Cards edge Brewers 4-3

WP: Carlos Martinez (14-7); LP: Jimmy Nelson (7-14); Save: Seung Hwan Oh (17); Homeruns: Mil., Scooter Gennett (11); St. L, Matt Carpenter (19), Stephen Piscotty (21)

An early Brewer lead dissipated quickly, and Brewer nemesis Carlos Martinez overcame an unusually poor performance by getting outs when he needed to after given the lead, and the Cards used a brief flurry of hitting to post a crucial 4-3 win for the Cardinals in St. Louis tonight.

Milwaukee got on the board in the top of the first with a walk to Scooter Gennett, a hit by pitch for Chris Carter, and an error by Card’s shortstop Jedd Gyorko that should have been ruled a hit, off the bat of Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

Two more came in in the top of the third when Gennett followed Jonathan Villar’s lead-off infield hit with a homer into the rightfield plants. Two more hits that inning produced no more runs. The Cardinals turned double plays in the second, third, and fourth to short circuit any chance for more runs for Milwaukee.

The Brewers notched nine hits and had a walk, two hit batters, and that “error” off of Martinez but couldn’t produce that big hit to plate any more runs.

Jimmy Nelson started strong for the Crew, retiring the first eight Cardinals, but things unraveled when Martinez’ grounder eluded Orlando Arcia for St. Louis’ first hit, Matt Carpenter homered, Kolten Wong walked, and Stephen Piscotty homered to put the Cards up 4-3. Jimmy worked six, and allowed six hits, walked two, and fanned four.

Martinez’ final line was seven innings, nine hits, three runs (two earned), with a walk, two hit batters, and only one strikeout. Carlos had fanned 13 Brewers in their last meeting.

The St. Louis bullpen had a walk and four strikeouts to close the final two innings.

Brewer pitching held St. Louis hitless in six of their eight innings tonight, but two long balls and untimely hitting from the Brewers left the Crew the one run short.

the Brewers (63-78) send Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.73) out to face Adam Wainwright (10-8, 4.61) and the Cardinals (74-66). The Cards still trail the Mets by a half game in the Wild Card standings.