Cardinals 8, Brewers 6
MILWAUKEE -- Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig and Matt Holliday each homered as the Cardinals beat the Brewers, 8-6, Wednesday afternoon at Miller Park.
Their home runs came as part of a six-run inning which also included a two-run double by starting pitcher Jake Westbrook.
The Cardinals made short work of Brewers starter Tom Gorzelanny (3-5), who lasted just 3 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs on 10 hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Milwaukee chipped away at the deficit with big innings against Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook in the third and fifth.
Jean Segura reached on an error to open the third and moved to second on Jonathan Lucroy's base hit before Aramis Ramirez made it 3-0 with his seventh home run of the season.
Westbrook recovered and erased Khris Davis' single with a double play on Juan Francisco before retiring Sean Halton to end the inning.
Westbrook retired the Brewers in order in the fourth and had put the first two away in the fifth before Ramirez singled. The Brewers added three more base hits, cutting the Cardinals' lead to two on Halton's single to right field brought an end to Westbrook's day.
Kevin Siegrist (2-1) came on and loaded the bases by walking Logan Schafer but Jeff Bianchi, hitting for the pitcher, struck out, ending the inning.
The Cardinals' bullpen kept Milwaukee off the board the rest of the way, preserving the victory for Westbrook, who allowed five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and a walk with a strikeout in 4 2/3 innings.
Craig gave Westbrook an early 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first.
Holliday's 16th home run of the season gave the Cardinals an insurance run in the ninth.
Logan Schafer hit his third homer of the season in the bottom of the inning but Mujica closed out the inning for his 33rd save.
NOTES: The Brewers placed right-hander Rob Wooten on the paternity list Wednesday so he could travel to North Carolina for the birth of his daughter. RHP Donovan Hand was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to replace Wooten, who manager Ron Roenicke expected to rejoin the team Friday in Cincinnati. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina made his fifth consecutive start Wednesday and has played in six of seven games since returning from the disabled list last Thursday. "He's going to get a day off when he needs a day off," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. Molina is 10-for-18 with five doubles and two home runs since returning. ... RF Norichika Aoki was not in the Brewers' lineup Wednesday due to tendinitis in his right knee but with a scheduled off day on Thursday, Aoki is expected to be able to return to action Friday. ... Matheny put Matt Carpenter and Allen Craig back in the starting lineup Wednesday. ... OF Carlos Gomez took part in batting practice and ran the bases Wednesday. He, too, should be back Friday after missing a week due to a sprained right knee.
