Wainwright wins 9th for Cards, 5-0 over Brewers

[July 08, 2009]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Adam Wainwright came within two outs of his first career shutout and Ryan Ludwick and Colby Rasmus homered for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old right-hander settled down after working out of bases-loaded jam in the second and didn't allow a hit after the fourth inning until Casey McGehee's infield hit leading off the ninth.

Wainwright (9-5) allowed seven hits, struck out nine and walked two before being lifted for Ryan Franklin who induced Jason Kendall to hit into a double play on his second pitch.

It was the fourth time this season Milwaukee has been shut out and the third time in the last nine games.

Yovani Gallardo (8-6) allowed four runs and six hits, walked five and struck out five in five innings.

Coming into the game, Wainwright had allowed two runs and seven hits over 15 innings in his previous two starts this season against Milwaukee. He improved to 2-1, his only loss 1-0 against Jeff Suppan in May.

Last Wednesday, Wainwright had a no-decision despite holding San Francisco to a run and six hits over nine innings as the Cardinals won in 2-1 in 10.

Gallardo, who leads the Brewers with eight victories, failed to go at least seven innings for the first time in five starts. He dropped to 0-2 in four career starts against St. Louis.

The Cardinals staked Wainwright to a 3-0 lead in the first on Ludwick's three-run homer and added two more on Rasmus' homer leading off the fifth and his run-scoring double in the sixth.

Ludwick hit his 12th of the season after Rasmus singled and Albert Pujols walked as Gallardo threw 37 pitches in the first.

Rasmus, the majors' rookie leader in home runs and RBIs, knocked in his 33rd run with his 11th homer. He added a run-scoring double off reliever Chris Narveson in the sixth.

NOTES: The Cardinals placed newly acquired INF-OF Mark DeRosa (strained left wrist) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 1 and sent INF Tyler Greene to Triple-A Memphis. They recalled INF Brian Barden and OF Nick Stavinoha from Memphis. ... Brewers 2B Craig Counsell stole second in the third for his 100th career steal.

[Associated Press]

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