MILWAUKEE — Too many mistakes added up to a frustrating loss for the Cardinals against the Brewers on Easter Sunday in Milwaukee.
Seven walks, including one with the bases loaded, a hit batter and two errors were more than the Cardinals could overcome offensively, despite Albert Pujols’s second homer of the year, the 681st of his career.
The tone for the game was set in the first inning when the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out but did not score before the Brewers scored three runs on only one hit in the bottom of the inning.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The would-be rally in the first inning fizzled when Pujols and Tommy Edman struck out … Pujols came through in the third with a three-run homer that tied the game, one of the only two hits the Cardinals recorded from the second through the seventh inning.
Edman’s RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to pinch-hitter Corey Dickerson pulled the Cardinals within 6-5 in the eighth but Dylan Carlson grounded out with the bases loaded to end the inning … They went down in order against Josh Hader in the ninth as he struck out Tyler O’Neill and Arenado to end the game.
On the mound: Dakota Hudson hit Kolten Wong and walked the next two batters to get himself in trouble in the first inning before the three runs scored on a sacrifice fly, a double and a throwing error by Andrew Knizner … Hudson needed 68 pitches to record nine outs, leaving the game with no outs and a runner on first in the fourth … The bases-loaded walk from T.J. McFarland later that inning gave the Brewers a 4-3 lead, and they added what turned out to be the decisive runs in the seventh when Drew VerHagen got in trouble with a leadoff walk, a single and an intentional walk that loaded the bases before giving up a double by Tyrone Taylor.
Key stat: Hader has been dominant against the Cardinals, with the current roster now a combined 5-of-58 against him in their careers with 31 outs coming on strikeouts. O’Neill has struck out in all seven of his at-bats against Hader.
Worth noting: Jordan Hicks made his second appearance of the season and worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and walking one while striking out three … After leading all hitters in Florida in almost every offensive category during spring training, Paul Goldschmidt is hitting just .138 after the first eight games of the season … Top prospect Nolan Gorman homered again for Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, his sixth of the season, all coming in his last six games. Juan Yepez hit his fifth of the year.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals will spend Monday’s day off in Miami before opening a three-game series against the Marlins on Tuesday night. Adam Wainwright will get the start.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
