Bats come alive early
Five-run first leads to easy victory
It had been 14 years since the Boston Red Sox last visited Miller Park.
They quickly wondered why they rushed back. Building off a five-run first inning, the Milwaukee Brewers pounded the visitors from the American League East, making off with an 11-7 interleague victory that made the home team work until the final out. Keon Broxton led the charge, beginning with a two-run homer that capped the big first inning. Before the night was done, Broxton added a single, triple and hit by pitch to finish with four runs batted in and three runs scored.
The Brewers have been first-inning beasts all season and that
didn’t change against the Red Sox. After Jonathan Villar drew a leadoff walk from Drew Pomeranz, Eric Thames crushed a 1-0 fastball out to right-center for his 13th homer of the season and a 2-1 lead (Mookie Betts opened the game with a homer).
Some wondered how the left-handed-hitting Thames would fare against left-handed pitchers but they have stopped wondering. It was his fifth homer off a lefty in only 26 at-bats.
Ryan Braun, back in the lineup after missing a week with an arm issue, came close to following Thames with another homer, blasting a double off the wall in left-center. Travis Shaw then struck a blow against his former club, dumping an RBI single to shallow left.
Pomeranz retired the next two hitters, but Broxton made it a fiverun inning with an opposite-field, two-run homer to right. Broxton was batting .119 through 14 games and people were asking about his job. Since then, he is batting .383. BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
■Braun was back in left field after missing six starts with an arm issue eventually diagnosed as a forearm flexor strain. Manager Craig Counsell commended those who filled in for Braun, in particular Hernán Perez, but said, “It’s good to have Ryan back in there.”
Right-hander Junior Guerra, on the disabled list since straining his right calf on opening day, did well in agility drills Monday and will have another session Wednesday. If all goes well, Counsell said Guerra would be ready to go on minorleague rehab assignment. STAT SHEET
The Brewers love hitting in the first inning. Five more runs bumped their total to 33 in 33 games. They are batting .326 in that inning with 15 doubles, nine homers and 18 walks.
■The 11 runs tied the Brewers’ season high, first done against Cincinnati on April 24 in an 11-7 victory. TAKEAWAY
The offense stole the show in the series opener against Boston, overcoming a shaky outing by the pitching staff. It was not acceptable that Peralta couldn’t even qualify for a victory after being given a 6-1 lead. It was not a good night for the Brewers’ up-and-down bullpen, either. RECORD
This year: 17-16 (8-10 home; 9-6 away)
Last year: 14-19 ATTENDANCE Tuesday: 22,524 2017 total: 507,189 (28,177 avg.)
Last year: 481,194 (26,733 avg.) NEXT GAME
Wednesday: Brewers vs. Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Chase Anderson (2-0, 2.86) vs. Boston RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-1, 13.50). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.