ST. LOUIS (AP) - Down four regulars, the Milwaukee Brewers kept right on rolling.
Lyle Overbay fouled off two bunt attempts, then singled in Khris Davis with the tiebreaking run and the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals in extra innings for the second straight night, winning 5-4 in 11 innings Tuesday.
“We’re a team that’s going to grind it out. We don’t give in, we don’t give up at-bats,” said Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse, a former Cardinal. “I don’t really look at the big picture. We’re just trying to win as many games, rack up the wins and keep piling them on.”
Davis hit a go-ahead triple to help the Brewers win 5-3 in 12 innings Monday night and started the winning rally this time with a leadoff double against Kevin Siegrist (0-1).
“With two strikes, obviously I’m just trying to get him over to third base any way I can,” said Overbay, who is 10 for 19 during an eight-game hitting streak. “That was a mistake, finally. The pitch that I hit up the middle, I don’t know what he was trying to do with it.”
Milwaukee is a major league-best 20-7, two more victories than the previous franchise best for the opening month, and 11-1 on the road.
Milwaukee’s lineup featured light-swinging Scooter Gennett batting third. Ryan Braun and Jean Segura didn’t start for the third straight game, Aramis Ramirez had a swollen elbow from getting hit by a pitch, and catcher Jonathan Lucroy got a scheduled day off that manager Ron Roenicke elected not to reschedule.
The Brewers’ makeshift lineup managed just enough offense to beat the Cardinals again.
“We’re playing great and we’ll enjoy it as long as we can, but it’s not going to last the whole season,” Roenicke said. “But again, we’re doing things right.”
Carlos Gomez homered and Lohse had a two-run single for the Brewers, who have won five of six. Tyler Thornburg (3-0) struck out four in two scoreless innings and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 13th save in 13 chances.
Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer in the first and Allen Craig’s RBI triple tied it in the seventh for the Cardinals, who have lost three of four.
“It’s April,” said Matt Adams, who opened with two hits but struck out his last three trips. “We’re not happy that we’re not winning right now but we’re going to continue to show up every day ready to compete.
“Things are going to turn around in our favor.”
The Brewers are 4-1 in extra innings and the Cardinals are 0-3. St. Louis 3-0 in both games in this series.
“Not as good as I should have been, plain and simple,” Cardinals starter Lance Lynn said. “You get three runs in the first, you win that game.”
Molina had been 1 for 13 with runners and scoring position and two outs before depositing a belt-high 1-1 fastball into the first row of seats in left-center.
It was the first homer off Lohse since he gave up two in his first start of the season, and Molina’s fourth overall. Lohse followed with five scoreless innings and matched his season best with nine strikeouts, plus a two-run single to cap a three-run fourth against Lance Lynn to tie it.
“I fouled off a couple below the label and I think the one I hit was below the label as well,” Lohse said. “He kept coming with fastballs, kind of did me a favor.”
Gomez homered in the seventh against Tyler Lyons, in his second inning of relief. Lyons had been listed as the starter Friday at Chicago against the Cubs, but the Cardinals have a day off Thursday and could use ace Adam Wainwright on regular rest.
NOTES: Shelby Miller is 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers entering the series finale. Milwaukee starter Matt Garza (1-2, 4.09 ERA) is 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in three starts in St. Louis. … Two rehabbing Cardinals pitchers, Jaime Garcia and Jason Motte, are getting closer to returning. Garcia (shoulder surgery) is scheduled to make his first start Sunday for Double-A Springfield and the team said Motte (elbow) is likely to join that team this weekend. … Segura pinch-hit in the ninth and was thrown out trying for a bunt hit. … The Brewers are 36-36 at 9-year-old Busch Stadium, one of only three NL teams that are .500 or better.
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