Brewers vs. Cardinals Live Blog: Instant Updates and Analysis

A Carlos Gomez RBI single in the top of the first inning was the difference, as the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals dropped the first of a three-game set at Busch stadium, 1-0, to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

It was St. Louis' fourth shutout loss of the season.

Mike Fiers—who entered the game with a 4.53 ERA—was outstanding for the Brewers, improving to 2-5 on the season. He struck out six and walked two, while allowing four hits in six scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 4.06.

His counterpart was arguably even better.

Making his third start of the season, Jaime Garcia took the loss on a night his offense couldn't capitalize off numerous opportunities at the plate.

Garcia settled down after Gomez's base hit in the first, tossing seven innings of one-run ball, while striking out four Brewers and allowing just three hits. He had pinpoint control, not walking a single batter and pounding the ball down in the zone, inducing ground ball out after ground ball out. He departed with his pitch count at 86, as Cardinals manager Mike Matheny called on Randal Grichuk as a pinch hitter.

St. Louis got men on base in each of the final four innings, but failed to push across a run.

With two away in the bottom of the sixth, Fiers walked Johnny Peralta and Yadier Molina, but Jason Heyward popped up to catcher Jonathan Lucroy—who returned to the lineup after missing more than a month with a fractured left toe—in foul territory to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Mark Reynolds—who led off with a single—was erased on an inning-ending double play off the bat of Grichuk.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell handed the ball to Jeremy Jeffress with a runner on first and one out in the bottom of the eighth and the setup man came up huge. 

Matt Holliday singled to shallow right field, placing the tying and winning runs on base with one out. Jeffress then battled through tough at-bats by Johnny Peralta and Yadier Molina, striking out both to end the frame.

Francisco Rodriguez was called upon for the save in the ninth and, as always, he made things interesting.

The Cardinals had runners on first and second base with two away in the frame when Rodriguez stepped off the rubber and threw to second base for a pickoff attempt. 

Though it looked like the throw beat Heyward to the bag, it was hard to tell if Segura ever landed the tag, so the call on the field was confirmed after a video review.

Rodriguez, nonetheless, wound up retiring Kolten Wong on a ground ball to first base to end the game.

Due to their offensive struggles on Monday, the 33-18 Cardinals' lead over the second-place Chicago Cubs is now five games. At 18-34, the Brewers have a lot of ground to make up before anyone mentions them in the NL Central race.

Milwaukee has yet to announce Tuesday night's starter, but whoever it is will have a good chance to win if the Cardinals hit anything like they did with runners in scoring position tonight.

Lance Lynn (3-4, 3.41 ERA) will try to follow up an outstanding effort from Garcia when the two teams meet up for the second game of the series at 8:15 pm ET on Tuesday at Busch Stadium.