Cardinals 6, Brewers 1
MILWAUKEE -- Shelby Miller allowed a run on seven hits in six innings of work, and Carlos Beltran hit his eighth home run of the season as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-1 Friday in front of 40,068 at Miller Park.
In two starts against Milwaukee this season, Miller is 2-0 with an 0.69 ERA and improved to 4-2 with a 1.96 ERA overall in 2013. Miller struck out five Friday, bringing his season total to 38 in 36 2/3 innings, compared to just 11 walks.
The Cardinals could have won by a bigger margin but had three runners thrown out at home plate and another at second base.
St. Louis went right to work against Brewers starter Kyle Lohse, who spent the last five seasons with the Cardinals.
Matt Holliday gave Miller an early lead, belting a two-run homer off Lohse that hit the scoreboard in center field in the third. Allen Craig followed with single but was caught at the plate trying to score on Yadier Molina's double.
The Cardinals added two runs in the fifth when Holliday led off with a single and moved to third on Molina's one-out base hit. David Freese flied out to left. Jon Jay drove in two runs with a double to left but was picked off trying to round second base.
Lohse wouldn't return, giving way to pinch-hitter Blake Lalli in the bottom of the inning. In his shortest start of the season, Lohse allowed season highs with four runs and 11 hits. He struck out one and walked one.
Facing right-hander Brandon Kintzler, Beltran's home run led off the seventh and made it 5-1.
Holliday followed with a walk and after moving to third on Craig's single, scored on a passed ball by Jonathan Lucroy to give the Cardinals a five-run cushion.
Milwaukee's lone run came in the sixth, on Lucroy's sacrifice fly to center.
NOTES: Carlos Gomez singled in the second inning, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. He began the day leading the National League with a .372 batting average. ... Cardinals right-hander Jason Motte will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. St. Louis also optioned right-hander Mitchell Boggs to Triple-A Memphis and purchased the contract of right-hander Carlos Martinez from Double-A Springfield. ... Right-hander Edward Mujica will be the Cardinals' closer with Motte injured and Boggs in the minors. Mujica has converted all seven of his save opportunities this season. ... Milwaukee reinstated third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the 15-day disabled list before the game.
