Rhys Hoskins slugs 3-run homer in 7th to help Brewers send Cardinals to 7th straight loss

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rhys Hoskins hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat St. Louis 5-3 on Saturday night, sending the Cardinals to their seventh straight loss.

Milwaukee trailed 3-2 when Hoskins hit his team-leading ninth homer, a 407-foot blast to center off reliever Andrew Kittredge (0-2).

The NL-Central leading Brewers have eight straight wins over the Cardinals, dating to last season. It’s Milwaukee’s longest winning streak all-time against St. Louis.

The Cardinals, last in the division and nine games behind Milwaukee, have the longest current losing streak in the majors.

“I watched a lot of those moments last year,” said Hoskins, who missed the entire season with a torn right ACL. “So, just to kind of be right back in those is a ton of fun, but something that I'll never really take for granted.”

Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta, who walked six batters in five innings in his last outing, walked one and struck out eight, giving up three runs in six innings.

Relievers Hoby Milner (1-0), Bryan Hudson and Trevor Megill held St. Louis in check, allowing four hits in three shutout innings. Megill earned his fourth save.

"That was really cool," Megill said of Hoskins’ homer,

With two outs and a runner on first base in the ninth inning, Paul Goldschmidt tried to rally the Cardinals with a single off Megill, breaking a career-worst 0-for-32 skid. Goldschmidt had struck out in his first four at-bats, including twice with two runners on base.

Megill locked down the win by coaxing a fly out by Nolan Arenado, who went 0 for 5.

St. Louis starter Kyle Gibson struck out seven batters and walked four in five innings. The 36-year-old right-hander had thrown six or more innings in each of his first seven starts this season.

“We have to believe in ourselves and figure out if how we're going about our business is the way we want to do it and, if it is, you've got to keep going," Gibson said. "You've got to pick yourself up after nights like tonight. That's obviously a punch in the gut having the lead there.”

The Brewers scored their first two runs when batters got hit by pitches with the bases loaded. Gibson hit Jake Bauers in the third inning, and JoJo Romero hit Gary Sánchez in the sixth.

Bauers went 2 for 3. William Contreras went 1 for 2 with two walks and has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games, tied for longest in the majors with the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.

Lars Nootbaar went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Cardinals, who had 12 hits, to the Brewers' six.

“The at-bats were way better tonight,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We got beat tonight, we didn't beat ourselves.”

The Cardinals entered Saturday having scored 129 runs, second-worst in the majors behind the White Sox (116).

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Activated INF Matt Carpenter from the injured list. Optioned INF José Fermín to Triple-A Memphis.

Brewers: Activated RHP Mitch White. Optioned RHP Kevin Herget to Triple-A Nashville.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (2-5, 6.43 ERA) faces Brewers RHP Bryse Wilson (2-1, 2.40 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins hits a three run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero throws during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Bryan Hudson throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

St. Louis Cardinals' Michael Siani can't catch a three-run home run hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

St. Louis Cardinals' Michael Siani can't catch a three-run home run hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins is douced after a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Brewers won 5-3. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins celegrates his three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Taylor Pendrith shot a 7-under 64 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Matt NeSmith into the weekend in the 3M Open.

Playing in windier afternoon conditions, Pendrith made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 18th. He had a 12-under 130 total at the TPC Twin Cities, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.

The 33-year-old Canadian won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May in Texas for his first PGA Tour title. He tied for fifth last week in the Barracuda Championship in California.

“Today was pretty tricky with the wind, it was blowing pretty hard at times, so my speed was great all day and stayed really patient," Pendrith said. “I didn’t really have many good looks through the first hour I would say of golf and was able to stay patient and make a couple, made a couple longer ones, which was nice.”

NeSmith had a 64 in the morning before wind gusts topping 20 mph hit the course in the afternoon and early evening.

Seeking his first PGA Tour victory, NeSmith lost in a playoff two weeks ago at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, his lone top-10 finish in 20 prior starts this season. He has missed 11 cuts.

“Patience is key out here whether it be to win golf tournaments, to make cuts, to try and keep your card to try and get in the top 30,” NeSmith said. “I think it pertains to each and every person out here. You never know when you’re going to get hot, you never know when good golf’s coming. Just kind of try and be patient, try and keep calmer heads and you never know what will happen.”

First-round leader Jacob Bridgeman had a 70 to drop three strokes back at 9 under with Andrew Putnam (66). Doug Ghim (64), Lanto Griffin (66), Alex Smalley (65) and Jhonattan Vegas (66) were 8 under.

“I felt like anything under par today was pretty good, especially in the afternoon,” said Bridgeman, one of the last players to tee off Friday. “The wind was blowing really hard in the beginning of the round, caught a little bit of a lull at the end, which was nice. But greens were kind of bumpy from all the traffic. … I stayed patient all day, didn’t really have a whole lot of great chances.”

The event is the second-to-last tournament before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin, with some players near the 70-player cutoff failing to advance to the weekend. Nick Dunlap (64th in the standings), Luke List (71st) and defending champion Lee Hodges (73rd) missed the cut.

Jacob Bridgeman walks on the 10th tee during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Stewart Cink watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kurt Kitayama watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Lanto Griffin watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Andrew Putnam watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith walks off the 18th green after his putt during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith lines up his putt on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith putts on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)