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Brewers @ Cardinals 9.11 recap: Cards offense unable to back Weaver's good start

By WyoCardsFan
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Brewers @ St. Louis Cardinals

Zach Davies vs. Luke Weaver
1:15 p.m. CT
Busch Stadium - St. Louis, Missouri

Today's Lineups -


Some News -

Things that happened -

The Brewers took an early lead in the first, plating one when Chris Carter hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Scooter Gennett, who singled earlier in the inning.  Luke Weaver had a "stressful" first inning, throwing 29 pitches, including 11 to Carter.  Brewers lead 1-0.

Matt Carpenter's leadoff double was wasted.  Davies got a couple fly/pop outs and a strikeout.

In the second, the Birds and Brewers traded a couple meaningless walks.  Grichuk hit a ball to the wall, but Keon Broxton chased it down.

Weaver's third inning was very good.  He had a 1-2-3 frame including two swinging strikeouts of Gennett and Ryan Braun.  But Davies matched him, throwing a 1-2-3 of his own.  Carpenter hit one hard, but much like Grichuk's in the second, his fly ball landed in Broxton's glove at the wall in center.

Randal made a bone fide all-out layout diving catch on a Carter line drive to shallow center.  Here it is:

It was part of another three up, three down inning in the fourth for young Mr. Weaver.

The next inning featured a lone hit from each team (Piscotty in the bottom of the fourth, Maldonado in the top of the fifth), but the pitchers certainly were in control of the game at that point.

Jedd Gyorko's leadoff double in the fifth was wasted.  Weaver hit for himself and struck out.  The inning ended with a Carpenter strikeout where on strike two, he wasn't able to check his swing in the home plate umpire's estimation, but it looked to me like he did.  Called strike three might have been off the plate.  It seemed at the time like an absolute turning point.  Matt wasn't happy and let it be known.

Weaver pitched the sixth.  He retired Gennett, Braun and Carter in order.  Braun tried in ugly fashion to bunt to get on.  He bunted it right back to Weaver for a super easy out.  Weaver's final line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 BB, 101 pitches thrown.

In the sixth, Davies got two quick outs, but then Adams lined a good single the other way to left.  Then Grichuk hammered a hard one towards Johnathan Villar, who wasn't able to come up with it before the runners safely reached base (ruled an error).  But Brandon Moss struck out on three pitches to strand them.

Jonathan Broxton pitched a nice seventh inning, striking out two.

Davies made quick work of the Cards in the seventh.

Zach Duke pitched a perfect eighth for the Cards.  He was aided by a good diving stop in the hole at third by Carpenter.

The Cards offense finally made things exciting in the eighth.  Carpenter led off with a double into the right field corner.  Kolten Wong fought hard to work a full count.  He ultimately grounded out, but advanced Carpenter to third base, and made Davies throw him 9 pitches.  That knocked out Davies in favor of Tyler Thornburg.  Thornburg got Piscotty out, but it was a fly ball to deep center, and Carpenter was able to tag home to score the tying run.  Game tied 1-1.

Davies' final line: 7 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 99 pitches thrown.

Ryan Braun didn't let the tie stand for long.  He worked a full count with Kevin Siegrist, and then untied the game with a big fly to left-center.  Brewers lead 2-1.

Thornburg struck out the side in the ninth to save the game for the Brewers.  Brewers win 2-1.

Final Notes -

  • The strikezone was a little wonky today, I'd say.
  • Davies' changeup was kryptonite for the batsmen of the Cardinals.
  • Weaver's performance was very good.
  • Fangraphs
  • Game notes - Brewers | Cardinals

Looking ahead -

Tomorrow, the Cubbies come to town for a three game set.  Kyle Hendricks will take on Mike Leake.  Game time is 7:15 CT.

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