Monday’s Game Report: Cardinals 6, Brewers 3
By Rob Rains
When Victor Scott II laid down a successful bunt in the fourth inning Monday night, putting runners on second and third, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy had a decision to make.
With the Cardinals leading 1-0, Murphy chose to walk JJ Wetherholt intentionally to load the bases and bring up Ivan Herrera – the first time Wetherholt had been intentionally walked in his brief career. It turned out to be a great move – for the Cardinals.
Herrera doubled, driving in all three runners, and sending the Cardinals to the win in the opener of the three-game series at Busch Stadium. It also was their seventh win in their last eight games.
Kyle Leahy worked five scorelesx innings before reliever George Soriano allowed an inherited runner to score in the sixth.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Scott II drove in the first run for the Cardinals with a two-out single in the second, then added a double in the eighth … Wetherholt also had two hits, including his single that drove in Scott in the eighth … Masyn Winn’s single in the seventh, also with two outs, produced the other run for the Cardinals … Three of their runs were scored by players who reached base on a walk.
On the mound: Leahy and five relievers combined to limit the Brewers to two hits in 12 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, stranding 12 runners. Seven of Milwaukee’s 11 hits came from Jackson Chourio, who was 4-of-4, and Brice Turang, who hit a two-run homer off Gordon Graceffo in the ninth … That cut the Cardinals’ lead from 6-1 to 6-3 and forced closer Riley O’Brien into the game to get the final two outs, earning his 10th save.
Key stat: Herrera had been 4-of-17 in his career with the bases loaded, including just two hits in 10 at-bats since the start of last season. His hit improved the Cardinals’ success with the bases loaded this year to 11 hits in 23 at-bats.
Worth noting: Alec Burleson was named the NL Player of the Week on Monday. In the previous seven games he hit .407 with two homers and drove in 11 runs as the Cardinals enjoyed a six-game winning streak. It’s the first time a Cardinal has been the player of the week since 2023 … After starting only one game since April 22, Thomas Saggese was optioned to Memphis on Monday. He was hitless in his his last 20 at-bats. To replace him on the roster Cesar Prieto was recalled from Memphis … Lefthander Luis Peralta, whom the Cardinals had designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Jared Shuster on Friday, was claimed off waivers by the Cubs. Peralta had been claimed by the Cardinals a week earlier from the Rockies.
Up next: Andre Pallante will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series.
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