Cardinals fall to first-place Brewers in 12 innings

ST. LOUIS -- Khris Davis overcame striking out four times early in the game and came through with a run-scoring triple in the 12th inning to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

Davis drove in Jonathan Lucroy, who doubled off Seth Maness (0-2) to start the inning. Mark Reynolds then drove in Davis with a sacrifice fly. Davis, who finished 1 for 6, struck out in the second, fifth, sixth and 10th innings.

Zach Duke (2-0) picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief, and Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 12th save in as many opportunities by getting Jhonny Peralta to fly out with two on to end the game.

Milwaukee, which leads the majors with 19 wins, has won four of five and eight of 10 overall. The Brewers also improved to 10-1 on the road, despite being without outfielder Ryan Braun (strained intercostal muscle) and shortstop Jean Segura (bruised cheek). Both were listed as day to day.

Allen Craig and Matt Holliday hit solo homers in the sixth inning off Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo to give St. Louis a 3-0 lead.

Holliday, who leads the team with 16 RBIs, also drove in Matt Carpenter with a first-inning single for St. Louis, which has lost four of six.

The Brewers lost 14 of 19 to St. Louis last season and dropped three of the first four before Monday's victory.

St. Louis starter Michael Wacha gave up three runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out nine.

Gallardo, who is 1-11 lifetime against St. Louis, gave up three runs and seven hits over six innings.

Milwaukee tied the game with three runs in the seventh. After Lyle Overbay and Scooter Gennett had RBI singles, Aramis Ramirez was hit by a pitch from reliever Pat Neshek with the bases loaded and two outs. Ramirez left the game in the bottom of the inning with an elbow contusion. He, like Braun and Segura, is listed as day-to-day.

Noteworthy

* Lance Lynn (4-1, 3.80) will face Kyle Lohse (4-1, 2.38) in the middle game of the three-game set today.

... St. Louis lost a replay challenge in the sixth inning. Gallardo was ruled safe on an infield single. The ruling on the field was confirmed in 1 minute, 52 seconds.