​Less than a week after a standout performance that saw seven hits contribute to seven runs in the seventh inning of a comeback win in Atlanta, the Cardinals have found that particular frame to be a recurring nightmare against a surging Brewers club that has dominated them through three consecutive games. After briefly climbing within a single run of the lead, Milwaukee exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning of Game 2 to power a 10-2 victory for the Brewers over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The Brewers continued their late-inning surge, striking for four seventh-inning runs on Monday to erase a 3-0 deficit and adding a single tally in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s first game to pull away for a 4-3 win over St. Louis. Milwaukee’s doubleheader sweep on Tuesday clinched the series for the Brewers and extended their dominance over the Cardinals to six wins in seven meetings this season. The decisive seventh inning on Monday came against struggling reliever Ryan Fernandez, who was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. Bruce Zimmermann, who allowed three earned runs over five innings in Game 1, was designated for assignment between the split doubleheader games. Jared Shuster, who surrendered seven runs in the seventh inning of the night game, has already been designated for assignment twice this season by the Cardinals, and a third DFA could be looming.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol stressed that preserving the health of fatigued relievers and protecting starting pitchers Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante mattered more than trying to win two more games in the Brewers series. “There are a lot of moving parts to where our pitching is at the moment, with Soriano and JoJo getting extra days before they throw, and with us pushing McGreevy and Pallante back to give them an additional day of rest and recovery,” Marmol explained to reporters after the rough loss. “The main priority is keeping them healthy. Health is a big part of the game within the game, and we can’t afford to lose guys. We have to honor how they’re feeling, and that’s a major factor. In that game, you want to mix and match, you get a two-run homer and you’re within one, but you can’t and you just have to ride it out. We didn’t have many guys available, and that’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality today if we’re going to keep these players in a good spot health-wise. It’s not ideal, but it’s what was needed today.”
With McGreevy’s start pushed back a day last weekend, the Cardinals found themselves scrambling for pitching on Tuesday’s doubleheader. Reliever Matt Svanson operated in an opener role in Game 1 before handing the ball to Zimmermann after one inning. In the nightcap, Hunter Dobbins was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to start and delivered five innings of four-hit ball with three earned runs allowed. Yet the night’s performance quickly spiraled when Shuster faltered in his second inning, leaving St. Louis to absorb a lopsided defeat.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will seek to rebound by addressing the root of the late-inning collapse that has haunted them against Milwaukee. Milwaukee’s relentless seventh-inning onslaught highlighted a pattern that has undermined St. Louis’ chances in this series, underscoring the need for more reliable bullpen depth and sharper long relief options. Marmol’s emphasis on health and prudent rotation management signals a strategic shift toward preserving fatigue-prone arms while trying to stabilize a pitching staff under strain. If the Cardinals can stabilize their bullpen and find more consistent production from their starting units, they may reverse the tide in future matchups.
As the Brewers continue their hot streak against St. Louis, the Cardinals must adapt quickly, recalibrate their pitching usage, and find a way to clamp down in the late innings. The looming question remains whether St. Louis can muster what it takes to counter Milwaukee’s late-inning surge and turn the page on a series that has underscored a challenging stretch for the Cardinals’ pitching staff.