The St. Louis Cardinals had the last laugh over the Milwaukee Brewers in last year's NLCS, and they've started 2012 off on the same foot. After taking two of three from the Brewers in the teams' first series of the season, the Cardinals roughed Milwaukee up by the score of 13-1 on Friday night.
The Brewers seemed to have the advantage on the hill, with Yovani Gallardo facing Jake Westbrook, but the Cardinals sent Gallardo packing in the third inning, while Westbrook continued his surprisingly stellar start to the season. Gallardo recorded only two official innings, but he pitched well into the third, facing six batters but retiring none. He gave up eight earned runs on eight hits in those two innings; he walked three batters and only struck out two. Westbrook meanwhile scattered seven hits across seven innings, giving up only one run, which was earned. As impressive was his five strikeouts in those seven innings which came with zero walks.
The Cardinals pounded out 15 hits as a team on the night, with Jon Jay and Matt Holliday each leading the way with three hits apiece. Jay tied Skip Schumaker with three runs batted in to pace St. Louis.
The series will continue tomorrow afternoon with Marco Estrada facing Kyle Lohse.
For more on this game, stick with SB Nation St. Louis. For more on the Cardinals visit Viva El Birdos and for more on the Brewers check out Brew Crew Ball. For more news, notes and analysis head over to Baseball Nation.
The Brewers seemed to have the advantage on the hill, with Yovani Gallardo facing Jake Westbrook, but the Cardinals sent Gallardo packing in the third inning, while Westbrook continued his surprisingly stellar start to the season. Gallardo recorded only two official innings, but he pitched well into the third, facing six batters but retiring none. He gave up eight earned runs on eight hits in those two innings; he walked three batters and only struck out two. Westbrook meanwhile scattered seven hits across seven innings, giving up only one run, which was earned. As impressive was his five strikeouts in those seven innings which came with zero walks.
The Cardinals pounded out 15 hits as a team on the night, with Jon Jay and Matt Holliday each leading the way with three hits apiece. Jay tied Skip Schumaker with three runs batted in to pace St. Louis.
The series will continue tomorrow afternoon with Marco Estrada facing Kyle Lohse.
For more on this game, stick with SB Nation St. Louis. For more on the Cardinals visit Viva El Birdos and for more on the Brewers check out Brew Crew Ball. For more news, notes and analysis head over to Baseball Nation.