Hot Cardinals keep Brewers on skids

[August 21, 2019]    Dexter Fowler drove in four runs to power the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-4 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.

Fowler's bases-clearing double in the sixth inning -- a well-placed pop-up into shallow left field with the bases loaded and two out -- capped a four-run rally that erased a 2-1 deficit.

The Cardinals won for the ninth time in 11 games to remain atop the National League Central. They moved four games up on the third-place Brewers, who lost for the sixth time in eight games.

Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) pitches during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Reliever Tyler Webb (1-1), the fourth of six Cardinals pitchers, earned the victory. Reliever Jeremy Jeffress (3-4), the second of six Milwaukee pitchers, took the loss.

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out five while walking one. Brewers starter Gio Gonzalez allowed one run on three hits in five innings while striking out six.

The Cardinals struck first on Marcell Ozuna's infield single, Paul DeJong's walk and Yadier Molina's RBI single in the fourth inning.

Harrison Bader, just back from Triple-A Memphis, drew a two-out walk. Cardinals manager Mike Shildt lifted Wacha for pinch-hitter Lane Thomas, who flied out to leave the bases loaded.

Christian Yelich led off the sixth inning with a double against reliever Ryan Helsley. Two outs later, Eric Thames hit a RBI single off John Gant.

Singles by Hernan Perez and Orlando Arcia put the Brewers up 2-1. Webb replaced Gant and struck out Ben Gamel to end the rally.

Then the Cardinals surged ahead 5-2 in the bottom of the inning.

Ozuna (single), DeJong (hit by a pitch) and Molina (infield single) loaded the bases on Jeffress. Alex Claudio relieved him, struck out Kolten Wong and gave way to reliever Junior Guerra.

Bader walked to force home the tying run and Fowler's double gave St. Louis breathing room.

The Cardinals extended the lead to 9-2 in the seventh on Wong's two-run single and run-scoring walks to Fowler and Tommy Edman. The Brewers got two back in the eighth on Perez's RBI single and Arcia's sacrifice fly.

--Field Level Media

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