MILWAUKEE (AP) — Zach Davies had a career-high nine strikeouts over eight shutout innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers averted a three-game sweep with a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. Davies (3-3) allowed three hits and retired 13 in a row to finish the longest outing of his young career before yielding to Jeremy Jeffress. The closer gave up a pinch-hit solo homer to Brandon Moss before retiring the final three batters for his 13th save.

Davies, a 23-year-old right-hander, didn’t allow a runner to reach second and frustrated the Cardinals with his change-up and cut fastball. He struck out the side in the eighth to draw a standing ovation from an appreciative hometown crowd.

The Brewers scratched out two runs in the first off Jaime Garcia (4-5) and added insurance with Martin Maldonado’s solo homer in the sixth.