|
 And it certainly did. Spoiling the St. Louis Cardinals' home opener,
Milwaukee beat ace Adam Wainwright in a 5-4 decision in front of the
largest crowd in Busch Stadium III history.
After a 1-5 homestand, Milwaukee started a six-game road trip by
pecking away at the veteran right-hander for eight hits and five
runs, three earned, over seven innings. The Brewers won despite
being outhit 9-8 and giving up two unearned runs off throwing errors
by shortstop Jean Segura.
"It's never a must-win (this early)," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke
said, "but we needed a win. When you're starting a road trip through
two tough cities and you're facing Wainwright, you'll take the win
any way you can get it."
Wainwright (1-1) retired 11 straight hitters in one stretch, but
allowed the leadoff man to reach in four innings. Milwaukee scored
every time, twice with the help of errors by second baseman Kolten
Wong.
Center fielder Carlos Gomez's bouncer was mishandled by Wong for a
game-opening error and the Brewers cashed it in for an unearned run,
Gomez coming home on a fielder's choice chopper off first baseman
Adam Lind's bat.
In the seventh, after Gomez's RBI double scored second baseman
Scooter Gennett for a 4-2 lead, Wong's throwing error following an
infield hit by catcher Jonathan Lucroy enabled Gomez to score what
proved to be the winning run.
Wong took blame for the loss, but Wainwright begged to differ.
"I could have very easily gotten out of those innings," he said.
"You can always point the blame all over the place, but it usually
starts with the pitcher. Sometimes the defense picks you up, and
sometimes you have to pick the defense up."
St. Louis (3-3) also failed in critical situations at the plate,
going 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranding a
dozen men. It left men aboard in every inning but the ninth, when
closer Francisco Rodriguez retired the Cardinals in order for his
first save.
St. Louis pulled within a run in its half of the seventh when
shortstop Jhonny Peralta sliced a two-run double that bounced off
the glove of right fielder Ryan Braun. But the Cardinals failed to
produce the equalizer with pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk tapping out
to reliever Jeremy Jeffress with runners at the corners for the
third out to quiet the crowd of 47,875.
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Milwaukee starter Matt Garza (1-1) survived six hits and five walks
over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win. Garza allowed just two runs, one
of which was earned, and fanned four.
"He battled with just a fastball," Roenicke said of Garza. "He
really didn't have command of his off-speed pitches. He did a good
job of keeping us in the game."
Gomez finished with two hits and two runs for the Brewers, while
Gennett and third baseman Aramis Ramirez knocked in runs with
infield outs.
Third baseman Matt Carpenter, left fielder Matt Holliday and Peralta
each collected two hits for St. Louis. Peralta was robbed of a third
when Rodriguez stabbed at and caught his liner up the middle to
start the ninth.
Rodriguez admitted that he never saw the ball whiz off Peralta's
bat.
"I just threw my glove up and caught it," he said, laughing.
It was a laugh -- and a win -- that Milwaukee needed.
NOTES: St. Louis C Tony Cruz returned the team after being on
paternity leave over the weekend as his first child was born. C Ed
Easley, who replaced Cruz for the Cincinnati series, was returned to
Triple-A Memphis. ... Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy was back in the
lineup Monday after a day off Sunday. Lucroy went 1-for-20 in the
Brewers' first five games. ... Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright started
his team's home opener Monday for the fourth time in his career.
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