ST. LOUIS — Manager Mike Shildt was philosophical after the Cardinals‘ team-record 17-game winning streak came to an end.
“That was a cool run,” he said. “Let’s start another one.”
Daniel Vogelbach hit a two-run homer that backed starting pitcher Adrian Houser and led the Milwaukee Brewers over St. Louis 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Wednesday night marked just the third time since 1900 that a winning streak of 17 or more games ended with a shutout loss, according to ESPN Stats & Information research; the Athletics‘ 20-game win streak in 2002 and the Yankees‘ 19-game streak in 1947 were the others.
St. Louis was given a standing ovation after the defeat by the crowd of 35,283. The streak, the longest in the major leagues since Cleveland won 22 straight in 2017, lifted the Cardinals into next week’s NL wild-card game against the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants.
The Cardinals were 71-69 after losing to Cincinnati 6-4 on Sept. 10, their previous defeat. St. Louis is 21-7 in September, tying the 1930 and 1942 Cardinals for most wins in the month.
“This shows that we’re capable of anything,” St. Louis pitcher Andrew Miller said. “Confidence is everything in this game. The guys in this clubhouse figure that no matter who we play, we can go and beat anybody, beat any pitcher.”
Shildt said the key to the run was that “everybody was laying it out there every single opportunity they got. That’s my favorite part of it.”
Vogelbach enjoyed putting an end to the streak, which was the longest September run since the Chicago Cubs won 21 in a row from Sept. 4 to Sept. 27, 1935.
“Going out there and being able to put a stop to their winning streak makes you feel pretty good,” Vogelbach said.
Manny Pina added a solo homer for the NL Central champion Brewers, who have won four of five.
A night after clinching a postseason berth, the Cardinals did not start regulars Nolan Arenado, Tyler O’Neill and Tommy Edman.
Houser (10-6) allowed three hits in five innings. He has given up one earned run or none in four of his last five starts. Brent Suter, Brad Boxberger and Aaron Ashby finished a three-hitter.
Vogelbach homered in the sixth off Miles Mikolas (2-3), who allowed three runs and seven hits in 5⅔ innings. Mikolas was sidelined most of the season with right forearm tightness.
Said Mikolas: “I feel like there was a lot for me to like about this game except for that one pitch in the last inning.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.