Peralta homers as Cardinals beat Brewers 8-1

MILWAUKEE (AP) Playing with a lineup depleted by injuries, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny enjoyed the Cardinals' powerful finish.

Jhonny Peralta, Tommy Pham and Aledmys Diaz homered, helping Carlos Martinez and the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-1 on Saturday.

Peralta hit a leadoff drive in the second off Chase Anderson (4-10). Pham connected for a solo shot and Diaz belted a three-run homer during the Cardinals' five-run ninth.

''It was nice to get a little extra help there at the end,'' Matheny said. ''We were just trying to see if we could outlast them.''

Martinez (8-6) struck out a season-high 11 in five innings in his first win since June 11. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits with four walks.

''Carlos had electric stuff,'' Matheny said. ''He was just throwing bullets up there but he was working deep counts on almost every batter. But then he decided to get a little more efficient and you were seeing first-pitch outs.''

Martinez, speaking through a translator, said he was disappointed he wasn't able to go deeper into the game.

''But I tried to stay focused, especially with my slider,'' Martinez said.

Anderson struggled with his command and lasted just four innings. He walked five and allowed two runs and four hits.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit an RBI single in the third for Milwaukee's only run. The Brewers stole three bases in the inning, including a pair by Jonathan Villar, but left the bases loaded.

Tyler Lyons relieved Martinez and pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings. Matt Bowman got two outs and Seth Maness finished the four-hitter.

Stephen Piscotty had two hits and scored two runs for St. Louis, and Jedd Gyorko singled in Yadier Molina in the eighth.

BEE DELAY

The start of the game was delayed nearly 10 minutes while Milwaukee's grounds crew attempted to control a swarm of bees that gathered in the corner of the right-field fence.

Piscotty was the right fielder for the Cardinals, and Matheny said he asked him if he was allergic.

''Then you've got a major issue,'' Matheny said. ''That's deathly. I wouldn't have started the game until they figured it out. But he was all right with it, so the show goes on.''

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW

An apparent inning-ending double play turned by the Brewers in the third was overturned after a review, which showed second baseman Scooter Gennett did not get his foot on the bag at second.

When play resumed, Molina drew a walk before Anderson struck out Gyorko. Anderson had to throw 11 additional pitches as a result of the ruling.

FLASHING LEATHER

With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Cardinals second baseman Greg Garcia made a diving stop of a hard ground ball by Milwaukee's Ramon Flores. Garcia got to his feet and fired a throw to first that Gyorko dove to catch while keeping his foot on the base, ending the inning.

''It was a better play by Jed. That was such a bad throw,'' Garcia said. ''For him to stay on the bag like that, for a guy that doesn't play a lot of first base, that was an incredible play by him.''

ONE TO REMEMBER

Alberto Rosario drove in the Cardinals' final run with a single in his first career at-bat. The 29-year-old catcher has played 11 years in the minors.

''It's taken me a little bit longer than others but I've worked so hard for this moment,'' Rosario said through a translator. ''I've been through some hard moments and it has been a long time coming.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Matt Holliday, who sprained his left ankle rounding first base on Friday, was a late scratch. Holliday was initially slated to play left field and bat third. He was replaced by Pham. ... Peralta, who pinch-hit on Friday but had been out of the starting lineup for three games with a left thumb injury, started at third base. ... Reliever Trevor Rosenthal, who left Friday's game with what was described as left hamstring cramps, got an MRI. ''It's going to be day to day with no DL, it looks like,'' Matheny said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Mike Leake (5-7, 4.33 ERA) gets the ball in the series finale on Sunday. He is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts against the Brewers this season.

Brewers: Junior Guerra (6-1, 2.93 ERA) has won his last three starts, posting a 0.81 ERA. He has pitched 15 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. In his only start against the Cardinals this season, Guerra gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.