Milwaukee Brewers Fall to Cardinals 4-2

With everyone wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, the Brewers fall to the Cardinals 4-2.  More troublesome, Carlos Gomez left the game in the 9th inning to an apparent leg injury, while hustling down the first baseline to beat the throw from second base.  Read Pete Schwichtenberg’s story here.

The Cardinals hitters were aggressive early on, attacking Brewers starter Wily Peralta very early in the count.  Peralta worked his way through five innings, while surrendering 4 runs, all earned, and also walking and striking out a hitter.  In his five innings, Peralta threw just 70 pitches, but gave up 10 hits.

The Cardinals struck right away in the first inning.  Matt Carpenter started the offense with a single, followed by Jason Heyward‘s double, moving Carpenter to third.  The always dangerous Matt Holliday followed with a single to right, scoring both Carpenter and Heyward, and giving the Cards a 2-0 advantage, just three hitters into the inning.

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The Brewers got on the board in the third inning.  With one out, Jonathan Lucroy drew a walk, and Ryan Braun followed with a single to right.  Aramis Ramirez came up with two outs and blooped a single into right center, scoring Lucroy, and cutting the lead in half, 2-1.

In the bottom of the third inning, Braun made a marvelous sliding catch, running toward the foul line in the right field corner.  Initially ruled a hit, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was quickly onto the field, initiating a replay on the play.  After just a minute and six seconds, the play was reversed and the out was awarded.  It was the Brewers first challenge of the 2015 season.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, the Cardinals started with three straight hits, highlighted by Yadier Molina‘s RBI single, scoring Jhonny Peralta.  With two outs, Carpenter doubled off the right field wall, scoring Jon Jay, and pushing the advantage to 4-1.

Trying to mount a comeback in the 9th inning, Logan Schafer started the rally with a walk.  Gomez then hit a chopper to shortstop.  Schafer was forced out at second and Gomez, giving 110% like always, beat the throw to first, but came up limping.  Kyle Lohse would pinch run for Gomez, and score on Braun’s single to right, with two out, cutting the lead in half once again, 4-2.  The Brewers would get no closer however, as the Cardinals closer, Trevor Rosenthal, recorded his 3rd save of the young season.

Lance Lynn picked up the win for the Cardinals, improving to 1-1.  The Brewers made him work and got his pitch count up very quickly.  Lynn pitched just 5 innings, while throwing 99 pitches.  He scattered 6 hits, struck out 4, and walked a batter.  Peralta dropped to 0-1 on the season.  Neal Cotts pitched a scoreless 6th, and Michael Blazek pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th inning, picking up 2 strikeouts.

In the rubber match of the series, the Brewers will send Mike Fiers and the Cardinals will counter with John Lackey.  First pitch is at 12:45 cst.