Frankie Montas pitched seven impressive innings and Devin Williams got out of a tough situation in the ninth, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 win over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Montas (6-8) gave up just one hit—a single by Alec Burleson in the fourth inning—in his fourth start since being traded from Cincinnati. He struck out three batters and walked one.
“They like to swing early,” Montas said. “So, I was kind of just trying to use that to my advantage, you know, trying to make good pitches. And I know if I hit my spots and make good pitches, I was going to get quick outs.”
William Contreras had three hits for the Brewers, who are leading the NL Central and won their sixth game in a row. Sal Frelick contributed two hits.
Contreras, who was catching for Milwaukee, said Montas was aggressive on the mound.
“He was attacking the zone,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “I think a little bit late there, maybe he got a little bit tired, and maybe got away from that a little bit, but we had a conversation in the dugout just to keep on doing what he’d been doing all game, stay aggressive, keep attacking the zone, and yeah, it was all working for him.”
Montas’ seven innings matched his season high, and allowing just one hit was his season low.
“He’s turned it up a notch, you know, and it’s kind of cool,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He gets it. It’s nice having his experience.”
Matt Carpenter hit a homer for St. Louis in its seventh loss in the last eight games. Erick Fedde (8-7) gave up two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Carpenter’s fourth homer of the season—a pinch-hit shot with Lars Nootbaar on base in the eighth inning—brought St. Louis within one run.
The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Williams struck out Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman—both swinging—to earn his fifth save.
“Like, he ain’t afraid of nothing,” Montas said of Williams. “You know, bases loaded, he goes, I got this. He’s Devin Williams for a reason.”
