ST. LOUIS (AP) — Frankie Montas pitched seven sparkling innings and Devin Williams escaped a jam in the ninth, helping the Milwaukee Brewers beat the reeling St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Montas (6-8) allowed one hit — Alec Burleson’s single in the fourth — in his fourth start since he was acquired in a trade with Cincinnati. He struck out three and walked one.
William Contreras had three hits for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who earned their sixth straight win. Sal Frelick added two hits.
Matt Carpenter homered for St. Louis in its seventh loss in eight games. Erick Fedde (8-7) was charged with two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Carpenter’s fourth homer of the season — a pinch-hit drive with Lars Nootbaar aboard in the eighth — got St. Louis within one.
The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Williams struck out Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman — both swinging — for his fifth save.
Frelick drove in Willy Adames with a two-out single in the second. Frelick also tripled and scored on Joey Ortiz’s single in the fifth.
It was the first multihit game since Aug. 8 for Frelick, who broke out of a 1-for-14 slump.
Contreras doubled home Garrett Mitchell for a 3-0 lead in the eighth.
Carpenter’s drive was his sixth career pinch-hit homer and his first since April 30, 2021, against Pittsburgh.
TRANSACTIONS
The Cardinals gave shortstop Brandon Crawford his unconditional release and reinstated Carpenter from the 10-day injured list. They also optioned outfielder Jordan Walker to the minors and recalled infielder Luken Baker from Triple-A Memphis.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Trevor Megill (low back injury) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list, and RHP Elvis Peguero was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.
Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (right knee inflammation) threw a live bullpen at around 45 pitches and will throw another one at a higher intensity on Monday.
UP NEXT
The Brewers will start RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 2.81 ERA) on Wednesday night against Cardinals RHP Kyle Gibson (7-5, 4.26 ERA). Myers received a no-decision in the Brewers’ 7-1 win over the Cardinals on May 9 at Milwaukee. Gibson allowed a career-high four homers in his last start, a 9-2 loss at Cincinnati.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
