Brewers 3, Cardinals 2
In unusual fashion, John Axford earned his 48th straight save dating to last season as the visiting Brewers avoided a sweep.
Protecting a 3-2 lead, Axford walked Matt Holliday leading off the ninth and gave up a single to Carlos Beltran before striking out David Freese. Facing Yadier Molina with runners on first and third, Axford struck out Molina and pinch-runner Tyler Greene was thrown out at the plate as St. Louis botched a double steal.
Zack Greinke (3-1) quieted the normally explosive Cardinals with six strong innings, holding them to one run on seven hits before giving way to the bullpen.
Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy ripped a two-run double off the top of the left-field fence to snap a 1-1 tie in the sixth.
St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia (2-1) allowed three runs over seven innings but made a key baserunning error in the fifth that prevented the Cards from extending their 1-0 lead. When Matt Holliday lofted a fly ball to center, Garcia failed to tag at third and was unable to score. St. Louis left the bases loaded as Greinke got David Freese to fly out.
The Cards got one run off Francisco Rodriguez in the eighth, but could not break through against Axford, who notched his fifth save this season.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cardinals CF Jon Jay extended his hitting streak to nine with a fifth-inning single … St. Louis is off Monday and will host Pittsburgh in a three-game series starting Tuesday. The Brewers fly west to face San Diego and San Francisco this week.