Phillies’ Velasquez has solid start to defeat Milwaukee
Vince Velasquez threw six sharp innings, J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Monday night.
Velasquez (1-0) allowed one run and four hits, striking out six in his longest outing this season. Hector Neris struck out Lorenzo Cain with the bases loaded in the ninth to preserve the win.
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (2-3) gave up four runs — two earned — and four hits in six innings.
Cain blasted a solo homer onto the concourse behind the left-center field stands to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the first in his first at-bat off the injury list. But NL Centralleading Milwaukee couldn’t do anything else until Philadelphia went to the bullpen.
Sam Coonrod struck out the side in the seventh, but the Brewers loaded the bases the next two innings. Connor Brogdon walked two and yielded an infield single to Christian Yelich in the eighth. After Travis Shaw’s sacrifice fly cut it to 4-2, Neris entered. Avisail Garcia’s fielder’s choice grounder drove in another run.
TWINS 6, RANGERS 5 >> Kenta Maeda steered himself back on track by keeping Texas scoreless into the sixth inning, and Minnesota won the opener of a four-game series in Minneapolis. Maeda (2-2) had a season-high eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two singles and two walks in what was the best of his six starts this season.
DODGERS VS. CUBS POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER >> The game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs was postponed because the forecast called for inclement weather.
The teams will now play a split doubleheader at Wrigley Field today. The first game is set for 1:20 p.m. and the nightcap will begin at 6:40 p.m.