Box Score
The Milwaukee Brewers took the rubber match against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon, as a big day from Garrett Mitchell and the Brewer bullpen led the team to a 7-4 win.
Robert Gasser started the day with a walk of Brendan Donovan but bounced back to pick up a strikeout and flyout before Julio Rodríguez singled to put a pair of runners on. Josh Naylor grounded out, though, and Milwaukee was through a clean first.
Then, the offense kicked it into gear.
Brice Turang started the day
with a single and, after Jackson Chourio flew out (and Turang surprisingly tagged up), Jake Bauers drew a walk. Gary Sánchez then lined a double just fair down the left-field line, bringing both runners home for a quick 2-0 lead.
Christian Yelich followed with a single to put runners at the corners, and Joey Ortiz hit a single of his own to move everyone up, putting Yelich at third and scoring Sánchez for a 3-0 lead. After Ortiz swiped second base, Mitchell hit a double to right, scoring both for a 5-0 lead. David Hamilton then worked a long nine-pitch at-bat, lining the final pitch into right for a double of his own and a 6-0 lead. Luis Lara and Turang lined out and grounded out, respectively, and the inning was over.
Gasser once again walked the leadoff hitter in the second, this time in the form of Taylor Ward. After getting the next two batters out, Gasser gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Brock Rodden, and Donovan made him pay with a two-run double into the right-center gap to cut the score to 6-2.
Milwaukee had another scoring chance in the second as Chourio walked and Bauers singled, but Sánchez struck out and Yelich hit into a double play (aided by a Mariners’ challenge at first) to end the inning.
In the fourth, the Mariners threatened again, with a leadoff walk by Cole Young, a single by Jhonny Pereda, and a passed ball by Sánchez to make it 6-3. Pat Murphy — for the second time this season after doing so to Brandon Sproat in early August — emerged in the middle of an at-bat to make a pitching change, as Chad Patrick took over from Gasser.
Patrick ended up walking Randy Arozarena (who was already in a 2-0 count) and gave up an RBI single to Dominic Canzone to make it 6-4 before the inning was over.
It wasn’t a great day for the lefty Gasser, as he went just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks, striking out four.
Both bullpens then traded zeros for the next several innings, as no runners got into scoring position after the fourth until the top of the eighth, when Aaron Ashby walked a pair of hitters. He got out of the jam, though, as he struck out a batter and induced a groundout to strand the runners at second and third.
The Brewers finally got one back in the bottom of the eighth, as Mitchell slugged a solo homer to center, his ninth of the year and third extra-base hit of the afternoon. Hamilton followed with a single but was stranded there, leaving Trevor Megill to protect a three-run lead in the ninth.
Megill had no trouble, picking up a strikeout and two flyouts — including a nice ranging grab by Mitchell in center — to wrap up the 7-4 victory.
Mitchell led the Brewers with three hits, including a pair of doubles and a homer, driving in three. Sánchez had two RBIs, and Ortiz and Hamilton had an RBI each. Every starter had at least one hit with the exception of Lara, who went 0-for-4.
After Gasser’s short outing, Milwaukee’s bullpen combination of Patrick, Ashby, and Megill combined to keep the Mariners off the board for the final 5 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.
The Brewers are back in action on Friday afternoon, as they’ll begin a series with the Braves on MLB Players’ Weekend, including a game in MLB’s Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Sunday. First pitch for Friday’s game is set for 3:10 p.m.
