Despite being no-hit through seven innings, Milwaukee’s pitching staff kept the game within reach long enough for the offense to scrape together just enough support in today’s 2-1 victory over the Cardinals. The win also secured the Brewers’ first home sweep of the Cardinals since 2011 and widened their NL Central lead to 4.5 games.
Starter Chad Patrick worked around a couple of jams over the first three innings before finally allowing the game’s first run in the fourth. It initially looked like he might escape the inning unscathed after a Jordan Walker leadoff single, as Patrick responded by striking out Nolan Gorman and Masyn Winn back-to-back.
Patrick then worked a full count against Bryan Torres, but his payoff pitch — a 90-mph slider that hung over the heart of the plate — got punished. Torres ripped a line drive into the corner for an RBI triple, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
Despite having only thrown 61 pitches, Patrick — who’s been coming out of the bullpen since the beginning of the month — was done for the day. Shane Drohan and Aaron Ashby followed with two shutout innings each, both pitchers allowing only a single hit. The pitching staff showed up today, keeping the score close even though the offense couldn’t manage to provide any run support through the first seven innings.
Not only were the Brewers shut out for most of the game, but Cardinals starter Dustin May was absolutely dominating. May had a no-hitter going through six with zero walks, although the Brewers managed two baserunners on a Jake Bauers hit-by-pitch and a Sal Frelick catcher’s interference.
May kept his bid alive in the seventh by retiring the heart of the Brewers’ order — Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Bauers. Finally, Garrett Mitchell led off the eighth by busting up the no-hitter on a line drive to left field. Torres took a bit of a flat route, and the ball flew over his head for a double, giving Milwaukee their first runner in scoring position all game.
Up next was Luis Rengifo, who laid down a beautifully placed bunt to the third-base side of the mound. The bunt was good enough that he might have beaten it out anyway, but neither May nor third baseman Nolan Gorman charged in on the ball. By the time catcher Pedro Pagés got to it, Rengifo and Mitchell were already standing on the corners.
With the no-hitter no longer in play, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol pulled May for JoJo Romero, who got Frelick to ground into a fielder’s choice at second that couldn’t get Mitchell home. Andrew Vaughn pinch-hit for David Hamilton, but he struck out for the second out.
It briefly appeared as if the Cardinals might escape the jam, but veteran star Christian Yelich wouldn’t let that happen. Yelich took two balls that weren’t really close, then grounded Romero’s third pitch up the middle to tie the game.
Frelick, running on contact with two outs, made it around to third, and all of a sudden, the Brewers had the go-ahead run on third base for Jackson Chourio. Chourio swung at the first pitch, a low sinker, and hit what was a pretty routine grounder to Winn at shortstop. Winn, who won a Gold Glove last year after a season in which he was credited with just three errors, bobbled the ball on the exchange. By the time he picked it up, not only were both Yelich and Chourio safe, but Frelick had crossed the plate with the go-ahead run.
Turang grounded out to end the inning, but the damage was done — Milwaukee led by a run going into the top of the ninth. Trevor Megill came in for the ninth to try to pick up his first save since May 15 in Minnesota. Despite allowing a single to Winn, who stole second and advanced to third on a flyout, Megill struck out pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo to end the game.
While things looked pretty bleak for the vast majority of this game, Milwaukee was able to keep the game close and string together a couple of hits when it mattered. Sometimes pitchers are just on, and even if that’s not the case, the offense won’t always be firing on all cylinders. Good teams lose these games, but great teams grit their teeth and find a way to keep the game close and scrape out a victory. That’s what the Brewers did today.
Also, for those of you on Aaron Ashby Win Watch, Ashby pitched the seventh and eighth innings, so he picked up another win. He now leads the league in wins again, with nine. It’s still May.
After a 4-2 homestand, the Brewers will get a well-earned day off before heading to Houston for a weekend series against the Astros. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
