Aguilar's 1st HR, in 100th AB, lifts Brewers over Cards 5-4
ST. LOUIS — Jesus Aguilar's first major league home run broke a seventh-inning tie, leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the banged-up St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Thursday night.
Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty left the game after the second inning with a strained right hamstring and center fielder Dexter Fowler came out following the third with a strained right shoulder. Randal Grichuk moved from left to center and Aledmys Diaz shifted from shortstop to left in the first outfield appearance of his professional career.
Piscotty pulled up with a strained right hamstring after crossing first base on his grounder to third base that ended the second. Fowler was hurt in an unsuccessful attempt for a diving catch on Hernan Perez's third-inning drive.
Randal Grichuk moved from left to center and Aledmys Diaz shifted from shortstop to left in the first outfield appearance of his professional career.
Milwaukee won its first series at St. Louis since April 28-30, 2014, ending a streak of 15 series losses and two splits.
With the score 4-4, Aguilar pinch hit for pitcher Oliver Drake (2-0) and homered against Matt Bowman (1-1) in his 100th career big league at-bat over four seasons.
Keon Broxton had four hits for the Brewers, including an RBI double in the third and a home run in the fifth against Adam Wainwright that tied the score 4-4.
Drake got his second win of the series, striking out Matt Carpenter to strand runners at second and third in the sixth inning. Neftali Feliz walked Carpenter leading off the ninth, then got three straight outs for his eighth save in nine chances.
Wainwright gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings. Brewers starter Chase Anderson allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Fowler hit a two-run triple in a three-run second, but Travis Shaw had a two-run double in the third and scored on Broxton's double. Yadier Molina's RBI single put the Cardinals ahead 4-3 in the bottom half.
WEB GEMS
Piscotty threw out Broxton at the plate when he tried to score on Anderson's single. ... Grichuk made a leaping catch against the wall to rob Jonathan Villar of a leadoff extra base hit in the third.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: LF Ryan Braun (right trapezius soreness) missed his third straight game.
Cardinals: INF Jhonny Peralta (upper respiratory illness) is to begin a rehab assignment at Class A Palm Beach on Friday.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (1-2, 5.34 ERA) is slated to start the opener of a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Friday. Nelson is 2-2 with a 2.96 ERA in five starts at PNC Park.
Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (3-1, 2.45 ERA) is to pitch the first game of a three-game series at Atlanta.