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ST. LOUIS -- Allen Craig was supposed to be getting a day off. He never put his feet up, stretched and yawned. The St. Louis Cardinals cleanup man made his first pinch-hit appearance of the season count in the go-ahead inning that paved the way for Lance Lynns 10th win of the season in a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. "Theres not much time," Craig said. "Things are going to have to align perfectly for that to happen and guys just kept getting on base. We had an opportunity to kind of push right through and it worked out well." Matt Holliday homered and drove in two runs, while Yadier Molina batted fourth for the first time this season and walked twice with a double, raising his NL-leading average to .366. Craig struggled a bit over the previous four games, going 2 for 11 with two RBIs, before coming through on a two-run single with the bases loaded against Hector Rondon during a four-run sixth. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had been thinking about stretching Lynn past 92 pitches with a few days off coming up, but couldnt pass up a chance to break it open with Craig, who leads the Cardinals with 55 RBIs. "It was a great at-bat by Allen, to be able to stay sharp all game being in a situation he hasnt been in for a while," Matheny said. Great at-bat." The Cardinals took three of four from the Cubs and lead the majors with a 47-26 record heading into a weekend interleague series against the Texas Rangers, the team they beat in the 2011 World Series. Welington Castillo homered leading off the third for the Cubs, who left the bases loaded in the fifth when slumping Starlin Castro fouled out. Theyre 20-18 against NL teams outside their division, but just 9-24 against the Central. "Its tough, man, but you know, I keep my mind positive," Castro said. "I can be out of this. Ill get 700-some at-bats and Ive got 200 some at-bats now. "Ive got four months left, Ill be aggressive, lets see what happens." Lynn (10-1) allowed a run on three hits in six innings with six strikeouts and has reached double digits in wins before the All-Star break both of his years in the rotation, going 11-4 last year and making the All-Star team. He joined teammate Adam Wainwright and Washingtons Jordan Zimmermann for the league lead. "Right now when I take the mound, they have all the confidence were going to win," Lynn said. "And they show it from the way they play." Lynn retired the side in order four times and is 5-1 against the Cubs, the lone loss coming last month at Wrigley Field. Hes won nine in a row at Busch Stadium and bounced back after winning his ninth game the last time out despite allowing seven runs in five innings. "He had a whole different disposition today and pitched with a lot of confidence," Matheny said. "You could tell he had a good feel for the ball." Molina was 8 for 13 in the series with a homer and is 11 for 21 overall this season against Chicago with a homer and five RBIs. Holliday earned his first RBI in nine days. Castro was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and is in an 11-for-85 slump that has dropped his average to .232. "Hes not the Lone Ranger in all this, you know," manager Dale Sveum said. "Theres not a whole lot of hitting going on." Castillos second homer of the season and first since April 8 briefly tied it at 1 after David Freeses run-scoring groundout off Scott Feldman (6-6) had given the Cardinals the lead. Matt Carpenter scored from second on Hollidays infield hit, a bouncer between third and short that Castro got his glove on but could not contain. Feldman retired one of the four hitters he faced in the sixth, the lone out coming on centre fielder Ryan Sweeneys leaping catch at the wall to rob Matt Adams of a homer two at-bats after Holliday hit his 11th, also to straightaway centre. The Cardinals won consecutive games for the first time since June 6-7 after alternating wins and losses for nine games. Notes: Rookie Tyler Lyons (2-3, 4.65) opposes the Rangers Derek Holland (5-4, 3.30) Friday night. ... The Cubs three-game series against the Astros is their lone home action in a stretch of 19 games with Matt Garza (1-1, 4.98) opposing Dallas Keuchel (4-3, 4.23). ... Cardinals starters lead the majors with 41 victories. ... Attendance was 175,840 for the four-game series, with the finale of 43,651 just shy of a sellout. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Colin Kaepernick didnt feel extra nerves, hear the boos or concern himself with the disparaging T-shirts being sold outside the stadium while making his season debut as the 49ers starting quarterback on Sunday.After kneeling during the national anthem to continue his protest against racial oppression and police brutality, Kaepernick said he focused his attention solely on beating Buffalo.I really wasnt listening to what was going on in the stands, Kaepernick said. It felt good to be out there and give my team the opportunity to win.In the end, he and the 49ers (1-5) didnt come close following a 45-16 loss to the Bills (4-2).The offense looked better at times under Kaepernick, but still could not finish drives. That was the same problem the 49ers had with Blaine Gabbert, who was benched this week.Kaepernick went 13 of 29 for 187 yards and a 53-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. But the 49ers settled for three field goals, twice gave up the ball on downs and punted once on six drives that crossed midfield.I thought he was OK, coach Chip Kelly said in assessing Kaepernicks outing.And Kelly wasnt in a position to commit to who will start next weekend when San Francisco hosts Tampa Bay.Yeah, well see, he said.Kaepernick wasnt ready to say whether hes earned that opportunity either.Thats not for me to say, he said after making his first start in nearly a year. I went out there and played as hard as I could and gave this team everything I had. I will continue to do that every week they let me.Whats not going to change is Kaepernick continuing being the focus of national attention because of the protest he during the preseason.On Sunday, he took his familiar spot in kneeling along the sideline at the 50-yard line, alongside safety Eric Reid and linebacker Eli Haarold.dddddddddddd Not far to his left were cornerback Rashard Robinson and safety Antoine Bethea, who stood with their right arms raised.Anticipating the protest, fans began chanting USA! USA! USA!Kaepernick said he didnt hear them, but also wondered why his stance was regarded as unpatriotic.I dont understands what is un-American about fighting for liberty and justice for everybody, he said.And he was unfazed upon learning of two T-shirts featuring his image being sold outside New Era Field.One read: Wanted: Notorious Disgrace to America, and featured a picture of Kaepernick throwing a pass and a bullseye aimed at his chest. Another featured a drawing of a kneeling Kaepernick with the words, Shut Up and Stand Up! printed.Like Ive said from the beginning, I knew the consequences of what could come from this and I was prepared for that, said Kaepernick, who arrived at the stadium wearing a T-shirt with Muhammad Ali on it.Kaepernick was heartened to learn a group of about 25 Bills fans held a rally outside the stadium in his support.Protests and performance aside, the 49ers troubles go beyond whos playing quarterback after they dropped their fifth consecutive game.San Franciscos porous defense allowed Buffalos LeSean McCoy-led ground attack 312 yards rushing -- the second-worst total in 49ers history, and 12 short of the franchise-low set against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 9, 1958.That is embarrassing, linebacker Michael Wilhoite said.San Franciscos run defense has now allowed a combined 981 yards and nine touchdowns in its past four games.I think its an every-person issue, Kelly said.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '