Trouble’s Brewing
Make it a six-pack of consecutive defeats as the Cardinals (36-34) came up short yet again losing to Milwaukee (38-33) by a score of 3-2 Friday night.
Freddy Peralta had the Cardinals in fits, limiting St. Louis to just four hits over six innings. Peralta retired the first 11 Cardinal batters and 12 of the first 13 that he faced. Peralta improved to 6-4 on the year while Erick Fedde took the loss, after giving up four hits and three runs over 5.1 innings.
Peralta and Fedde were both perfect their first time through the opposing team’s lineup. Neither team got a base runner aboard until Ivan Herrera singled through the left side. Once the embargo on baserunners was lifted, Milwaukee came through with a William Contreras RBI double that scored Sal Frelick.
Back-to-back doubles by Alec Burleson and Nolan Arenado made it a 1-1 game in the fifth inning. Michael Siani drew a four-pitch walk to keep the inning alive, but Lars Nootbaar, who had a brutal 0-5 night with four Ks, struck out for the second time to end the inning.
The Cards had a chance to grab a lead in the sixth inning, but squandered the opportunity. Wilson Contreras took one for the team, and then went first to third after Burleson singled to the right side, but Nado fouled out to first to end the threat.
St. Louis might have blown their 6th inning opportunity, but Milwaukee wouldn’t. Frelick continued to be a pest in the leadoff spot, and led off the sixth with a base hit to the right side. Frelick then moved into scoring position when he stole second. Frelick moved up another 90 feet off a base hit from Jackson Chourio. The Brewers then got productive outs from their Contreras (sac fly that scored Frelick) and the very handsome Christian Yelich (fielder’s choice that scored Chourio) to make it a 3-1 game.
The Brewer pen pieced it together to carry them home. Jared Koening and Abner Uribe were each credited with holds as Koening pitched a clean seventh and Uribe got Milwaukee through the eighth with its lead in tact.
St. Louis tried to climb back into it and got a run off of Trevor Megill in the ninth inning. Gorman hit a one-out double and was brought home by an RBI single from Victor Scott II. Scott aggressively stole second base to move into scoring position, but Noot, once again, struck out and ended the game.
St. Louis will try to avoid a second consecutive sweep tomorrow afternoon. Andre Pallante is listed as the probable starter and will pitch opposite of José Quintana. And hey, if you’re looking to do some Draft scouting, Kade Anderson takes the mound tomorrow evening at 6:00 as MY Fightin’ Tigers of LSU take the field in Omaha for its College World Series opening game against Arkansas and Zach Root.