Brewers 4 - 3 Cardinals
Final/10
  for this game

Garcia hopes to give Cards another gem vs. Milwaukee

Apr 14, 2013 - 1:43 PM

Video

(Sports Network) - Jaime Garcia tries to continue St. Louis' run of strong starting pitching on Sunday when the Cardinals attempt to complete a three- game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium.

After St. Louis blanked Milwaukee to start this series, Adam Wainwright kept the Brewers off the scoreboard again, as he tossed a four-hit shutout and had three hits and two RBI to lead the Cards to an 8-0 win.

Two of his three hits came during St. Louis' seven-run sixth inning which broke the game open.

Wainwright, who has yet to walk a batter in 22 innings this season, matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in St. Louis' third consecutive shutout overall. The Cardinals' pitchers have allowed three runs or less in eight of the first 11 games this year.

"That was very impressive. You didn't really catch any tendencies either. (Wainwright) was mixing it up well," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.

Hoping to continue that string on Sunday will be lefty Jaime Garcia, who is 1-0 with a 2.92 ERA on the year. Garcia did not get a decision on Monday against Cincinnati, but pitched well, surrendering three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He also walked three batters and struck out 10 in the 13-4 loss.

Garcia has faced Milwaukee 10 times (9 starts) and is 4-3 with a 3.32 ERA.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, will counter with righty Marco Estrada, who will try to build off his first win of the season. Estrada defeated the Chicago Cubs on Monday, holding them to two runs and five hits in seven innings to run his record to 1-0, while lowering his ERA to 4.50.

Estrada has never beaten the Cardinals, posting an 0-3 mark with a 4.66 ERA in seven games (2 starts).

Yovani Gallardo (0-1) absorbed the loss on Saturday. He had given up one run through the first five frames before being chased during the Cardinals' sixth- inning outburst.

"I was making pitches in certain situations and then have that sixth inning where the only ball that was hit hard was the one by Holliday," Gallardo said.

Milwaukee, which hasn't been blanked in three straight games since May 3-6, 1972, has lost three in a row and is a mere 2-8 on the season.

"We need guys on base," said manager Ron Roenicke, whose team has one homer in its last six games. "We're not putting any pressure on anybody."

St. Louis was 9-6 versus the Brewers last season.






Related News