The St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> had no answers Monday afternoon at American Family Field. Jacob Misiorowski<\/a> was nearly untouchable, striking out 12 across seven dominant innings as the Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> cruised to a 5\u20131 victory. The Cardinals managed only two hits on the day. Christian Yelich<\/a> homered, and Andrew Vaughn<\/a> went 3-for-4 with two doubles to pace the Brewers offense. It was a thorough defeat from start to finish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Misiorowski was the story of the afternoon, and there is no other way to say it. The Brewers starter held the Cardinals to two hits across seven innings on 96 pitches. He struck out 12 and walked one, retiring hitter after hitter with ease. The Cardinals could not square him up. Jordan Walker<\/a>, Nolan Gorman<\/a>, Masyn Winn<\/a>, Alec Burleson<\/a>, Bryan Torres<\/a>, Victor Scott II<\/a>, and Jos\u00e9 Ferm\u00edn<\/a> all finished hitless. JJ Wetherholt<\/a> and Pedro Pag\u00e9s<\/a> were the only Cardinals to reach base via hit, and neither did significant damage. Aaron Ashby<\/a> closed it out with two perfect innings, striking out one and allowing zero baserunners on 21 pitches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Brewers wasted no time. Three runs crossed the plate in the first inning against Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore<\/a>, paced by a Yelich home run. This put the Cardinals in an immediate hole they could never escape. Liberatore settled down and kept the Brewers at bay for a stretch, striking out 10 across five innings. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs before giving way to Brycen Mautz<\/a>, making his major league debut. Mautz allowed four hits and two earned runs across three innings.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Cardinals’ lone run came in the sixth when Ivan Herrera<\/a> drove in Victor Scott II with a sacrifice fly \u2014 the only bright spot in an otherwise forgettable offensive afternoon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Ten strikeouts across five innings is a number worth acknowledging. Liberatore has the ability to miss bats at an elite level. If he can find a way to limit the hard contact that has plagued him this season, the Cardinals have a legitimate weapon in their rotation. Monday was not that day, but the strikeout numbers offer a reason for cautious optimism. The numbers are there. Preventing damage when it matters most remains an ongoing challenge.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Wetherholt went 1-for-4 with a walk \u2014 the most consistent plate appearance from any Cardinals hitter on the afternoon. He continues to show the kind of professional approach at the plate that has made him one of the more reliable offensive pieces in the Cardinals lineup this season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Twelve strikeouts across seven innings is a performance that turns heads in any ballpark. Misiorowski was commanding from the first pitch, and the Cardinals never found a rhythm against him. His 1.29 ERA on the season now places him among the premier starters in the National League.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Vaughn went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI \u2014 the best individual offensive line of the game. His ability to find the gaps kept the Brewers’ rally going in the early innings and gave them the cushion needed to cruise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Yelich went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. His first-inning blast off Liberatore set the tone for a dominant Brewers afternoon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Two hits. One run. The numbers speak for themselves. Seven Cardinals starters finished hitless against Misiorowski, and the Cardinals went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. Against the first-place Brewers in a divisional race that tightens by the week, the Cardinals needed to compete offensively. They did not come close.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Three runs in the first inning set the tone immediately and put the Cardinals in a deficit they were never equipped to overcome.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Pedro Pag\u00e9s committed an error in the sixth inning that extended a Brewers rally and contributed to a run that pushed the lead even further out of reach. Defensive miscues against a Brewers lineup this dangerous are costly, and Monday’s error was no exception.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Jacob Misiorowski (5\u20132, 1.83 ERA) earned the win for the Brewers as Matthew Liberatore (2\u20133, 4.76) took the loss for the Cardinals.<\/p>\r\n The Cardinals and Brewers continue their series Tuesday, May 26 at American Family Field in Milwaukee. Michael McGreevy<\/a> (3\u20133, 2.40) will take the mound for the Cardinals against Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison<\/a> (5\u20131, 1.77). First pitch will be at 6:40 pm Central.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\nMisiorowski Stole the Show<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Brewers Strike Early<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Right for the Cardinals<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Liberatore’s Strikeout Totals<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Wetherholt Stays On Base<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Right for the Brewers<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Misiorowski’s Dominance<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Vaughn Carries the Offense<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Yelich’s Home Run<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Wrong for the Cardinals<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Offense Went Silent<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Liberatore’s Rough First<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
An Error at a Bad Time<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Quick Hits<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Looking Ahead<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images<\/a>