turned the game over to the bullpen with a two-run lead.

Matz allowed 10 earned runs combined in his previous three starts, but he tossed 5 1/3 innings of onerun ball against the Tigers on Sunday. The lone run came on a Spencer Torkelson solo home run in the fourth inning, and the homer extended Matz’s streak to five consecutive starts having allowed a home run.

Matz allowed five hits and didn’t walk a batter. He struck out two, and he pitched into the sixth inning for the fifth time in his seven starts this season.

He’d thrown 84 pitches and recorded the first out of the sixth inning when manager Oliver Marmol went to reliever James Naile out of the bullpen for his first Paul Goldschmidt blasts offG oldschmidt recorded the 25th career multi-home run game of his career, his second of this season. He also homered twice on April 26 in San Francisco.

Goldschmidt drove in the game’s first run in the bottom of the first when he smashed an 0-2 slider 433 feet to center field off Tigers starter Alex Faedo, who made his season debut for the visitors.

After the Cardinals manufactured a run in the second inning with the help of a fielding error and a sacrifice fly by Tommy Edman to take a 2-0 lead, Goldschmidt came back up and crushed his second home run of the day in the third inning.

The second time around, Goldschmidt jumped all over a 3-2 fastball from Faedo and also drove that to center field.

His third came in the eighth inning and brought his season total to seven.

Pump brakes on Willson Contreras outfield Prior to Sunday’s game, Marmol explained why the Cardinals are likely to keep Willson Contreras’ bat in the lineup as a designated hitter, not as an outfielder, while they work through game planning and pitch-calling issues with the catcher they signed this offseason.

Marmol said the goal was to get him comfortable and pitchers comfortable with him behind the plate.

“The way I would describe is truly understanding our system of executing the game plan with each individual pitcher,” Marmol said. “The reality is, it’s more than he’s ever had to do. Nothing against the way he has done it. It’s just, it’s very different, and it’s a lot of work.”

During Sunday’s game, Contreras spent time perched next to pitching coach Dusty Blake while the Cardinals were in the field and their pitchers on the mound. He could be seen having ongoing discussions with Blake while Matz was on the mound. That’s something he would not be able to do while playing the outfield.

Contreras continues doing pregame catching drills, throwing to bases, and taking part in the game-planning meetings with the pitchers, catchers and coaches.

“He can play outfield,” Marmol said. “He’s played outfield. He has played first. He’s DHed. Those are ways to make sure his bat is in the lineup while we execute the plan internally that we feel good about. How long is that going to take? That I don’t have an answer to. I can’t promise you anything there.”