Frankie Montas pitched seven sparkling innings and Devin Williams escaped a jam in the ninth, helping the Milwaukee Brewers beat the reeling St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Montas (6-8) allowed one hit - Alec Burleson’s single in the fourth - in his fourth start since he was acquired in a trade with Cincinnati. He struck out three and walked one.

William Contreras had three hits for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who earned their sixth straight win. Sal Frelick added two hits.

Montas' seven innings matched his season high and the one hit allowed matched his season low.

Matt Carpenter homered for St. Louis in its seventh loss in eight games. Erick Fedde (8-7) was charged with two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Carpenter’s fourth homer of the season - a pinch-hit drive with Lars Nootbaar aboard in the eighth - got St. Louis within one.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Williams struck out Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman - both swinging - for his fifth save.

Frelick drove in Willy Adames with a two-out single in the second. Frelick also tripled and scored on Joey Ortiz’s single in the fifth.

Contreras doubled home Garrett Mitchell for a 3-0 lead in the eighth.

The Brewers will start RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 2.81 ERA) on Wednesday night against Cardinals RHP Kyle Gibson (7-5, 4.26 ERA). Myers received a no-decision in the Brewers’ 7-1 win over the Cardinals on May 9 at Milwaukee. Gibson allowed a career-high four homers in his last start, a 9-2 loss at Cincinnati.