MILWAUKEE — Going on the road for the first time this season did not produce any better results for the Cardinals on Friday night.
The offense was held to just five hits and Jack Flaherty struggled with his control again as their losing streak reached four games with the loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee.
After walking seven in his first start, Flaherty issued six walks to the Brewers and gave up two runs in his five innings of work.
The Cardinals have not had a lead at any point during the four-game losing streak, covering 36 consecutive innings.
The Cardinals also might have lost a reliever to injury in the game. Packy Naughton had to walk off the field with a trainer after issuing a walk in the eighth inning. The initial diagnosis was forearm tightness. More will likely be known about his status on Saturday.
Here is how Friday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: All five of the Cardinals’ hits were singles. Three came in the same inning, the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but Willson Contreras grounded into an inning-ending double play … The Cardinals also loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, on a hit and two walks, but the inning ended when Tyler O’Neill grounded out … Jordan Walker had one of the hits, extending his streak with at least one hit to all seven games he has played.
On the mound: After the Cardinals’ starters had allowed a combined 20 runs in the first two innings in their first six games, Flaherty was able to keep the Brewers scoreless until the third, when they sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice. One of the runs was a leadoff walk that came around to score … Andre Pallante gave up a run in the sixth and the final run for the Brewers came on a home run by Willy Adames leading off the seventh against Jordan Hicks.
Key stat: Walker is the first major-league player 20 years old or younger to get a hit in the first seven games of his career since Johnny Callison in 1958 and the first NL player to do it since Roberto Clemente in 1955.
Worth noting: Adam Wainwright is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Sunday in St. Louis and could be headed out to a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that if it goes well as he tries to come back from a groin injury … Paul DeJong was 0-of-4, striking out twice, in the second game of his rehab assignment on Friday night with Palm Beach … The Brewers have now won their last six games, three of them shutouts.
Looking ahead: Jordan Montgomery will try to snap the losing streak when he gets the start on Saturday night in the second game of the series.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains.
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