Brewers rally falls short in loss to Cardinals

MILWAUKEE -- Mike Leake allowed two runs over six innings and drove in two runs to lead St. Louis to a 6-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, the Cardinals' sixth win in seven games.

Leake (3-1) gave up three hits and three walks while striking out six. He scored a run in the third inning and his two-run single capped a three-run fourth when St. Louis took a 4-2 lead.

The Cardinals took advantage of six walks by starter Jimmy Nelson (1-1) and an error by the Brewers for their first four runs.

Nelson's lack of command led to the three runs in the fourth. Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk walked to open the inning. Kolton Wong's one-out double off the glove of center fielder Keon Broxton on the warning track scored Piscotty. Eric Fryer drew a two-out walk and Leake followed with a single to left-center.

St. Louis made it 6-2 in the eighth on RBI singles by Fryer and pinch-hitter Matt Adams.

Manny Pina opened the ninth inning for Milwaukee with his first homer and Jonathan Villar added an RBI single.

Nelson, who had walked just three in his first three starts, allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He is now 0-8 in 10 games, including nine starts, against St. Louis.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first when Eric Thames reached on a fielder's choice and scored from first on Ryan Braun's double down the left-field line.

The Cardinals answered with an unearned run in the third. Leake reached with two outs on a fielding error by third baseman Travis Shaw. Dexter Fowler walked and Aledmys Diaz followed with an RBI single to left.

Milwaukee countered in the bottom half on a walk to Villar, a single by Thames and Shaw's sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

St. Louis won despite several base-running mistakes. Piscotty was caught stealing in the second, Wong was picked off second base by catcher Pina, and Diaz was picked off first in the seventh.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Fowler and SS Diaz, each held out of the starting lineup on Saturday, returned Sunday. Fowler left Friday's game with a sore heel, while Diaz had a sore back and shoulder. Diaz hit a pinch-hit tie-breaking solo homer on Saturday, although he did not play in the field.

CARPENTER, MATHENY TOSSED

Cardinals 1B Matt Carpenter and manager Mike Matheny were ejected in the seventh inning by home plate umpire John Tumpane after Carpenter was called out on strikes.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: After a day off, the Cardinals return home to open a three-game set against Toronto on Tuesday. RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 2.41) makes his fourth start. He allowed just one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings his last time out.

Brewers: RHP Matt Garza is slated to be activated off the DL (right groin strain) and make his first start of the season to open the three-game series at home on Monday against the Reds. Garza is 4-5 with a 4.84 ERA in 14 career starts vs. Cincinnati, including 0-2 last season.