Cardinals' four home runs spoil Brewers' season opener Friday

MILWAUKEE -- The St. Louis Cardinals aren't counting on one player to replace Albert Pujols.

And when four players hit home runs off Yovani Gallardo, it looks like a team-wide approach to making up for Pujols' departure just might work for the defending champions.

David Freese hit a two-run drive and Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit solo shots off Gallardo to help the Cardinals spoil the Milwaukee Brewers' opener with an 11-5 victory Friday.

"That's where we're going to have to be able to overcome the loss of Albert, is finding ways to score runs, tack on runs," Holliday said. "You get the big four-spot, but we kept scoring."

Gallardo (0-1) struggled with his control from the start and lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and six runs with five walks and three strikeouts.

"I think he would tell you he probably didn't have his best stuff today," Holliday said. "We got his pitch count up and got him in some hitters' counts. He'll be good. I just don't think he had a good day."

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke gave Gallardo the opening-day start ahead of Zack Greinke, despite Gallardo's career 1-7 record with a 5.66 ERA against the Cardinals coming into Friday's game.

Holliday wasn't sure why the Cardinals play so well against one of the two Brewers aces they'll face in the series.

"I don't know if that's one of those things that you can really put a finger on," Holliday said. "I don't think there's one particular thing. He's a great pitcher, so I don't see why it would be like that."

Jaime Garcia (1-0) pitched six solid innings for St. Louis. He yielded two runs -- both in the first inning -- and five hits.

"Our offense is unbelievable," Garcia said. "The guys are doing an amazing job. So when you give up two runs and your offense comes back and scores four, you feel like you want to be there for your team."

Ryan Braun was 0 for 5 and new Brewers cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez was 0 for 4.

"Braun hit a couple balls hard, so you don't discount that," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "He looks like his timing is pretty good. They've got guys that are going to hit the ball."

The Cardinals are in Milwaukee for a three-game series after opening with a victory over the Marlins in Miami on Wednesday night.

"They kind of gave us an unfavorable schedule for a team that just won the World Series, but to get a couple wins already, it's good," Holliday said.

Brewers fans gave a rousing reception to Braun, both before the game and the first few times he stepped to the plate. It was a show of support for the NL MVP, whose potential 50-game suspension for a positive drug test was overturned by an arbitrator before spring training.

Braun said before the game he hoped to show fans he can handle the offseason controversy and return to his MVP form after struggling in spring training.

With the Cardinals trailing 2-0 after the first inning, Molina smashed a pitch into the right-field bullpen to start the second.

Things got worse from there.

Gallardo gave up back-to-back shots to Beltran and Holliday to start the third. Gallardo then walked Lance Berkman and gave up his third homer of the inning to Freese.

Gallardo finally got three straight outs after walking Molina.

Roenicke lifted Gallardo after he allowed an RBI single to Freese that put the Cardinals up 6-2. Marco Estrada got the final out of the inning.