Wednesday’s Game Report: Brewers 6, Cardinals 2
By Rob Rains
A rough first inning from Andre Pallante left the Cardinals in a hole they couldn’t climb out of on Wednesday at Busch Stadium.
After retiring the first two batters of the game, Pallante allowed a single, hit a batter and gave up another single before Andrew Vaughn sent a pitch into the Milwaukee bullpen for a three-run homer.
The four-run inning provided more than enough cushion for the Brewers to coast to the win in the final game of the series, shortened to two games because of Tuesday night’s rainout.
It was the most runs the Cardinals have allowed in the first inning in a game this season.
All six of the Milwaukee runs scored with two outs.
In addition to losing the game, the Cardinals saw outfielder Nathan Church leave an inning after he was hit by a pitch on his left leg. The initial medical report was that he suffered a contusion.
Here is how Wednesday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Ivan Herrera’s first-inning double was the only hit for the Cardinals until Victor Scott II led off the eighth with a single … Herrera extended his on=base streak to 22 consecutive games, the best streak of his career … A two-out single by Alec Burleson drove in Scott and the Cardinals scored their second run in the ninth when Nolan Gorman led off the inning with a double and later scored on a fielding error … JJ Wetherholt was hitless in four at-bats and was just 2-of-21 in the five games on the homestand.
On the mound: Pallante saw his ERA at Busch Stadium jump to 5.91 in four starts this season, giving up 14 earned runs in 21 1/3 innings … In his seven starts this season he has allowed nine earned runs in the first inning … A wild pitch in the fifth produced the final run off Pallante, who threw 104 pitches over six innings … Matt Svanson allowed the final run in the ninth on a double by Jackson Chourio.
Key stat: Vaughn’s homer was the eighth allowed by the Cardinals in the first inning this season, the second-most in the NL, one behind the Giants’ total of nine. Three of those homers have come off Pallante.
Worth noting: Jordan Walker stole second after drawing a walk in the fourth, his team-high seventh steal of the season. He is one ahead of Scott, who stole his sixth base after his single in the eighth … Thomas Saggese. Recalled from Memphis a day after he was optioned because of an elbow injury to Ramon Urias, never actually left St. Louis. Memphis was off on Monday and with rain expected Tuesday night in Toledo, Saggese was still at his apartment when he was told he was rejoining the team … Urias is expected to miss “weeks” according to manager Oli Marmol … With the makeup for the rainout coming as part of a split day-night doubleheader on July 7, that will now be a five-game series against the Brewers over four days.
Up next: The Cardinals left after the game for California, where they will play the first of four games against the Padres on Thursday night in San Diego. Matthew Liberatore will get the start. After a day off on Monday the Cardinals will play three games against the A’s for the first time in Sacramento.
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