Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras speaks with the media on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, after a series-clinching win over the Brewers at Busch Stadium. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
A series that started with reasons for despair and dread finished with the Cardinals giving themselves reasons for hope as they approach the final month of the regular season, though they’ve still got a lot of work left to do in order to push back into the playoff picture.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the seventh inning and broke a scoreless tie on their way to a 3-0 series-clinching win over the National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of the three-game set in front of an announced crowd of 28,630 at Busch Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
The Cardinals (63-64) moved within a game of .500 and are now 10 games back of the Brewers (73-54) in the division with 35 games remaining in the season.
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley shut the door on the Brewers with his MLB-leading 39th save of the season in the ninth inning as he put the final touches on the club’s seventh shutout of the season.
Cardinals rookie center fielder Victor Scott II went 3 for 4 with a double and a stolen base and scored the game’s first run, while first baseman Alec Burleson went 2 for 3 with two walks.
Willson Contreras (1 for 3, walk, RBI) and Nolan Arenado (1 for 4, RBI) each drove in runs, while Lars Nootbaar walked twice.
The Cardinals’ seventh-inning rally started with crucial at-bats from the youngsters in their lineup against Brewers reliever Nick Mears.
Scott, who registered the first three-hit game of his major league career, roped a one-out single into right field to get things started.
Rookie shortstop Masyn Winn lined a single just over the leap of Brewers shortstop Willy Adames to put two men on base, then Burleson’s single loaded the bases with still just one out.
Willson Contreras then drew a bases-loaded walk and forced in the game’s first run.
Brendan Donovan then swatted a sinking line drive into center field. With Brewers center fielder Garrett Mittchell charging in on the ball, Willson Contreras had to hesitate between first and second base in an effort to not get doubled-off of first in case Garrett caught the ball.
Winn scored on the play, but Willson Contreras got forced out at second base.
The next batter, Arenado, singled to left-center and drove in Burleson to give the Cardinals a three-run advantage.
Mikolas pitches out of traffic early
The Brewers put a runner on third base just three batters into the game on the strength of a one-out Jackson Chourio double followed by a William Contreras single.
Those back-to-back hits in the first inning gave the Brewers two chances to get a run in from third base, but Mikolas got cleanup hitter Mitchell on a called third strike via a sinker on the inside corner. Then Mikolas got Adames to hit a bouncer to third base for an inning-ending force out.
The Mitchell strikeout started a string of eight consecutive batters retired by Mikolas. That run stopped with a leadoff walk by William Contreras in the fourth inning.
Mikolas allowed just two hits and one walk over six innings. He struck out three in six scoreless innings to record a quality start. He didn’t allow a hit after the first inning.
Mikolas hadn’t tossed a scoreless outing since he tossed 6⅓ scoreless against the Washington Nationals on July 8.
Peralta holds Cardinals offense in check
Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta started against the Cardinals for the third time this season.
In his previous two starts, one at Busch Stadium and one in Milwaukee, he had two no-decisions with a total of three runs allowed on 12 hits and three walks in 12 innings. He also struck out 15 batters in that span.
Thursday, the Cardinals put just one man on base in the first two innings against Peralta. However, they created a scoring opportunity in the third inning with a one-out double by Scott and a two-out walk by Burleson. Willson Contreras, who singled in the first, reached on a hit by pitch and loaded bases.
Donovan hit a 2-0 pitch from Peralta to right-center field. That fly ball ended the inning.
The Cardinals put two men on against Peralta in the fifth inning when Scott singled and Burleson walked with two outs. It looked as though they’d loaded the bases for a second time when Willson Contreras narrowly beat out a slow grounder to shortstop.
However, replay review overturned the initial safe call.
Peralta turned the game over to the bullpen after the fifth. He allowed three hits and two walks in five innings. He also struck out two in five scoreless innings.
Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras speaks with the media on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, after a series-clinching win over the Brewers at Busch S…
Cardinals rookie shortstop Masyn Winn pumps his fist to celebrate a base hit Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in the seventh inning of a game against the Brewers at Busch Stadium.