Early homers carry Brewers to series victory

PHOENIX – Somebody forgot to tell the Milwaukee Brewers that the ball hasn’t been carrying as far at Chase Field since Arizona began storing baseballs in a humidor this season.

Smashing three home runs in the first two innings and four overall, the Brewers roared to an 8-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon, taking two of three games in the series.

The Brewers are 5-2 in the first seven games on this 10-game trip that began in Colorado and will end in Minnesota.

Travis Shaw, who has been blistering the ball of late, got the home run derby started against right-hander Matt Koch in the first with a two-run shot – a towering blast that clanged high off the foul pole down the right-field line. It was Shaw’s team-high 10th homer of the season and third on this trip.

On the next pitch, Domingo Santana crushed a home run far out to left for a quick 3-0 lead.

Rookie right-hander Brandon Woodruff gave two of the runs back in the bottom of the inning on a home run by Daniel Descalso but did not allow another hit in his five-inning stint. Woodruff did issue four walks but struck out six and bounced back nicely from his previous outing in Colorado, when the Rockies tagged him for nine hits and seven runs in three innings.

Christian Yelich joined the fun in the second inning by lining a two-run homer out to right-center. Tyler Saladino, who legged out an inside-the-park homer two nights earlier, made it four off Koch when he opened the fourth inning with a shot to center.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

BRAUN LIKELY HEADED FOR DL: There was nothing official after the game but it appeared that Ryan Braun is headed for the disabled list. He missed the entire series with mid-back tightness and it did not improve enough to forecast playing anytime soon. You can backdate the 10-day DL three days, and the Brewers are off Thursday, so that might be the day they do it. With the DH in use over the weekend in Minnesota, the club does not want to get caught short of healthy hitters. “We’ll talk about it,” manager Craig Counsell said.

PEREZ’S WRIST IMPROVING: Utility player Hernán Pérez wasn’t available Tuesday because of a sore left wrist but it was feeling better Wednesday morning. He didn’t play in the finale but likely will be available by Friday. “He has yet to hit but we’re going to try to increase some activity with him,” Counsell said. “I think by Friday, judging on what he’s reported, that he should be doing better.”

FRANKLIN, THAMES STAYING IN AZ: Utility player Nick Franklin, who suffered a quadriceps strain a week earlier in his first game since coming up from the minors, stayed behind in Arizona to do his physical therapy at the team’s Maryvale complex. First baseman Eric Thames, in the early stages of rehabbing from thumb surgery, also remained in town to continue his rehab at Maryvale.

SHAW BREAKS LOSE IN BIG WAY: Shaw entered the trip in a 5-for-50 skid but has been tearing the cover off the ball on this trip. He is batting .370 (10 for 27) with three home runs, three doubles and seven RBI.

JEFFRESS AVAILABLE BUT UNUSED: Reliever Jeremy Jeffress was unavailable for duty in the first two games of the series because of a sore neck. He reported to the ballpark Wednesday morning saying it felt much better and told Counsell he could pitch. Instead, Counsell went with Matt Albers, Dan Jennings (two innings) and Jorge Lopez.

RECORD

This year: 26-18 Last year: 25-19

COMING UP

Friday: Brewers at Twins, 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee LHP Brent Suter (2-3, 5.14) vs. Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (1-1, 3.43). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.