Scratching out a win with balanced effort
Close games between the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates have become the norm of late.
For the seventh consecutive time Tuesday night the teams faced off in a matchup that was decided by two or fewer runs, with a well-balanced performance paving the way for a 3-1 Brewers victory at Miller Park.
Manny Piña drove in two runs, Keon Broxton homered and Zach Davies turned in a solid 6 2⁄3-inning start as Milwaukee opened its brief two-game set against Pittsburgh on a high note.
It was quite a different story the last time the teams met, with the Pirates sweeping away the Brewers in a four-game series at PNC Park. That started a month-long offensive drought for Milwaukee and its eventual fall from first place in the National League Central.
With Orlando Arcia a late scratch due to back spasms and Eric Sogard filling in for him at shortstop, the Brewers had an all left-handed-hitting infield and five left-handed hitters in the lineup altogether — Jonathan Villar and Neil Walker are switch-hitters — to face right-hander Ivan Nova.
Travis Shaw, who entered the night a career .769 hitter against Nova (10 for 13 with three homers), singled to
open the Brewers’ second. Then Domingo Santana walked and Walker reached on an error to load the bases with nobody out, setting Milwaukee up for a potential big inning.
Piña’s groundout drove in Shaw to make it 1-0, but Sogard followed by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play and the Brewers were forced to settle for just the single run.
Davies, who was coming in off perhaps his worst start of the season, induced five ground-ball outs in the first two innings before working around multiple base-runners in each of the next three.
The fourth proved to be the most interesting for Davies. With two outs and Josh Bell on first, Adam Frazier dumped a single into right. Rather than playing it safe and at least hitting the cutoff man, Santana rushed in and uncorked a wild throw that got past Shaw at third.
Bell tried scoring, but Shaw made a strong throw home to get a Bell at the plate.
The Pirates finally got even in the sixth. Frazier laced a two-out triple down the first-base line and Bell came around to score to knot it at 1-1.
Milwaukee responded by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Shaw walked with one out, went to second on a passed ball and took third on a groundout by Santana. After Pittsburgh put Walker on via an intentional walk, Piña pulled a grounder into the hole that deflected off third baseman David Freese’s glove and to shortstop Jordy Mercer.
Mercer made a strong throw to first but Bell’s deep stretch pulled his foot just off the base, leaving Piña with an infield single and the Brewers back in front at 2-1.
Broxton applied the finishing touch in the seventh by homering to rightcenter off A.J. Schugel to give the Brewers a tworun cushion at 3-1.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
Manager Craig Counsell announced Brandon Woodruff, Matt Garza and Chase Anderson as his three starters for the upcoming weekend series at Colorado.
The return of Anderson is a boon and somewhat of a surprise, considering it was initially expected he’d need three minor-league rehab starts before returning.
The Brewers also likely will be welcoming catcher Stephen Vogt back along with Anderson in Colorado. Vogt, who’s been out with a left-knee sprain since July 18, is in the midst of a minorleague rehab stint.
STAT SHEET
Walker, who played for the Pirates from 2009’15, is hitting .333 with four homers and 10 RBI in 10 career games against his former team.
The Brewers have outscored their opponents, 95-54, in the first inning this season — the largest margin in the major leagues.
TAKEAWAY
There wasn’t a lot of offense to speak of, but with Davies dealing the Brewers didn’t need much. Getting Davies back on track is big as well, considering how poorly he fared his last time out.
RECORD
This year: 62-59 (34-30 home; 28-29 away)
Last year: 52-69
ATTENDANCE
Tuesday: 32,605 2017 total: 1,984,676 (31,011 avg.)
Last year: 1,840,225 (28,753 avg.)
NEXT GAME
Wednesday: Brewers vs. Pirates, 1:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Jimmy Nelson (9-6, 3.72) vs. Pittsburgh RHP Gerrit Cole (10-8, 3.96) TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.