Shaw’s home run in the 8th gives Brewers win over Phils
MILWAUKEE » Travis Shaw hit his 20th home run of the season leading off the bottom of the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2, Saturday night.
Shaw hit the centerfield scoreboard when he crushed a 1-1 pitch right down the middle from Joaquin Benoit (1-4). The victory put the Brewers (52-41) a season-high 11 games over .500.
Jacob Barnes (2-1) picked up the win when got out of a jam in the top of the eighth thanks to a slick double play after walking two batters.
Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 20 chances.
He struck out Tommy Joseph for his 45th consecutive appearance with a strikeout to start the season, a major league record. Odubel Herrera squeezed a double down the third-base line with two outs, but Cameron Rupp went down swinging to end the game.
Herrera pulled the Phillies even with a solo shot off Jimmy Nelson in the seventh. Nelson went 6 2/3 innings, struck out nine, walked two and missed a chance to match his career-best four consecutive wins.
Hernan Perez made it 2-1 for Milwaukee when he lined a 1-0 pitch from Aaron Nola leading off the Brewers’ sixth.
Nola pitched four scoreless innings, but lost a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Thames smashed a two-out RBI double.
Nola had his streak of four straight starts of seven innings or more end when Pat Neshek took over to start the seventh. Nola struck out seven and walked two.
Nelson cruised through the first four innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven, but cost himself a run in the fifth. Cameron Rupp walked and advanced on a single by Nick Williams. Both moved up on Nelson’s errant pitch. Rupp scored on a sacrifice fly by Ty Kelly.
TRAINER’S ROOM
PHILLIES » OF Aaron Altherr didn’t play. He doubled in Friday night’s game, but then left the field with a mild right hamstring strain. “They haven’t had an MRI or anything, but he said he felt better,” manager Pete Mackanin said before the game. “Maybe he can pinch-hit, but I won’t know until game time.”
UP NEXT
PHILLIES » RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.49 ERA) hasn’t won in six starts since beating San Francisco 9-7 on June 4. He looks to snap that streak when he makes his team-leading 19th start of the season and fifth career against Milwaukee. He is 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA facing the Brewers. BREWERS » RHP Matt Garza (4-4, 3.98) looks to build off his last start, when he allowed five hits over 6.1 scoreless innings in a 4-0 win July 5 against Baltimore. He makes his 14th start of the season and ninth career against the Phillies. He is 2-2 (2.32 ERA) facing Philadelphia.