MILWAUKEE (AP) – Marco Gonzales and his fellow St. Louis relievers worked out of several jams in combining for six innings of one-run ball, and the Cardinals held off the slumping Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 Thursday night for their sixth straight win.
The Cardinals moved to a season-high 14 games above .500 and extended their lead to four games in the NL Central over the Brewers, who lost their ninth straight.
St. Louis used the bullpen early after Michael Wacha was limited to three innings in his first start off the disabled list. Gonzales (2-2) went 2 1-3 innings for the win.
The Brewers stranded potential tying runs in scoring position from the sixth through the ninth.
St. Louis never trailed after Yadier Molina’s two-run single in the first off Wily Peralta (15-10).