Cards sustain more injuries in loss

MILWAUKEE -- Injuries are piling up for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After placing players on the disabled list on three consecutive days this week, three more Cardinals were removed from Friday night's 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers with injuries.

"You can't allow yourself to go down that road of feeling sorry for yourself," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "You just have to keep playing."

A leadoff home run by Yadier Molina in the eighth inning off Brewers reliever Will Smith tied the game 3-3, but Jonathan Villar's single drove in Kirk Nieuwenhuis from second base with two outs in the ninth inning.

Starting pitcher Michael Wacha was hit in the lower right leg with a low liner off the bat of Villar with one out in the seventh. The ball, which struck Wacha on the right heel, ricocheted to third baseman Greg Garcia, who threw out Villar at first.

Wacha remained sprawled on the mound for several minutes while a trainer examined his leg before walking off the field on his own.

"My foot went completely numb once it hit, but the more I moved it around the feeling came back and I was able to put pressure on it," Wacha said.

The Cardinals had an injury to another key pitcher in the ninth when reliever Trevor Rosenthal limped off the field after throwing a pitch to Hernan Perez with one out. Rosenthal hopped after completing his delivery, leading the trainer and Matheny to rush onto the field to check on him.

Seung Hwan Oh replaced Rosenthal, who Matheny said was suffering from hamstring spasms.

Left fielder Matt Holiday twisted his ankle rounding first base in the third inning. He was removed later in the game.

Earlier in the week, the Cardinals placed All-Star second baseman Matt Carpenter (oblique), backup catcher Brayan Pena (knee inflammation) and Brandon Moss (ankle sprain), the team's leading home run hitter, on the disabled list.

Villar's hit, off Oh, got past diving third baseman Greg Garcia. Left fielder Tommy Pham's throw to the plate was on line and Yadier Molina slapped a quick tag on Nieuwenhuis as he slid. Home plate umpire Will Little ruled Nieuwenhuis safe, leading to an argument from Molina.

The call was confirmed after a brief review setting off a celebration.

"I was ready for that turn at-bat," Villar said.

Nieuwenhuis said getting a running lead with a 3-2 count on Villar was crucial in beating the throw to the plate.

"It was really important because I had to avoid the third baseman, too," he said. "He dove for the ball and I kind of had to re-route and I almost rolled an ankle because I had to avoid him and touch the bag."

Chris Carter homered twice for Milwaukee, and Jonathan Lucroy also went deep. Jeremy Jeffress (2-4) got the win in relief.

Nieuwenhuis led off the ninth with a walk off Trevor Rosenthal (2-4). He moved to second on a sacrifice by Hernan Perez.

Carter connected for a towering leadoff drive in the second against Wacha, but the Cardinals jumped in front on consecutive run-scoring singles by All-Star Aledmys Diaz and Holliday in the third.

The Brewers regained the lead in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Lucroy and Carter. Lucroy's home run, which bounced back onto the field, was upheld after a review. It was Carter's fourth multihomer game this season.

Molina's leadoff homer in the eighth against Will Smith tied it at 3.

Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson allowed two runs and six hits over six innings. He walked four, one intentionally, and struck out two.

Wacha surrendered three runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Rivera returns

The Brewers recalled infielder Yadiel Rivera from Class AAA Colorado Springs. He fills the roster spot of Aaron Hill, who was traded Thursday to Boston for Aaron Wilkerson and Wendell Rijo.

Splitting time

Hernan Perez and Will Middlebrooks will share third-base duties with the departure of Hill, who had been the everyday starter at the position, Counsell said.

Pigeon play

After throwing out Garcia on a ground ball leading off the game, Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett had to duck out of the way of a swooping pigeon.

No All-Star nod for Braun

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun finished fifth out of five players vying for the final spot on the National League All-Star team. San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt won the fan balloting.

Trainer's room

Cardinals third baseman Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) took batting practice but didn't start. He pinch-hit in the ninth and flied out to right field.