Garrett Mitchell had five RBIs, including a three-run home run, and Chad Patrick went five scoreless innings as the Brewers defeated the Royals in the first game of today’s doubleheader.
Milwaukee roared out to a quick lead in the top of the first courtesy of Mitchell’s second two-run double in as many games. Brice Turang struck out looking to start the inning, but Luis Rengifo doubled to put a runner in scoring position with only one out. Royals starter Luinder Avila didn’t want to give William Contreras
anything to hit, ultimately walking him on five pitches to bring up Christian Yelich, who beat out a slow grounder to second base to put runners on the corners with two outs for Mitchell. Avila left a sinker up and in to Mitchell, who punished the mistake with a 108.8 mph double that nearly cleared Kaufman Stadium. Contreras and Yelich both scored to give the Brewers an early lead.
Fun fact: Mitchell now accounts for five of the Brewers’ ten hardest-hit balls this year.
In the bottom of the first, Brewers starter Chad Patrick worked around a walk to Bobby Witt Jr. to retire the Royals without allowing a hit or a run. Patrick would give up his first hit in the second inning, a one-out single off the bat of Jac Caglianone. Starling Marte struck out for the second out of the inning, but old friend Isaac Collins grounded a single into right that advanced Caglianone to third base. As Collins took off for second on a 1-2 pitch to Nick Loftin, Caglianone broke for home. Turang cut off the throw and gunned him down at home with a beautiful throw to keep Kansas City scoreless.
The Brewers would add to their lead in the top of the third thanks to a two-out rally. Avila struck out both Turang and Rengifo, but Contreras doubled to keep the inning alive. Yelich beat out another grounder to second base for an infield hit, bringing up who else but Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell took strike one, let a couple of balls pass by, then crushed a line drive that kept carrying until it dropped into the right field bleachers for a three run homer.
Another Mitchell fun fact: that home run gave him five RBIs through just three innings, already a career high for a single game.
Jake Bauers walked and Sal Frelick singled to keep the inning alive and put another runner in scoring position, but Bauers was thrown out trying to steal third for the third out.
Patrick’s day was done after five innings and 86 pitches. He kept the Royals scoreless through five, although it wasn’t always smooth. Right before Kyle Isbel flew out for the first out of the fifth, the broadcast team remarked that it was already the seventh full count that Patrick had faced. He threw 47 strikes to 39 balls, which is not exactly an ideal number. Still, it’s hard to complain about five shutout innings, especially facing a Royals lineup with guys like Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Vinny Pasquantino. Patrick only walked three batters, with Witt and Garcia accounting for two of those walks, and exited in line for the win.
Milwaukee mustered up another two-out rally in the top of the sixth courtesy of a Brice Turang walk and another Luis Rengifo double, but Contreras grounded out to Garcia at third to end the inning. Aaron Ashby came in for the bottom of the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Pasquantino. He allowed Pasquantino to take second on a wild pitch before getting Salvador Perez to ground out for the first out. Caglianone then hit a little chopper to first base that probably should have been the second out, but Ashby was late to cover the bag, allowing Caglianone to beat it out to put runners on the corners. Starling Marte, who doubled in his last at-bat against Patrick, fouled off a couple pitches before striking out. Up next was Collins, who waved at an 0-2 changeup in the dirt to end the inning.
Kansas City finally got on the board against Ashby in the seventh. Nick Loftin walked on five pitches to start the inning, swiftly prompting a mound visit. Ashby remained on the mound to face Lane Thomas, pinch-hitting for Isbel, who ripped a line drive double into left field. Loftin scored to finally put the Royals on the board. After another mound visit, Ashby got Maikel Garcia to ground out for the first out, although Thomas advanced to third on the play. The next batter up was Witt Jr., who smoked a one-hopper right at Turang. Turang made a great play on the ball, but was unable to get a throw off. Thomas scored to give the Royals their second run of the inning.
With Vinny Pasquantino coming to the plate, the inning looked like it could keep snowballing. Thankfully, Ashby managed to bear down, striking him out for the second out of the inning. Brewers manager Pat Murphy brought Abner Uribe in to face Perez, who popped out to Turang to end the inning.
Uribe stayed in for the eighth and retired the Royals in order. Trevor Megill had the ninth inning today and got into a little bit of a jam, walking Thomas and Witt to bring the tying run, Pasquantino, to the plate. Pasquantino took a ball in the dirt, fouled off three straight pitches, then got caught looking at a 98 mph fastball down the middle for strike three.
Game 2 of tonight’s doubleheader is in just a few hours, with first pitch scheduled for 6:10 p.m. Brandon Sproat will be on the hill for the Brewers, looking to rebound from his first start of the season. Starting for the Royals is righty Seth Lugo, who went 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first start of the season.
