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 But the ejection of Holliday and manager Mike Matheny wasn't enough
to keep the St. Louis Cardinals from following the Milwaukee
Brewers' 1-0 win on Monday night with one of their own on Tuesday
night.
Starter Lance Lynn (4-4) threw 7 2/3 innings, giving up five hits
and one walk with five strikeouts in beating Milwaukee (18-35) for
the second time this year.
Reliever Kevin Siegrist got the eighth inning's last out, and closer
Trevor Rosenthal worked the ninth for his 16th save in 17 chances,
inducing a game-ending 5-4-3 double play from third baseman Aramis
Ramirez with runners at the corners.
"Heard it was a real nice turn from (second baseman) Kolten (Wong),"
Matheny said. "I obviously didn't see it. I heard the cheer from the
crowd."
That was in stark contrast to the bottom of the seventh, when the
sellout audience of 42,835 rocked Busch Stadium with boos.
Holliday looked at a 1-2 pitch from starter Tyler Cravy and thought
it was inside. West disagreed, ringing Holliday up. Holliday argued
at length and gestured at least three times toward West as he ambled
back to the dugout, finally earning the fourth ejection of his
career.
It also ended Holliday's 45-game streak of reaching base to start
the season, just eight shy of the MLB record held by Derek Jeter.
"I was surprised," Holliday said of the ejection. "I didn't say
anything vulgar. Usually, the umpires will let a veteran player have
his say. But I guess he didn't want to hear anything about balls and
strikes."
Matheny took up the argument at that point, saying enough to pick up
his ninth career ejection from West.
"I was shocked that he came out of the game," Matheny said of
Holliday. "I don't expect them to give extra rope for things like
streaks, but I know Matt wasn't swearing. That's not a game I want
to come out of as well."
Nevertheless, Matheny's team got the last six outs with him and
Holliday in the clubhouse, improving to 34-18 and opening up a
six-game lead in the National League Central.
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The game's only run came in the bottom of the second inning when
first baseman Mark Reynolds looped a two-out single into center
field, scoring right fielder Randal Grichuk from second.
It was enough to make a tough-luck loser out of Cravy, who allowed
only four hits and a run over seven innings in his major league
debut. Pitching from the stretch all game, a habit he started in
2013 when he was a reliever, Cravy walked two and struck out six.
"I found it more comfortable and easier to execute pitches from the
stretch," Cravy said. "I think after the first inning, I calmed down
a little and tried to execute pitches, and not overthrow."
St. Louis won despite sending just 26 batters to the plate, only two
over the minimum. It stranded just one runner, hitting into three
double plays.
"We were fortunate to win that one," Matheny summed up.
NOTES: Milwaukee claimed INF Hernan Perez off waivers from Detroit
on Tuesday, designating INF Elian Herrera for assignment. Herrera
batted .212 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 99 at-bats this year.
... St. Louis has lost the first game of its last five home series
with the Brewers, dating back to last April. ... Milwaukee 1B Adam
Lind (back), who didn't start in the last two games, was back in the
lineup Tuesday night, hitting fourth and going 1-for-4. Lind
pinch-hit a ninth-inning single Monday night but was replaced by a
pinch-runner.
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