Gorman hits 2 HRs as Cards win 6-2 to regain share of 1st

Tue, Jun 21, 2022
MLB News (AP)

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Nolan Gorman went 4 of 4 with two solo homers and four RBIs as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 on Tuesday night to regain a share of the NL Central lead.

The Cardinals and Brewers are both 39-31 after splitting the first two matchups of this four-game series. St. Louis stopped the Brewers' four-game winning streak.

Gorman broke a 2-all tie and put the Cardinals ahead for good with a homer to center off Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1) in the fourth inning. He extended the lead to 4-2 with a drive over the right-field wall against Miguel Sanchez in the seventh.

Since making his major-league debut May 20, Gorman has six homers in 29 games. His first five all traveled at least 400 feet, including his 428-foot shot in the fourth. The streak ended when his seventh-inning homer went 396 feet.

Zack Thompson (1-0), Drew VerHagen, Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley combined to allow just one hit and one walk in six innings of scoreless relief. The Brewers had just four hits.

Gorman's big night started with a two-out RBI single in the first as the Cardinals grabbed a 2-0 lead. Milwaukee's Willy Adames tied it in the bottom half with a two-run homer off Jack Flaherty.

But the Brewers failed to capitalize on Flaherty's control issues.

Flaherty retired just one of his first five batters - allowing Adames' homer and three walks - but avoided further damage in his three-inning stint by continually pitching out of trouble. Flaherty matched a career high with five walks.

This was Flaherty's second appearance after having a platelet-rich plasma injection in March while recovering from shoulder inflammation. Flaherty made his season debut Wednesday and allowed four runs - two earned - over three innings in a 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Gonzalez (0-1) allowed three runs and four hits over four innings with two strikeouts and one walk in his Brewers debut after getting claimed off waivers from Minnesota a week ago. Gonzalez was starting in place of Aaron Ashby, who went on the injured list Monday due to inflammation in his left arm.

Cardinals: 1B Paul Goldschmidt wasn't in the lineup due to what manager Oliver Marmol described as back tightness. "He'll experience it from time to time," Marmol said before the game. "Usually he takes a day, it loosens up, he'll get treatment and be back at it. That's our hope." ... RHP Jordan Hicks pitched one scoreless inning in a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Memphis as he recovers from a forearm strain. He threw 14 pitches, walked one batter and allowed no hits.

Brewers: Manager Craig Counsell said Kolten Wong had a setback in his recovery from a strained right calf and isn't doing any on-field activities right now, though the second baseman is swinging a bat. Wong hasn't played since June 7. ... IF Mike Brosseau (ankle) and RHP Trevor Gott (right groin) began rehabilitation assignments Tuesday with the Brewers' Single-A affiliate in Appleton, Wisconsin.

UP NEXT

RHP Adam Wainwright (5-5, 3.06 ERA) starts for the Cardinals and LHP Eric Lauer (6-2, 3.57) gets the call for the Brewers as this four-game series continues Wednesday night.

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