Brewers drop extra-innings battle against Cardinals, 7-4

Chourio, Ortiz homer but Crew falls short in extras

Box Score

The Milwaukee Brewers dropped the second game of their three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night, losing 7-4 in extra innings in what was a closely-fought battle for most of the game.

Things got off to a quick start for the Cardinals as Masyn Winn doubled off Aaron Civale and moved up on a pair of flyouts, scoring a run on what was a closer-than-expected play at the plate as Blake Perkins nearly threw Winn out as he pulled up near home plate.

With two outs and the bases empty, Brendan Donovan and Paul Goldschmidt hit back-to-back doubles to push another run across, making it 2-0 quickly.

The next few frames went by without much to talk about. William Contreras was the lone baserunner in the first two innings for Milwaukee as he reached on a walk after trailing 0-2. Civale settled down to retire the eight batters after Goldschmidt’s double, including six strikeouts.

Milwaukee finally responded with a pair of solo shots in the third, as Joey Ortiz hit his 10th homer of the year to lead off the frame before Jackson Chourio hit his 19th two batters later.

With the score knotted at 2-2, Civale fell victim to Goldschmidt once again in the fourth, hanging a curveball in his wheelhouse that Goldschmidt took out to deep left, making it 3-2. The Cardinals continued to threaten in the inning with a pair of singles, but they weren’t able to get anything across. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and bench coach Daniel Descalso were also tossed during Pedro Pagés’ at-bat as they argued with home plate umpire Lance Barrett over his strike zone.

The Brewers put together a two-out rally in the fifth, as Brice Turang hit a chopper for a double to left before Jackson Chourio doubled and advanced to third on an error by Lars Nootbaar in left off reliever Ryan Fernandez, who replaced Steven Matz after just 4 ²⁄₃ innings.

After Perkins struck out to end the threat, Aaron Ashby took over for Civale in the sixth. He got Donovan to ground out but Goldschmidt then reached on a throwing error by Ortiz. A single by Nootbaar put runners at first and second before a successful double steal put runners at second and third with just one out.

With the infield in, Ashby induced a ground ball from Jordan Walker, which Willy Adames fielded and threw home to nab Goldschmidt for the second out, keeping the game locked at 3-3. Pagés lined out to left to end the inning and Ashby escaped the jam.

Neither team put up much of a threat through the final 3 ¹⁄₂ regular-time innings, though the Crew did flash some leather in the eighth.

With the game still tied at 3-3 after nine innings, this one went to a 10th, the Brewers’ third extra-inning game in the last five days.

The Brewers prevented the go-ahead run in the 10th, as Michael Siani bunted the run over to put pinch runner José Fermín at third with one out but Winn hit a hard grounder to shortstop for the second out, and Nolan Arenado ended the inning with a flyout.

With Sal Frelick at second base in the bottom of the inning, Rhys Hoskins walked and Ortiz bunted both runners over to put men at second and third with one out. Turang hit a soft grounder back to pitcher Matthew Liberatore, who threw home to easily get Frelick at the plate. The Cardinals then opted to intentionally walk Chourio to load the bases, and Perkins couldn’t bring the winning run home as he struck out on three pitches.

In the 11th, Jared Koenig took the mound with Arenado at second base and St. Louis’ 4-5-6 hitters due up. Donovan hit a groundout to move Arenado to third as Goldschmidt stepped to the plate with the opportunity to take the lead. Goldschmidt singled on an 0-2 pitch for his third hit of the night, which also marked his third RBI and the first hit for either team since the sixth inning.

Facing a 4-3 deficit, Koenig set Nootbaar and Victor Scott II down to get out of the inning without further damage.

Perkins started the bottom of the 11th at second base with Contreras, Gary Sánchez, and Adames — who entered the inning a combined 0-for-11 on the night — set to come to the plate against Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. Contreras struck out looking and pinch-hitter Garrett Mitchell struck out swinging to put the Cardinals just one out away from an extra-innings victory.

Adames hit a line drive to center that Siani dove and caught, but the ball squirted out of his glove as he completed the slide in one of the more bizarre plays I’ve ever seen. Perkins came across to score and Adames advanced to second on the play, which was confirmed after review. The hit moved Adames’ hitting streak to 12 games and gave him his career-high 100th RBI. Frelick struck out to end the inning, sending this one to a 12th inning.

Newly-recalled Elvis Peguero took the 12th inning for the Crew, battling Ivan Herrera for a nine-pitch walk to put runners at first and second (ghost runner Scott) to start the inning. A wild pitch on the first pitch to Siani — which Siani was squaring around to bunt on — put the runners at second and third with nobody out.

Siani hit a soft liner over third, scoring both runners to make it 6-4. Siani then stole second and advanced to third on an error by Contreras, putting the potential third run of the inning at third with no outs. Winn struck out one pitch later, but Alec Burleson hit a sac fly to bring Siani home for a 7-4 lead.

With the three-run lead in the 12th, the Cardinals (sans manager) oddly opted to keep Helsley out there for another inning. He struck out Hoskins, induced a groundout from Ortiz, and got Turang on a flyout to end it, though he threw 27 pitches, likely meaning he won’t be available in Wednesday’s series finale.

Chourio was the lone Brewer with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, and an intentional walk. No other player reached more than once offensively, as Milwaukee picked up just five hits and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts (every player who stepped up to the plate struck out except Turang).

On the pitching side, Peguero was pegged with the loss as he allowed three runs (one earned) across his inning. Outside of Peguero, the relief corps of Ashby, Trevor Megill, Devin Williams, Joel Payamps, and Koenig allowed just one unearned run on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts across six innings. Civale went five innings in his start, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks with seven strikeouts.

The Brewers will look for the series win in the rubber match Wednesday night as Colin Rea gets the start against Sonny Gray. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.