MILWAUKEE _ Marcell Ozuna wasn't too far behind his former Miami Marlins teammate Christian Yelich this week in a three-game series here.
The Milwaukee Brewers' Yelich had four homers in the first two games of this three-game set with the Cardinals and eight in six games against the Cardinals this year. But Ozuna hit his third homer in three games in this series and fifth in his past four games when he lined his eighth of the season in the second inning to start the Cardinals on their way to a 6-3 win over Milwaukee in the series finale.
And news flash ... Yelich did not have a home run as Michael Wacha (six innings), John Gant, Andrew Miller and Jordan Hicks held the Brewers to just one homer _ by reliever Aaron Wilkerson. Yelich did single home a run off Miller in the eighth, giving him 19 RBIs against the Cardinals in seven games this year and 25 in nine games over the last two seasons.
Matt Carpenter walloped his third homer in the fourth inning as the Cardinals touched up starter Corbin Burnes for eight hits and five runs in 3 1/3 innings. That Burnes would allow a home run was not unusual. He has surrendered 11 in 17 2/3 innings this year.
Ozuna, who also homered in four consecutive games for Miami in 2014, has hit all eight of his homers in the Cardinals' past 10 games. With eight homers in the Cardinals' first 18 games, Ozuna is tied for second in Cardinals lore with Stan Musial, Mark McGwire and Scott Rolen. Albert Pujols had 10 in the first 18 games in 2006.
Catcher Matt Wieters, starting his second game for the Cardinals as Yadier Molina got a rare day off, singled twice, driving in two runs, giving him five runs batted in for his first three Cardinals hits. Paul DeJong had four hits and an RBI and Kolten Wong had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run.
Wacha allowed just five hits and two runs in six official innings. Gant got a double play and a strikeout in the seventh. Miller allowed several hard-hit balls in the eighth although second baseman Wong saved a hit by snaring Yasmani Grandal's smash to his left.
Hicks nailed down his fourth save in five tries with a scoreless ninth, receiving a double play started by Wong after Hicks had walked the leadoff man.
