Cardinals pitching remains on a roll in 3-0 win vs. Brewers

MILWAUKEE -- Jaime Garcia kept the St. Louis Cardinals' scoreless streak going.

Matt Carpenter hit a leadoff home run, Garcia pitched two-hit ball for seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals made it three straight shutout victories with a 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.

The Cardinals have thrown 36 consecutive scoreless innings since the fourth inning of Wednesday's 13-inning 4-3 win. Michael Wacha won his team-leading 13th game, stopping Cincinnati 3-0 on Thursday. Lance Lynn beat Milwaukee 6-0 Friday night in the opener of the three-game series.

On Saturday, Garcia (4-4) walked four, struck out five and allowed Jean Segura's hit in the first and Elian Herrera's in the third. The left-hander won for the first time in three starts since coming off the 15-day disabled list on July 28 with a strained left groin.

"Four walks isn't something you're normally happy about," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

"There were some deep counts he had to work out of. It's trying to tame the movement. His greatest asset can be his greatest adversary at times, because it's moving so much."

The movement on the ball can make it tough on the hitters, but also on catcher Yadier Molina.

"You see a guy like Yadi, with great hands, not even know where the thing is going to go," Matheny said.

Garcia walked the first batter in the second and fourth innings, but Brewers couldn't capitalize on either of them.

"When you face good pitchers, you get less pitches to hit, less hittable pitches," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "You might get one shot, and you get a foul ball on that. That might be your only shot."

Despite the walks, Garcia was happy with his performance.

"I was able to keep the ball down tonight and get some grounders when I needed them," he said. "The defense did an unbelievable job behind me."

The Cardinals turned two double plays, erasing a runner at first in the first and second innings.

"A lot of ground balls," Counsell said. "That's what Garcia does, a lot of ground balls. We got some men on base with the walks, but we couldn't get anything going."

Kevin Siegrist pitched the eighth and Rosenthal earned his 33rd save in 35 chances, striking out Ryan Braun, Khris Davis and Jason Rogers in the ninth.

"It's a battle, especially when this pitching staff rolls in here against us," Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "From their bullpen to their starters, they're really good. They've got the best staff in baseball."

Carpenter hit his fourth career leadoff home run this season and Stephen Piscotty's two-out RBI single in the second gave Garcia all the run support he needed as the Cardinals won their fourth straight and major league-leading 71st game. Piscotty made it 3-0 with a two-out hit in the seventh.

Garcia was sidelined for the first 40 games of the season while continuing his recovery from thoracic outlet surgery.

Carpenter is batting .389 (14 for 36) with six home runs and 11 RBIs since returning to the leadoff spot on July 30.

Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta (2-7) settled down after Piscotty's run-scoring hit in the second and retired the next 14 batters. Randal Grichuk's hit with one out in the seventh snapped that string.

Peralta allowed five hits, one walk and struck out two in seven innings. It was his third start since returning from the 15-day disabled list on July 28 with a strained left oblique.

"I feel better, but not good enough to get a win," Peralta said.

Hot bat

Carpenter's home run in the first gave him five consecutive games with an extra-base hit, increasing his post All-Star total to 15, best in the NL.