Jake Westbrook finally reached 100 career wins after the offense spotted him a 6-0 lead in the third, and the bullpen held on for a 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night at Miller Park. Westbrook was given a beer shower by teammates in the clubhouse after reaching the milestone.
“A hundred wins for me is a sign of longevity, kind of grinding it out, year after year,” Westbrook said. “It’s definitely not 300, but it was a goal of mine. It’s an accomplishment I’ll always have with me.”
Westbrook gave up one earned run in his six innings of work. He ERA started at .98 and climbed to 1.10.
The Cardinals got to Brewers starter Wily Peralta in the third when Allen Craig singled in two with the bases loaded. Yadier Molina and David Freese singled in runs to make it 4-0 and Pete Kozma delivered a two run single. Freese got the start after sitting out the last two games. He got out of an 0 for 16 slump by going 2 for 3 and raising his average to .192. It was like the Cards were ripping the cover off the ball. They had three broken-bat singles and two bloop hits in the inning.
Up 6-1 heading into the seventh, Mike Matheny turned the game over to the bullpen and Joe Kelly and Mitchell Boggs struggled. Kelly last just 2/3 of an inning and Boggs walked two hitters to force in a run before Trevor Rosenthal was called onto finish the seventh, with the Cardinals up 6-3.
Ryan Braun singled in another run in the eighth to make it 6-4 and the Brewers rallied in the ninth off Edward Mujica, pulling to within a run before he struck out Jonathan Lucroy with the tying run at first, for his seventh save.