ST. LOUIS — With 50 games to go, it is a bit premature to call the Cardinals series with Milwaukee a showdown. But there is a battle for first place going on this weekend in the National League Central Division and the Cardinals inched farther ahead Friday night before a packed house of 45,669 at Busch Stadium.
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery, unscored on in his first two starts since coming in trade from the New York Yankees for gimpy outfielder Harrison Bader, knocked off six scoreless innings, striking out a season-high eight and permitting just four hits. And the Cardinals rode home runs from their twin terrors, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, for a 3-1 victory that increased their lead over the Brewers to 1 1/2 games.
Goldschmidt has 28 homers for the season and Arenado 25 but he’s belted four in the past five games.
The two teams have played 13 times this season, with the Cardinals winning seven, accounting for their scant lead in the division. Albeit with 50 games to go.
Ryan Helsley, called on to record the final six outs, gained his 12th save for the Cardinals, including whiffing Brewers power hitter Rowdy Tellez on a 102-mph fastball with a runner on in the eighth.
In the ninth, Helsley was touched for a leadoff single by former Cardinal Kolten Wong, who received a standing ovation before his first at-bat of the night. But Helsley set down the next three hitters as the Cardinals won for the ninth consecutive time at Busch Stadium.
Montgomery and left-hander Jose Quintana, also acquired at the Aug. 2 trade deadline, have allowed just three runs, all by Quintana, in 23 innings for an earned run average of 1.17.
