MILWAUKEE _ For once, the Milwaukee Brewers did not let it slip away against the St. Louis Cardinals at home.
Recovering from two frustrating one-run losses that got away from them late, the Brewers held on Wednesday night for a 3-1 victory over the Cardinals at Miller Park.
The victory snapped a six-game losing streak and allowed the Brewers to smile a bit before getting ready for a difficult September schedule. Beating St. Louis at home has not been easy, as evidenced by the Cardinals' 34-12 record at Miller Park in the previous 46 meetings.
Right-hander Matt Garza led the way in this one, limiting the Cards to three hits and one run over seven-plus innings while walking two and striking out eight. He was backed up by relievers Carlos Torres and Tyler Thornburg, the latter of who recorded the save.
St. Louis rookie right-hander Luke Weaver put down the first eight batters he faced, striking out five. That spell ended when Garza, batting .048, drew a two-out walk in the third.
Jonathan Villar followed with a double to left that sent Garza to third, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with a home run to right on a 1-0 changeup to quickly make it 3-0. It was the 13th homer for Nieuwenhuis, with 11 coming at home.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina got one of those runs back in the fourth when he lined a one-out homer over the left-field fence, only his fifth homer of the season.
After that home run, Garza settled back in and resumed mowing down the Cards. And after Nieuwenhuis' shot, Weaver did likewise against the Brewers.
Those pitching sprees stopped in the bottom of the sixth when the Brewers loaded the bases with one out against Weaver. Nieuwenhuis chopped a single over third baseman Jhonny Peralta's head, Ryan Braun ripped a double into the right-field corner and Hernan Perez drew a walk to set the stage for a possible big rally.
Weaver would have none of it, however. He popped up Chris Carter and struck out Keon Broxton looking, leaving the bases full and keeping it a 3-1 game.
Garza had retired 11 in a row when he took the mound in the eighth inning, having thrown 90 pitches. When Greg Garcia led off with a single and pinch-hitter Stephen Piscotty drew a walk, that would be all for Garza, who yielded to Torres.
Matt Carpenter barely missed putting the Cards on top, sending a deep drive down the right-field line that curved just foul. Carpenter then lined out and Jedd Gyorko took a called third strike but Brandon Moss drew a walk to load the bases.
Torres escaped the jam by getting Peralta to fly out to center, preserving the Brewers' 3-1 lead.
