MILWAUKEE -- Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas is ¡°unlikely¡± to start Tuesday¡¯s game against the Cardinals because of a left hand injury he sustained in a 12-2 loss to St. Louis on Monday at Miller Park.

A painful start to the Brewers¡¯ series opener against the National League Central-leading Cardinals hurt even more when Moustakas was forced from the game with pain in his left palm and wrist after being struck by a Harrison Bader 107.2 mph ground ball leading off the top of the second. The baseball caromed in the air and eluded Moustakas for an infield hit that sparked a six-run outburst against Gio Gonzalez, including two unearned runs after Moustakas was charged with a throwing error on a Yadier Molina bouncer.

¡°He¡¯s sore,¡± Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ¡°X-rays were negative. It¡¯s a left hand contusion right now. He¡¯s probably unlikely for [Tuesday]. It was a very hard-hit ball and it took a tricky hop with a little sidespin on the ball, and it clipped him pretty good on the left palm.¡±

The Brewers had plenty of infield coverage to respond to Moustakas¡¯ exit, with Cory Spangenberg shifting from shortstop to third base and Hernan Perez entering at shortstop. But Moustakas has been a good source of power for Milwaukee this season, with 31 home runs. That¡¯s seven shy of his career high, and second on the team this season to NL MVP Award candidate Christian Yelich.