A five-run third inning gave the Angels a lead the Cardinals couldn’t overcome as Los Angeles beat St. Louis 10-7 Saturday afternoon.

With the score 2-1 for St. Louis, Erick Aybar reached on a bunt single, followed by walks to Howie Kendrick and Bobby Abreu. With the bases loaded Torii Hunter singled in two runs, followed by another run on Kendry Morales’ second double of the game. Hideki Matsui capped the flurry with a single that plated the fourth and fifth runs of the inning.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse (1-4) lasted only 3 1/3 innings, yielding seven hits and three walks while getting touched up for six runs. He only stuck out one batter.

Staked to an early 6-2 lead, Angels starter Scott Kazmir (3-4) cruised through seven innings, striking out five while giving up three runs. He allowed only three hits and walked three as well.

Los Angeles increased the lead to 8-2 when Mike Napoli hit a two-run blast off reliever Trever Miller in the fifth inning. After a Jason LaRue RBI single made it 8-3, Kendrick and Abreu had back-to-back hits to extend it to 10-3.

The Cardinals scored runs in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, but it was too little too late.

Morales finished 3-for-4 with two RBI. Hunter, Matsui and Napoli both added two RBIs as well.

The Angeles opened the scoring with an RBI double by Morales in the top of the second. St. Louis countered in the bottom half on a Matt Holliday home run and a Brendan Ryan RBI groundout.

The teams will complete the three-game interleague series Sunday afternoon.