Brewers Blank Cardinals Again as McGreevy’s Margin Finally Runs Out

Cardinal Chronicle
Brewers Blank Cardinals Again as McGreevy’s Margin Finally Runs Out
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

MILWAUKEE — The Cardinal Chronicle called this stretch the division gauntlet for a reason. Tuesday night showed why.

St. Louis was shut out by Milwaukee, 6-0, at American Family Field, dropping the first two games of the series to the first-place Brewers and falling 3 1/2 games back in the National League Central. It was not just another quiet offensive night. It was another reminder that division games have a way of separating teams that are chasing from teams that are setting the pace. The Cardinals entered the game second in the division, 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee, and had been 5-2 against NL Central opponents on the road before the series continued to turn against them.

Michael McGreevy came in as one of the better statistical stories in the Cardinals’ rotation, carrying a 2.40 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and a reputation for filling the strike zone without beating himself. But against Milwaukee, the thin line he has walked so well finally snapped. McGreevy allowed seven hits and a season-high five runs while striking out six, and the Brewers broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning. 

Kyle Harrison gave Milwaukee exactly what the Cardinals could not solve. The left-hander worked six shutout innings, allowed four hits, walked none and struck out two, extending his scoreless streak to 18 innings over his past three starts. Milwaukee’s bullpen finished the job as Grant Anderson, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill completed the shutout. 

The Brewers opened the scoring in the fourth when Jake Bauers homered. One inning later, the game got away from St. Louis. Christian Yelich led off the fifth with a double, Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang followed with walks, and William Contreras delivered the blow that changed the game — a two-run double that pushed Milwaukee ahead 3-0 and chased McGreevy. Garrett Mitchell followed later in the inning with a three-run homer, turning a manageable deficit into a 6-0 hole. 

For McGreevy, the issue was not effort or complete collapse. It was execution. His sinker, usually one of the pitches that helps him survive contact and produce ground balls, did not have its normal shape. McGreevy said afterward that the pitch was moving differently and that the Contreras double might have been a double-play ball if the sinker had carried its usual action. 

That is the hard part of evaluating McGreevy. His results have been better than some of the underlying metrics, and Tuesday night gave the Brewers a chance to expose that gap. He does not overpower hitters. He relies on sequencing, location and changing speeds with a deep pitch mix. When those ingredients are sharp, he can look like one of the steadiest young starters in the league. When one piece is off, especially against a disciplined division leader, the margin gets mighty small. 

The Cardinals’ offense offered little cover. St. Louis went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Against Harrison, there was no sustained pressure, no crooked inning, and no answer once Milwaukee stretched the lead. 

That has become the larger concern. The Cardinals have now dropped five of their last six, and the division portion of the schedule is starting to sting. They lost Monday’s opener 5-1, were shut out Tuesday, and now face the possibility of leaving Milwaukee swept before heading home for a weekend series against the Cubs. 

The Brewers did what first-place teams do. They pitched, defended, took advantage of walks, and buried a mistake when the door opened. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are still trying to prove they can do more than hang around the race.

There is still plenty of season left, but these are the games that carry extra weight. Losing to Milwaukee in May does not end anything. Losing series after series inside the division is another matter.

The Cardinals will try to avoid the sweep Wednesday afternoon, with Dustin May scheduled to start the series finale. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m. Central on Cards.TV and KMOX.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
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