Momentum slams back in Brewers favor
PHILADELPHIA – With one swing of the bat in the sixth inning, the game turned in the Milwaukee Brewers' favor and never turned back.
Pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi turned a one-run deficit into a three-run lead with his first major-league grand slam Saturday afternoon and the Brewers rolled to a 12-3 victory over Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.
It was the second big offensive showing for the Brewers, who have scored 12 runs in each of the first two games against the Phillies.
The Brewers were trailing, 3-2, in the sixth when Ryan Braun reached base on catcher’s interference. After Jonathan Villar drew a walk, Phillies starter Jake Arrieta hit Erik Kratz with his next pitch.
Phillies manager Gabe Kapler summoned reliever Luis Garcia, who struck out Orlando Arcía on three pitches. He quickly got ahead of Choi, 0-2, but Choi worked the count to 3-2 before taking a 99-mph fastball off the outside edge the other way and out to left for his first grand slam in the majors.
The Brewers blew the game open with four more runs in the seventh.
The Brewers saw Arrieta many times over the years when he pitched for the Cubs. But Jesús Aguilar had not faced him prior to stepping to the plate in the first inning after Christian Yelich’s oneout single.
Aguilar went the other way with a 1-1 fastball and hit it out to right field for his 11th homer of the season, giving the Brewers a quick 2-0 lead.
It took only one swing of the bat for the Phillies to turn that two-run deficit into a lead in the third inning. Jorge Alfaro led off with a single off Brent Suter but was forced at second on a bunt by Arrieta.
César Hernández was credited with a hit when his pop fly to shallow center caromed out of the glove of Arcía. The next batter, Rhys Hoskins, knocked a 1-1 fastball out to left for a home run and 3-2 lead for the Phillies.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
COMPLETING ROTATION CYCLE: Kratz made his first start with Suter on the mound, giving him one time behind the plate with each member of the rotation. “He’s on the team; you’ve got to be able to catch everybody and have knowledge of everybody,” manager Craig Counsell said before the game.
FIVE AND DONE: The next time Suter pitches, don’t be surprised if he pitches exactly five innings. He did so for the ninth time in 12 starts.
HADER’S WORKLOAD EASES: Reliever Josh Hader came on to pitch the sixth inning after the Brewers took a 6-3 lead. He hadn’t pitched since the previous Saturday because the team didn’t have any leads in the back half of the game. When the Brewers broke open the game with four more runs in the seventh, Counsell was able to get Hader out with just an inning of work.
A WINNING PITCHER: When the Brewers rolled to a 12-4 victory over the Phillies in the series opener, it improved their record to 11-3 in starts by Jhoulys Chacín. He hasn’t always benefitted personally while forging a 5-1 record but Counsell said Chacín almost always has put the team in position to win. “He can’t carry the whole load of that number
but the days he starts, he’s the biggest part of that,” Counsell said. “What I’ve learned is he knows what he’s doing. He understands his strengths and weaknesses; is a very self-aware guy.”
THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT: Counsell was impressed that comedian Jim Carrey tweeted out some love for Suter for his portrayal of Carrey’s character, Lloyd Christmas, from the recent video the Brewers did from a scene in the movie “Dumb and Dumber.” Carrey tweeted he was “tickled stupid” and told Suter “you got some comedy chops or a severe behavioral disorder. The difference is negligible.” Of that tribute, Counsell said, “That’s a big-league compliment.”
RECORD
This year: 39-25 Last year: 33-31
COMING UP
Sunday: Brewers at Phillies, 12:35 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-0, 6.05) vs. Philadelphia RHP Zach Eflin (2-2, 3.74). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: 20-AM.