Brewers Build a Six Run Early Lead, Lose to Cardinals Anyway

Jul 11, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) visits pitcher Yovani Gallardo (49) after St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams (32) hits a 2-run home run in the fourth inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Fresh off a four-game sweep at the hands of the worst team in the National League East, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Brewers were back in action Friday playing host to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yovani Gallardo (5-5, 3.43 ERA) took the hill for Milwaukee against Joe Kelly (1-1, 0.59 ERA) for St. Louis. Kelly was making his first start since a hamstring injury sidelined him in April.

The Brewers built a six run lead over the first two innings of the game, but as has become par for the course in July, they pissed it away and lost the game in the ninth inning, 7-6.

Gallardo worked around a two-out double by Matt Holliday in the St. Louis half of the first inning.

Carlos Gomez got plunked up high to lead off the first for the Brewers. Scooter Gennett followed with a line-drive single to left to put two on for the Crew. Gomez and Gennett stole second and third with Jonathan Lucroy batting.

Tony Cruz went for Gennett at second but the throw was late. Lucroy worked a 10-pitch walk off Kelly to load the bases for Aramis Ramirez who flew out to center to bring in Gomez.

Ryan Braun followed with a bounce out to first, moving Gennett and Lucroy each up a base for Khris Davis who knocked a double off the wall in left-center to drive in both of them and increase the lead to 3-0.

Lyle Overbay followed with a walk to put two on. Jean Segura lined hard to center, but it was right at center fielder Jon Jay to end the inning.

After a three-up, three-down top of the second for Gallardo, he lead off the bottom of the second with a single to center. Gomez followed with a single of his own and Scooter Gennett drove in them both with a triple.

Three batters later, Braun knocked a triple of his own to bring in Gennett and make it 6-0 Milwaukee.

The Brewers threatened again in the bottom of the third when Jean Segura knocked a one-out double. He was left stranded after outs by Gallardo and Gomez to end the inning.

Holliday picked up his second double of the game for the Cardinals with one out in the top of the fourth. Matt Adams followed with a towering home run (11) to right field to put the Cardinals on the board and cut the lead to 6-2.

Jhonny Peralta followed with a single for the Cards third straight hit. Gallardo struck out Allen Craig, and Jay was out on a ground out. Gennett made a diving play on the ball and threw him out.

Nick Greenwood came in to pitch for the Cardinals in the fourth. Kelly went just three innings and allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three.

After quick outs by Gennett and Lucroy, Ramirez belted a double down the line in left to put another Brewer in scoring position but a fly out by Braun ended the inning.

Both teams went down in order in the fifth inning.

Kolten Wong led off the top of the sixth with a long home run (5) to right field to cut the lead to 6-3. Holliday followed with a walk, the first issued by Gallardo on the night.

Holliday came in to score on a Peralta home run (14), the third allowed by Gallardo in the game, to cut the lead to 6-5. That was it for Yovani and his final line was 5 1/3 innings pitched, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk, he struck out three.

Rob Wooten came in for Gallardo and promptly gave up singles to Craig and Jay. He walked Cruz to load the bases with one out. Oscar Taveras came on to pinch-hit for Greenwood, and Ron Roenicke called for Zach Duke to face him.

Duke induced a grounder out of Taveras but the Brewers couldn’t turn the double play and Craig came in to tie the game at six. Duke walked Carpenter to reload the bases but Wong grounded out to end the inning.

Wooten was credited with zero innings pitched, allowing a run on two hits and a walk.

Mark Reynolds led off the bottom of the sixth against new Cardinals reliever Seth Maness. He grounded off Maness to Wong at second who threw him out at first.

After a Gomez ground out, Gennett singled sharply to right to give the Brewers a base runner but he was left stranded after Lucroy grounded out.

Duke returned to the mound for the seventh inning and struck out Holliday and Adams to start the inning. Peralta knocked a single to center ending the night for Duke, as Roenicke called for Brandon Kintzler.

Duke threw 1 1/3 innings and allowed a hit and a walk. He struck out two and did not allow a run of his own. Kintzler struck out Craig to cap an eight-pitch at-bat.

Maness returned to the mound for the bottom half of the seventh. Ramirez grounded out ahead of a Braun single to give Milwaukee some life. Braun advanced to second on an errant pick-off throw by Maness.

Maness came back and struck out Davis. Logan Schafer came on to pinch hit for Kintzler, prompting St. Louis to make a pitching change, calling for Pat Neshek and his 0.73 ERA.

Schafer belted the first pitch from Neshek over the leaping Adams at third, but it hooked foul.  Schafer knocked a roller into the hole at short and Peralta couldn’t make a throw on it. Braun moved to third on the play, but he was stranded there as Segura grounded out weakly to end the threat.

Will Smith came on to throw the eighth for Milwaukee. He retired Jay, Cruz and Peter Bourjos in order on just 11 pitches.

Neshek went back out for the eighth for St. Louis and walked Reynolds to open the inning. Gomez popped out for the first out of the inning. Gennett followed with a strike out. Lucroy followed with a long fly ball to center field, but Bourjos made the catch to end the inning.

Francisco Rodriguez came on to pitch the ninth for Milwaukee and put down Carpenter and Wong before Holliday belted a home run (6) deep to left field to give St. Louis a 7-6 lead. Adams whiffed to end the inning.

Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Ramirez led off with a single to center on a soft liner. Jeff Bianchi came in to run for Ramirez.

Braun followed with a strike out. Ron Roenicke was ejected from the game with Davis batting for arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire Mark Carlson.

Davis struck out to bring up pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks with the game on the line. Weeks grounded out to end the game.

The Cardinals pulled within one game of the Brewers in the National League Central with the win.

Neshek earned the win for St. Louis, throwing 1 1/3 innings and allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out one. K-Rod picked up the loss for Milwaukee who lost their sixth straight.