Brewers split squad squash the Cardinals 5-4 in extras

Winning Pitcher: Tyler Thornburg

Losing Pitcher: Kevin Siegrist

SV: Francisco Rodriguez (13)

HR: Carlos Gomez (6)

Boxscore

This ball game felt like it was over in the first inning after Kyle Lohse gave up a 3-run home run to Yadier Molina. It seemed like it was going to be a quick inning after he got the first two batters to strikeout and flyout. He issued a walk to Matt Holliday and a base hit to Matt Adams. That's when Molina came to the plate. Lohse did get the next batter to strikeout but the damage was already done.

Randal Grichuck got his first major league hit to lead off the second inning.  He was later erased when Lance Lynn bunted into a fielder's choice. Lohse ended the inning with a strike out, his third of the day and the second against Matt Carpenter.

In the top of the fourth inning Scooter Gennett singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A Khris Davis ground out would move him to third for Overbay whose single gave the Brewers their first run of the night. After a Mark Reynolds' walk, Jeff Bianchi grounded into a fielder's choice but was able to advance Overbay to third. Martin Maldonado then loaded the bases on a four pitch walk. It seemed elementary with Kyle Lohse coming to the plate but he was able to fight off Lance Lynn for 6 pitches to get an RBI single tying the game! Lynn would get Carlos Gomez to strike out but he threw over 40 pitches in the fourth inning. The ball game no longer felt like it was over.

If you believe in momentum, Kyle Lohse kept it going by retiring the Cardinals in order, including his 5th and 6th strikeouts.

Somewhat surprisingly, to me anyway, Lance Lynn returned for the fifth inning. He had around 95 pitches entering the inning. It proved to be the right call or the lucky call as the Brewers went down in order. It only took Lynn 7 pitches.

Lohse led off the bottom of the fifth by hitting Greg Garcia who pinch hit for Lynn. Fortunately Garcia never moved off of first base as Lohse got the next three batters to hit into outs.

After using 5 relievers in last night's game the Cardinals pen must have been thin because Friday's projected starter Tyler Lyons came into the game for the 6th inning. He iced the Brewers 3 straight.

Lohse led off the sixth inning with his 7th strikeout of the night, but followed that by allowing two singles. It really started to feel like one of those stupid Cardinals black magic, BABIP the Brewers to death innings. As if to say "calm down," Kyle Lohse got strikeout number 8 against Grichuk and number 9 against Mark Ellis!

Lyons returned to the mound in the seventh for his second inning of work. He worked over the first two batters. Then gave a hungry Carlos Gomez a meatball. Solo shot! Brewers took a 4-3 lead.

Will Smith took over for Lohse in the seventh inning. He walked Peter Boujous who pinch hit for Lyons. Matt Carpenter hit into a fielder's choice that was way too close for comfort. Allen Craig then tied the game on a ball that got past a diving Elian Herrera who then spiked the ball on the throw. It was the sort of thing you'd expect to see in the first half of a movie like "Major League." It was an unfortunate way for Smith to give up his first run of the season as Carpenter may never have crossed home plate had Herrera played the ball straight up instead of diving. Craig would make it safely to third base. Matt Holliday drew a walk and Matt Adams stepped to the plate with one out and runners at the corners. Smith got him to strike out. He ended the inning by striking out Yadier Molina.

Pat Neshek and his wacky, almost-balk, wind-up retired the Brewers in order in the eighth inning.

I'm not going to lie to you guys. By the bottom of the eighth inning I was kind of a nervous wreck so when Jhonny Peralta led off with a stupid ground ball single I was dreading the worst. Thankfully Jim Henderson was able to get Grichuk to hit into a double play almost immediately after. He also got the left-hander Mark Ellis to strikeout. It was just Mark Ellis but still nice to see him get the LHH out that way.

Neshek returned for a second inning and carved up Jeff Bianchi and Elian Herrera. Jean Segura made an appearance pinch hitting for the pitcher. He attempted to bunt for a hit but was unsuccessful.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th, Tyler Thornburg took the mound. The Cardinals went down in three with 2 strikeouts and a ground out.

Kevin Siegrist barreled through Gomez, Herrera, and Gennett in the top of the 10th.

Thornburg returned for the bottom of the 10th. He got Matt Adams to fly out and struck out Matt Holliday but gave up a walk to Yadier Molina. Jhonny Peralta would be the 16th strikeout victim of the night for the Brewers and the game would go to the eleventh inning.

In the top of the 11th Khrush double to lead off and Overbay shoved some of that BABIP magic up the Cardinals rear-ends. Davis scored the go ahead run on a dribbler up the middle that the second baseman just couldn't get to. The ball's momentum was slowed just enough that the center fielder had no chance at Davis.

Francisco Rodriguez came on for the save and of he got it. How could he not. He did allow a base hit to Daniel Descalso of all people but it didn't matter. The Brewers were destined to win this game. I don't believe in those things, but the evidence is clearly undeniable.

The Crew is back at it tomorrow afternoon at 12:45 pm. They look to complete the sweep as Matt Garza takes on Shelby Miller.