Wiemer, Anderson homer in Brewers’ 3-2 victory over Cardinals

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nolan Arenado homered for the fifth straight game for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 3-2 loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday night, with Joey Wiemer and Brian Anderson homering for the Brewers.

Milwaukee starter Wade Miley came out with a left lat strain in the second inning after throwing 22 pitches. Miley pitched in just nine games last season when he was with the Chicago Cubs and endured shoulder and elbow injuries.

St. Louis starter Jordan Montgomery (2-6) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. He is 0-6 in seven starts since winning at Milwaukee on April 8.

Joel Payamps (2-0), the fourth of six pitchers, got the victory with 1 2/3 innings of work. Devin Williams pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for his sixth save.

Arenado led off the second with the homer, hitting Miley’s fastball into the left-field seats to it. Arenado had not homered in five straight games since a career-best six-game streak from Sept. 1-5, 2015.

Arenado has 999 RBIs in 1,424 games and could join Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews and Chipper Jones as the only players since 1920 who were primarily third basemen to hit 300 homers with 1,000 RBIs before 1,500 games.

The Brewers went up 3-2 when Anderson led off the sixth with a homer.

Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI ground-run double by Willy Adames to score Owen Miller.

An RBI single by Brendan Donovan in the fourth gave St. Louis a 2-1.

The Brewers got the run back in the fifth on a one-out solo homer by Wiemer. Milwaukee then loaded the bases on two singles, one on an overturned call at first base, and walk but Montgomery escaped the jam.

BACK AT DH

Willson Contreras was back as the designed hitter for the Cardinals and Andrew Knizner started as the catcher. Contreras returned behind the plate Monday for his first appearance as the catcher since May 5. Contreras, who was signed by the Cardinals as a free agent to an $87.5 million, five-year contract, was used as a designated hitter for 10 days prior to Monday because of defensive concerns.

ROSTER MOVES

Brewers recalled RHP JB Bukauskas from Triple-A Nashville. Bukauskas was claimed off waivers from Seattle on April 18. ... RHP Gus Varland was designated for assignment. Vareland, 26, allowed nine runs over two-thirds of an inning in Monday’s 18-1 loss to the Cardinals. Varland’s ERA ballooned from 2.25 to 11.42.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Dylan Carlson (left ankle sprain) remained out of the lineup. He has not played since leaving Sunday’s game in Boston in the second inning. He singled to right field and appeared to roll his ankle while running out of the batter’s box. … LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain) is scheduled to throw a second bullpen session Thursday. … LF Tyler O’Neill (lower back strain) may be begin a rehab assignment as soon as Thursday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Corbin Burnes (4-2, 3,35) has allowed just seven earned runs over his last six starts. He is 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA in nine career games, including six starts, at Busch Stadium

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (0-0, 7.20) started the season on the injured list and has made just two starts this season, both of which have come this month. Both times out, he’s allowed four runs across five innings, totaling seven strikeouts and 15 hits. He has not earned a win against the Brewers in the month of May since May 26, 2009, when he threw seven innings allowing one run with nine strikeouts at Milwaukee. He does have 21 career wins against the Brewers.

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