Miles Mikolas allowed one run over seven innings to pace the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night, but the Brewers still clinched the National League Central title.
Milwaukee (88-69) wrapped up the division when the Chicago Cubs lost 7-6 at Atlanta on Tuesday night. The Brewers entered the game with a six-game lead over the Cubs with six games remaining.
Mikolas (8-13) gave up five hits, struck out five and walked two in a 101-pitch outing. Drew VerHagen followed with a perfect eighth and Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save in 18 opportunities for the Cards (69-88).
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (7-5) allowed four runs on three hits in five innings, striking out five and walking two.
Houser retired the first nine hitters before St. Louis broke through in the fourth. Tommy Edman singled to open the inning and Lars Nootbaar drew a one-out walk. With two outs, Richie Palacios lined a 3-2 pitch down the first-base line for a two-run double to put the Cardinals up 2-1.
St. Louis made it 4-1 in the fifth. Andrew Knizner walked to open, moved to third when Jose Fermin reached on an error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Masyn Winn. Edman added a two-out solo homer, his 13th blast of the season.
Mikolas worked out of a jam in the third. Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead but squandered an opportunity for a big inning.
Christian Yelich walked to open, William Contreras singled and Carlos Santana followed with an RBI double. But Mikolas retired three straight, including a hit-saving diving stab at third by Fermin on a hard bouncer for the final out.
