Matt Holliday gives the Cardinals the lead in the seventh. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
The St. Louis Cardinals dealt the Milwaukee Brewers post season playoff chances a damaging blow with a 2-0 victory at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Wednesday night.
Brewers starting pitcher Mike Fiers and Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright were locked up in a pitching duel. Fiers held the Cardinals hitless through 5 2/3 innings before Wainwright’s single up the middle took care of any no-hit threat.
Meanwhile, Wainwright (19-9) was pitching around 7-hits and two walks, making the key pitch when he needed to. He went the distance for his 19th win of the season, tying him with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw for the major league lead.
Fiers (6-3) allowed just three hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks to go along with his seven strikeouts. But Matt Holliday drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and singles by Matt Adams and Jhonny Peralta led to a pair of runs to give the Cardinals all the offense they would need.
With the loss, the Brewers fell 2 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh in the National League wildcard chase. They’re 5-games behind St. Louis in the division race, with 10-games left to play.
This was the Cardinals’ 21st shutout of the season, their most since 1968 when Bob Gibson and the rest of the Cardinals staff had 30.
The final game of the series is tonight in St. Louis. Former Cardinal Kyle Lohse (12-9, 3.81) pitches for the Brewers. Shelby Miller (10-9, 3.75) goes for St. Louis.