MILWAUKEE (AP) – Christian Yelich welcomed hard-throwing prospect Ryan Helsley
to the big leagues with a three-run homer, his eighth against St. Louis this
season, to help send the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals
on Tuesday night.
Lorenzo Cain and Yasmani Grandal each homered in a five-run third against Jack
Flaherty (1-1), when the Brewers went up 5-0.
Yelich, who homered three times on Monday, was the first batter faced by
Helsley, who debuted with two on and two outs in the fifth. Yelich fell behind
0-2, evened the count and then fouled off a 98 mph fastball, before sending the
next pitch 427 feet to right center for his ninth home run, putting Milwaukee up
8-0.
Yelich is the first player to homer in six consecutive games against the
Cardinals. The Brewers have won nine of their last 10 against St. Louis,
including four in a row.
Brandon Woodruff (2-1) held the Cardinals scoreless until Marcell Ozuna’s
two-run homer, his seventh, with one out in the sixth. Woodruff allowed two runs
on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six.
The Cardinals added two in the eighth on RBI singles by Yadier Molina and
Kolten Wong.
Cain opened the third inning with his second homer. Ryan Braun doubled under
the glove of third baseman Matt Carpenter with one out. After Mike Moustakas
struck out, Grandal followed with his fifth homer, a two-run shot to right.
The Brewers loaded the bases on singles by Travis Shaw and Jesus Aguilar and a
walk to Orlando Arcia. Woodruff then laced a two-run double over the bag at
first, his fifth hit in his first six at-bats this season.
Flaherty was tagged for five runs on nine hits and needed 75 pitches to get
though 2 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Mike Mayers (right shoulder strain) was placed on the 10-day
injured list. OF Tyler O’Neill (right elbow ulnar nerve) also was placed on the
10-day IL. … OF Harrison Bader was out of the lineup for the third straight
game with an ailing right hamstring. “I know at least day-to-day,” manager
Mike Shildt said. “Staying away from him today.”
CARDINALS MOVES
INF/OF Drew Robinson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis. INF/OF Yairo Munoz, RHP
Giovanny Gallegos, and RHP Helsley all were recalled from Memphis. Helsley, who
had a 3.86 ERA in two starts at Memphis, will be used out of the bullpen.
“You’re talking about a young man with plus velocity,” Shildt said. “Plus,
plus. Out of the bullpen he’s got every opportunity to hit 98-100 with some life
to it.”
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.28) starts the series finale at Miller
Park on Wednesday afternoon. He allowed seven runs on eight hits, including
three homers, in 3 2/3 innings in his last start. Wacha is 5-0 in 12 career
games against the Brewers, including 11 starts.
Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 10.05) has allowed three home runs in each of
his first three starts in a total of 14 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .339
against him, although the Brewers are 2-1 in his starts.
Game time Wednesday afternoon is 12:40 with the pre-game at 11:45 on KTLO-AM.
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