Brent Suter – Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
The Milwaukee Brewers earned a split in their day-night doubleheader with the Cardinals in St. Louis on Tuesday.
The Brewers called up Brandon Woodruff from Class AAA Colorado Springs to make his Major League pitching debut, but had to call an audible when Woodruff had his right hamstring tighten up on him while stretching. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list after the game and will be replaced on the roster by Paolo Espino, who was recalled from Colorado Springs.
Lefty Brent Suter was also called up from Colorado Springs on Tuesday to help give the bullpen some relief. When Woodruff couldn’t make his start, the Brewers turned to Suter.
Suter pitched well enough to win, but the Brewers offense managed just six singles off of Cardinals starter Lance Lynn and a pair of relievers and were shutout 6-0 in the opener. Suter allowed just one base-runner over the first three innings and one hit through four.
Suter didn’t get scored on until the fifth inning when Jose Martinez hit a one-out, solo home run to break a scoreless tie. Matt Carpenter’s RBI double made it 2-0 and Dexter Fowler’s bloop single made it 3-0. That would end Suter’s day.
Suter ended up allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. He was optioned back to Colorado Springs at the end of the night.
The Cardinals scored twice off of Wily Peralta in the sixth and once in the eighth off of Neftali Feliz to finish the scoring.
In the second game, the Brewers bounced back for an 8-5 win.
Keon Broxton, Jesus Aguilar and Travis Shaw each hit solo home runs to help the Brewers jump out to a 5-2 lead after four innings.
Jimmy Nelson made it through 5 2/3 innings and left with the lead. The Cardinals eventually tied the game 5-5 on matt Carpenter’s home run off of Jared Hughes to lead off the seventh.
The Brewers got the lead back for good in the 8th on run-scoring singles by Travis Shaw and Manny Pina and a sacrifice fly from Keon Broxton.
The Brewers finished the day with a 34-32 record and maintained a one-game lead on the Cubs and 2 1/2 games on the Cardinals in the Central Division standings.
The Brewers and Cardinals play game three of the series in St. Louis on Wednesday night. Matt Garza (2-2, 3.83) pitches for the Brewers. The Cardinals will go with Mike Leake (5-5, 2.70).
AUDIO: Mike Reeves wraps up the Brewers 8-5 victory over St. Louis :37