Frankie Montas delivered a stellar performance, pitching seven dominant innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 victory over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. This win marks the Brewers’ sixth consecutive victory, keeping them at the top of the NL Central.
Montas (6-8), in his fourth start since being acquired from Cincinnati, allowed just one hit—Alec Burleson’s single in the fourth inning. He struck out three and issued only one walk, showcasing his command on the mound.
“They like to swing early,” Montas said, reflecting on his strategy. “So, I tried to use that to my advantage by making good pitches. I knew if I hit my spots, I could get quick outs.”
William Contreras, who had three hits for the Brewers, praised Montas for his aggressive approach. “He was attacking the zone,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “He got a little tired late, but we talked in the dugout, and he stayed aggressive. It all worked for him.”
Montas’ seven innings tied his season high, while the one hit allowed matched his season low. Brewers manager Pat Murphy lauded Montas’ experience and performance, saying, “He’s turned it up a notch, and it’s great to have his experience on the team.”
For the Cardinals, Matt Carpenter provided a spark with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning, bringing St. Louis within one run. However, the Cardinals fell short, losing for the seventh time in eight games.
Cardinals starter Erick Fedde (8-7) allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. Despite a strong defensive effort from the Cardinals, Fedde expressed frustration with his outing, particularly the second inning, where two walks led to a Brewers run.
In the ninth inning, the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out, but Brewers closer Devin Williams shut the door, striking out both Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman to secure his fifth save of the season. Montas praised Williams’ composure, saying, “He ain’t afraid of nothing. Bases loaded, and he just takes control. He’s Devin Williams for a reason.”
Sal Frelick contributed significantly to the Brewers’ offense, driving in Willy Adames with a two-out single in the second and tripling before scoring on Joey Ortiz’s single in the fifth. Frelick, who had been in a 1-for-14 slump, broke out with his first multi-hit game since August 8.
“Sal’s been consistent,” said Murphy. “He hasn’t been swinging it great lately, but he’s a winning player.”
Contreras added an insurance run in the eighth with a double that scored Garrett Mitchell, giving the Brewers a 3-0 lead. Murphy praised Contreras’ all-around performance, saying, “William had a great game tonight, both offensively and defensively.”
Despite Carpenter’s sixth career pinch-hit homer, the Cardinals’ struggles continued, with manager Oliver Marmol acknowledging the team’s need to score more runs to stay competitive in the playoff race. “To be playing in October, we’ve got to score more runs, and we weren’t able to do that again today,” Marmol said.
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