ST. LOUIS — Eric Thames scored on reliever Bud Norris’ throwing error in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers improved their playoff positioning by topping the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Monday night.
Ryan Braun homered and Christian Yelich drove in two runs as Milwaukee won for the fourth time in five games. The Brewers (90-67) opened a three-game lead over St. Louis for the top spot in the wildcard standings and pulled within 11⁄2 games of the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs, who lost 5-1 to Pittsburgh.
Corbin Burnes (7-0), the seventh of nine Milwaukee pitchers, got two outs for the win, and Corey Knebel worked the ninth for his 16th save. With a runner on, Jose Martinez fouled off four two-strike pitches before taking a called third strike for the final out.
Chase Anderson was slated to start before Milwaukee Manager Craig Counsell announced Sunday that the team had decided to go with a bullpen game instead. Dan Jennings made his first career start and retired Matt Carpenter on a grounder to second before the left-hander was replaced by Freddy Peralta, beginning a parade of relievers for the Brewers.
Martinez and Marcell Ozuna homered off Josh Hader in the rain, but St. Louis (87-70) was unable to close out a one-run lead. The Cardinals’ advantage in the race for the second NL wild card was trimmed to a half-game over Colorado, which cruised to a 10-1 win over Philadelphia.
Thames tripled past a sliding Martinez in right field with one out in the eighth. After Mike Moustakas was intentionally walked, Norris (3-6) tried a pickoff throw that got away from first baseman Matt Carpenter.
Thames scored easily and Yelich added an RBI double in the ninth as Milwaukee improved to 9-8 against St. Louis this season. Yelich, one of the top candidates for NL MVP, also walked and scored on Braun’s bases-loaded walk as the Brewers scored two runs in the sixth without a hit, opening a 3-1 lead.
St. Louis staged a dramatic rally as the showers intensified on a soggy night at Busch Stadium.
Martinez led off the sixth with a drive to center for his 17th homer, sending a charge through the crowd of 36,508. After Paul DeJong walked, Ozuna put the Cardinals in front with a screaming liner just over the wall in center.
Ozuna threw his right arm in the air as he rounded first after the 23rd homer of his first year with the Cardinals. He then popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.
Hader had given up just six homers in 51 appearances this year, and none since Anthony Rizzo connected for the Cubs on Sept. 3.
But Milwaukee quickly answered. The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against Jordan Hicks, and Keon Broxton scampered home with the tying run on Yelich’s fielder’s choice back up the middle.
ROCKIES 10, PHILLIES 1 Jon Gray pitched seven innings and drew a bases-loaded walk as part of a five-run third to help host Colorado rout Philadelphia. Colorado won its fourth consecutive game since being swept in Los Angeles by the NL West-leading Dodgers. Gray (12-8) was moved up a day when scheduled starter Tyler Anderson was scratched due to shoulder tightness. David Dahl lined a two-run home run in the fourth, Tony Wolters drew four walks and Charlie Blackmon had a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 16 games. Trevor Story had two hard-hit doubles to center.
PIRATES 5, CUBS 1 Jameson Taillon outpitched Cole Hamels, Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run home run and visiting Pittsburgh made
Chicago wait at least another day to clinch a playoff spot. The Cubs needed a win plus a loss by Colorado to Philadelphia to assure a franchise-record fourth consecutive trip to the play-offs, a run that includes a drought-busting World Series championship in 2016. Taillon (14-9) gave up 1 run and 5 hits in 7 innings, improving to 5-0 in his past seven starts.
NATIONALS 7, MARLINS 3 Anthony Rendon hit a home run and drove in four runs, Bryce Harper reached 100 RBI in a season for the first time and host Washington beat Miami. Juan Soto and Matt Wieters also homered for Washington, which broke it open with four runs on three pitches in the fourth inning.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 4, RAYS 1 Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in visiting New York’s victory over Tampa Bay. Hicks, who had fouled a pitch off his left ankle just before the double, left Monday’s game with left hamstring tightness. New York’s victory eliminated the Rays and ensured a postseason berth for Oakland, which is likely to be the wild-card opponent but also is still alive in the AL West race. At 96-60, New York is assured of its best record since going 97-65 in 2011.
RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 2 Host Boston broke a 106-year-old franchise record with its 106th victory, clinching home-field advantage through the postseason thanks to a pair of hits from major league batting leader Mookie Betts. Nathan Eovaldi struck out 10 Baltimore batters to assure the Red Sox of the best record in baseball this season and home-field advantage through the World Series. The 1912 Red Sox won 105 games in their first season at Fenway Park. The Orioles (45-111) became the sixth AL team and the first since the 2003 Tigers to lose 111 games, falling 601⁄2 games behind Boston (106-51) in the division.
ASTROS 5, BLUE JAYS 3 Brian McCann and Josh Reddick hit back-to-back home runs, and visiting Houston beat Toronto to move one step closer to its second consecutive AL West title. Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) (12-11) allowed three runs in five innings for his first victory since Sept. 3. Five relievers followed before former Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna came on to a chorus of boos in the ninth, his first appearance in Toronto since being arrested for assault in May. Osuna, who earned his 19th save in 20 opportunities, was traded to the Astros on July 30.
INDIANS 4, WHITE SOX 0 Corey Kluber struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings and won his 20th game. Brandon Guyer hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh as visiting Cleveland beat Chicago. Kluber (20-7) reached 20 victories for the first time after recording 19 wins last season and 18 victories the two previous seasons and in 2004. The reigning AL Cy Young winner is the first 20-game winner for the Central Division champions since Cliff Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks) went 22-3 in 2008.
Monday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 7, Miami 3 Pittsburgh 5, Chicago Cubs 1 Colorado 10, Philadelphia 1 Milwaukee, 6, St. Louis 4
LA Dodgers at Arizona, (n)
San Diego at San Francisco, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Houston 5, Toronto 3
Boston 6, Baltimore 2
NY Yankees 4, Tampa Bay 1 Cleveland 4, Chicago White Sox 0 Texas at LA Angels, (n)
Oakland at Seattle, (n)