Brent Suter, Devin Williams and Josh Hader combined for a seven-inning shutout as the visiting Milwaukee Brewers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Friday in the first half of their doubleheader.

The Brewers (28-29) entered the contest one game back of the National League's last wild-card playoff slot. The victory kept their postseason hopes alive for at least one more day.

The Cardinals (28-27) failed to edge closer to the bracket. They are 0-8 in their attempts to move three games over .500 this season.

They also lost key reliever John Gant after he aggravated his previous groin muscle strain.

Suter cruised through the first four innings, allowing just Kolten Wong's single in the first inning, Dylan Carlson's third-inning walk and Paul DeJong's single in the fourth.

Williams (4-1) earned the victory for the Brewers by working the fifth and sixth innings and coaxing a double-play grounder in each. Hader closed out the game for his 12th save.

Losing pitcher Jack Flaherty (4-3) allowed three runs on four hits in five innings.

Flaherty entered the game 2-5 with a 5.71 ERA in 11 career starts against the Brewers. His struggles against them continued as they broke out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning.

Daniel Vogelbach drew a leadoff walk and Keston Hiura lined a single up the middle. Jedd Gyorko advanced the runners with a tapper up the third base line, before Eric Sogard lined a RBI single and Orlando Arcia hit a run-scoring chopper.

Christian Yelich expanded the lead to 3-0 with a solo homer to center field in the third inning.

Flaherty walked Garcia and Yelich to start the fifth inning, but he induced a double-play grounder from Ryan Braun to defuse the threat.

Gant departed the game after allowing Hiura's leadoff single in the sixth inning.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a leadoff double in the seventh, but Hader retired the next three batters to seal the victory.

--Field Level Media