ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals could not pull off another ninth-inning comeback.
A game that started with a three-base error by Lars Nootbaar, leading to two quick runs, did not get any better on Tuesday night as the Brewers beat the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
A two-run homer by Andrew McCutchen off Jordan Montgomery in the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie and the Cardinals did not have a hit after the third inning. It was the first time they have lost a game started by Montgomery since he joined the Cardinals on Aug. 2.
The loss cut the Cardinals’ lead to seven games over the Brewers in the NL Central with 20 games to play.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals responded to the early Milwaukee lead by scoring three times in the first. Nolan Arenado’s double drove in two runs, and he scored on a single by Albert Pujols, his only hit of the game … Tommy Edman’s RBI single in the second pulled the Cardinals into the 4-4 tie … Edman extended his hitting streak to 14 games …Corey Dickerson’s single leading off the third turned out to be the Cardinals’ last hit of the game as the Brewers retired 20 of the Cardinals’ last 22 batters, allowing only a hit batter and a walk … The Brewers got only one out from their starting pitcher and used seven relievers in the game.
On the mound: The Cardinals had been 7-0 in games started by Montgomery. He allowed six runs, four earned, over five innings … Packy Naughton hit a batter with the bases loaded in the sixth, with the run charged to Chris Stratton, and the Brewers scored their final run off Zack Thompson in the eighth.
Key stat: Paul Goldschmidt was hitless in four at-bats, dropping his average for the season to .322. Over his last seven games he is just 4-of-25 with one home run and two RBIs.
Worth noting: Dylan Carlson, on the injured list with a sprained left thumb, has started to increase baseball activities and the Cardinals are hoping he will be able to go out of=n a short minor-league rehab assignment on Friday and possibly be activated for the start of the road trip next week … Steven Matz made his first relief appearance on his rehab assignment Tuesday night, pitching an inning for Memphis. He needed just 13 pitches to work the perfect inning.
Looking ahead: It will be a historic night on Wednesday at Busch Stadium as Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina will make their 325th start together, breaking the major-league record.