MILWAUKEE (AP) – Jon Lester posted his 200th major league win of his career, Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Monday night. of the National League, to get his ninth consecutive victory.
The Cardinals have won nine times in a row for the first time since 2004 to cement their control at the second wild-card spot in the National League. They entered the game three games ahead of Cincinnati and Philadelphia for the final playoff berth.
The longest winning streak in franchise history is 14 games, imposed in 1935.
Milwaukee’s magic number over the Cardinals to take the division title continued to be three.
Lester (7-6) is the third active pitcher with 200 wins, joining Houston teammates Justin Verlander with 226 and Zack Greinke with 219. He is the 30th southpaw in major league history to reach that mark.
The pitcher retired 10 batters in a row until he gave a single to Jackie Bradley Jr. with two outs on the board in the fifth inning. Lester allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out two and walked without passing in an efficient 77-pitch performance.
For the Cardinals, Puerto Rican Yadier Molina 4-2 with two RBIs. Panamanian Edmundo Sosa 4-1.
For the Brewers, Willy Adames 4-0; Freddy Peralta 2-0. Venezuelans Eduardo Escobar 4-0; Avisaíl García 3-1 with one scored and one produced; Manny Piña 2-0. The Mexican Luis Urías 3-1 with a run scored and an RBI.