Mamma said there’d be days like this. The best Mother’s Day team in baseball, coming off a sweep of the Kansas City Royals opened a road trip in St. Louis Monday night and the Cardinals humbled the Milwaukee Brewers 18-1, one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history. Milwaukee had a chance to re-write the script in the very first inning against Jack Flaherty, loading the bases but he escaped the jam getting William Contreras to ground into an inning ending double play. Flaherty cruised from there, working 7 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and striking out 10.
Brewer starter Freddy Peralta meanwhile, got into trouble himself in the first with a couple of walks and Nolan Arenado started the blowout with a three run blast. Peralta would last five and a third innings, giving up six runs on six hits, walking five batters while striking out 4. Bryse Wilson coughed up a couple of runs in relief and it was 8-0 before the Brewers finally got on the board with a Jesse Winker RBI single in the top of the 8th. That must have angered St. Louis because they erupted for 10 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Rule 5 pitcher Gus Varland was left to dry as Nolan Gorman slugged a three run homer and Andrew Knizner belted a pinch hit grand slam. Varland gave up 9 runs on 6 hits with three walks in just two thirds of an inning which translates to an ERA for the game at 112.5. Bench player Mike Brosseau had to come on to record the final out.
Thankfully, it only counts one as the Brewers drop to 23-18 and remain atop the NL Central by one game. St. Louis has now won four straight to improve to 17-25. Wade Miley will face Jordan Montgomery in game two of the series Tuesday night. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:10 PM with a 6:45 PM first pitch on WTAQ.
The Brewers also made several personnel moves Monday, signing 36 year old veteran Darrin Ruf to a one year deal. Ruf rejected his designation for assingment from the San Francisco Giants and became a free agent. He’s played a lot of ball, most of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. First baseman Luke Voit has landed on the 10 day injured list with a neck strain, Brandon Woodruff has been moved to the 60 day IL and Milwaukee optioned struggling pitcher Colin Rea to AAA Nashville, calling up right hander Trevor Megill.
