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Schumaker's two RBI lead Cardinals over Brewers

Apr 16, 2008 - 5:59 AM By Jim Walsh PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Skip Schumaker drove in two runs as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-1, in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Adam Kennedy had three hits and an RBI for St. Louis, which won for the sixth time in seven home games this season.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the first as Albert Pujols hit a two-out single, moved to third on a base hit to right field by Rick Ankiel and scored on a wild pitch by Milwaukee starter Dave Bush (0-3).

After Corey Hart tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single in the fourth, Schumaker and Chris Duncan delivered consecutive two-out, run-scoring base hits in the fifth to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.

Schumaker, who started the year in an 0-for-16 slump, has 12 hits in his last 28 at-bats.

"A few days ago, I was still hitless," said Schumaker, who drove in his first two runs of the season. "I've been trying to get it out of my mind and move forward, and that's all you can do in this game."

Cardinals starter Braden Looper (3-0) had a bumpy night but still managed to win his third consecutive start. The righthander allowed three hits and walked five but yielded just one run in five innings.

"I knew when I was in the bullpen, today was going to be one of those days where I was going to have to try to battle," Looper said. "It's about as wild as I've been in the big leagues. I was able to make a few good pitches at the right times and we got some runs on the board. A win's a win, I guess."

Looper's night ended after walking Joe Dillon and Prince Fielder to start the sixth. Kyle McClellan relieved Looper and induced a double play, which left Dillon on third with two outs.

McClellan hit Hart with a pitch but retired J.J. Hardy on a grounder to escape unscathed.

St. Louis padded its lead in the seventh, when Kennedy led off with a single and scored on a two-out double to right field by Schumaker, giving the Cardinals a 4-1 bulge.

Kennedy and Cesar Izturis capped the scoring with RBI base hits in the eighth.

Bush allowed three runs and six hits in six innings with five strikeouts and two walks.

"There's a few pitches I'd like back," Bush said. "There were a couple of two-out situations where I gave up some base hits. I just didn't quite make the pitch I needed to. Beyond that, I felt pretty good about the way I threw."

It was a tough night offensively for the Brewers, who managed only three hits and stranded seven runners while hitting into three double plays.

"We just weren't firing on all cylinders tonight," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "When we do, we score a bunch of runs. It's just part of the ups and downs."