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 The Brewers snapped a nine-game losing streak -- their longest
since 2010 -- and got a game back in the National League Central
race with a 6-2 victory over the St. louis Cardinals on Friday night
at Miller Park.
"This was important," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, whose team
moved within three games of the Cardinals in the division. "Tomorrow
is just as important, but it's nice to play another good ballgame
and to get the win. We played a good game yesterday and didn't get
the win, so it was nice today."
Fight-hander Mike Fiers set the tone for Milwaukee, solidifying his
status as the stopper by holding the Cardinals to two runs and seven
hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out five.
In six starts since joining the rotation on Aug. 9, Fiers has struck
out 46 in 41 2/3 innings.
"Another great outing for him," Roenicke said. "One we needed badly
and I thought he threw the ball great. He hung a curveball to
(shortstop Jhonny) Peralta for a home run, but good job. And he did
lay down two really nice bunts."
Those two bunts were a big boost for the Brewers, setting up second
baseman Scooter Gennett for two run-scoring hits.
"It's tough sometimes," Roenicke said. "He had first and second with
both corners in on him and he laid down two real nice bunts."
The Brewers hadn't led an opponent for a span of 67 innings until
Gennett made it 2-0 with a base hit up the middle in the third
inning that scored first baseman Lyle Overbay and shortstop Jean
Segura.
Gennett struck again in the fifth inning with another two-out hit --
this time an RBI double to the wall in center field. He then scored
on catcher Jonathan Lucroy's RBI single to give the Brewers a 4-0
lead.
"We really haven't had that early lead in a while," Gennett said.
"Especially against a team like this, you want to get ahead early.
It was just nice to keep adding to it. I think that's the most
important thing -- once you get ahead you've got to put them away,
and we did a good job of that tonight."
Milwaukee added two runs in the sixth inning on a two-run homer by
left fielder Khris Davis, his team-leading 22nd home run of the
season.
"I didn't see the pitch again, but it looked like it caught a lot of
the plate," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "If that doesn't
happen, we are in a 4-2 game and it would be a typical John Lackey
start. The home run really kind of put it out of reach for him."
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All six Milwaukee runs came off Lackey, who went six innings and gave up
nine hits and walk while striking out six.
"Kind of a weird one tonight," said Lackey, now 2-2 since joining the
Cardinals in a deadline deal. "Felt like I threw a lot better than the
line score. I felt like I had good stuff. They got a couple big hits and
then kind of had a little bad luck to start a couple of those innings.
It happens."
Catcher Yadier Molina, right fielder Jon Jay and center fielder Peter
Bourjos had two hits apiece for the Cardinals, who went 1-for-8 with
runners in scoring position and stranded seven.
"We had a couple chances, had some guys on base but didn't make the most
of it," Matheny said. "(Fiers) pitched well."
The Cardinals had won six in a row and moved four games ahead of
Milwaukee before falling Friday. They play two more games against the
Brewers this weekend at Miller Park and then three against the Brewers
in St. Louis later this month.
NOTES: Brewers RF Ryan Braun returned to the starting lineup Friday
after missing two games to be with his wife, Larisa, who gave birth to
the couple's first child late Wednesday night. ... Slumping Cardinals 1B
Matt Adams missed his second straight game because of a sore left
oblique. INF Daniel Descalso started at first in place of Adams on
Friday. ... Milwaukee CF Carlos Gomez had his sprained left wrist
examined by team physician Dr. William Raasch and cleared to resume all
baseball activities. Gomez will take batting practice Saturday and could
return to the team early next week. He has been out since Aug. 31 but
appeared in his second straight game, playing the ninth inning in
center.
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