ST. LOUIS — Miles Mikolas picked a bad day to have a bad start.
Going up against Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes, one of the best pitchers in the National League, Mikolas knew he would probably need a shutdown effort for the Cardinals to have a chance to beat the Brewers on Sunday at Busch Stadium.
Instead, he had his worst start since 2019, giving up nine hits and six runs, including two homers, and failing to get through the sixth inning despite throwing a career-high 115 pitches. The six runs were the most Mikolas had allowed since also giving up six runs on Aug. 11, 2019.
The Cardinals’ hitters could not match that success, as they had just two hits and struck out 11 times in seven innings against Burnes. In five starts since the beginning of last season, Burnes has surrendered only four runs to the Cardinals over a combined 29 innings.
The Cardinals were shut out for the fourth time this season, the third time it has happened at home.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: Paul Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a single in the ninth inning. It’s the longest single-season streak of his career, trailing only a 26-game streak split between the end of the 2013 season and the start of the 2014 season when he was with Arizona. He also has reached base by either a hit or walk in 34 consecutive games … Their only two hits off Burnes were a two-out double by Juan Yepez in the fourth and a leadoff single by Corey Dickerson in the fifth. Dickerson is now 8-of-50, a .160 average, in May with three extra-base hits, all doubles … The 8-0 loss was the Cardinals biggest shutout loss to the Brewers at home since they lost 12-0 on Aug. 26, 2008.
On the mound: Mikolas did not allow a run until Jace Peterson hit a three-run homer, following a walk and a single, in the fifth inning. Rowdy Tellez hit the Brewers’ second homer in the sixth. Mikolas had allowed only three homers in his first 59 innings this season before the two came in a span of six batters … The Brewers added a third homer, a two-run shot by Lorenzo Cain, off Nick Wittgren in the eighth.
Key stat: The home run by Peterson was the fourth the Cardinals have allowed to the opponent’s ninth-place hitter in their last nine home games, producing eight RBIs.
Worth noting: Steven Matz played catch for the first time since receiving a cortisone shot in his sore left shoulder. How he recovers will determine the next steps toward returning to the rotation, the Cardinals said … Jack Flaherty is scheduled to throw a second live batting practice session on Wednesday … Sunday was a scheduled day off for Nolan Arenado, who was 3-of-17 in the first five games of the homestand, with all of the hits coming in the same game on Monday night.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals intend to recall Packy Naughton from Memphis to start on Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Padres. The team will have to make a roster move before activating him for the 1:15 p.m. game.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
