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Brewers Starting Pitcher: Mike Fiers
Opponent Starting Pitcher: Julio Teheran
Winning Pitcher: Jeremy Jeffress
Losing Pitcher: Luis Avilan
SV: Francisco Rodriguez (19)
HR: Cameron Maybin (8), Kelly Johnson (8), Khris Davis (6), Carlos Gomez x2 (8)
Mike Fiers allowed just one base runner (walk) through the first two innings before having a meltdown in the third. Ryan Lavarnway led off with a single and advanced on a throwing error by the Fiers. He further advanced on a sac bunt from the pitcher. Fiers walked the next batter to put two runners on for Cameron Maybin who hit one out. Kelly Johnson would hit a solo shot before the inning ended giving the Braves a 4-0 lead.
The Brewers would get two runs back in the fourth. Adam Lind drew a walk in front of Khris Davis. Yesterday was Davis' first game back after knee surgery. He did well with a single and a walk. He also crushed a couple of balls that fell just shy of going out. That would not happen in this at-bat. He absolutely khrushed a ball to deep center field (425 ft). It hit off the bottom of the Miller Lite sign on the scoreboard. Balls don't go there often.
Carlos Gomez would keep the home run theme going with a solo blast to left field in the sixth inning to cut the Braves lead to 4-3. All the runs in the game to this point were brought in via the long ball. That theme would (temporarily) end here.
The typically excellent Will Smith ran into problems in the seventh inning. Jace Peterson reached on a bunt single and would come around to score on a double by Nick Markakis. Kelly Johnson would fly out before Craig Counsell replaced Smith with Jeremy Jeffress who completed the inning with a strikeout. Jeffress would throw a clean eighth inning as well.
Everything the Brewers hit earlier in the game seemed to leave the yard. So of course Shane Peterson and Gerardo Parra would both reach base on jam shot bloopers to start the bottom of the eighth inning. Jonathan Lucroy would strike out swinging before one Brewer resumed hitting the ball out of the park. Carlos Gomez hit his second HR of the game, this one of the 3-run variety!
Francisco Rodriguez was handed the ninth with a one run lead. Enter this game he was a perfect 18 for 18 in save opportunities. That streak remains untarnished. Pedro Ciriaco led off the inning with an infield single but was later erased on a caught stealing. A strike out and fly out to center meant K-Rod faced the minimum to secure his 19th save of the season.
The Brewers avoid the sweep and improve their season record to 37-50. Thursday is an off day while the Brewers travel to face the Dodgers in the final series before the All-Star break.
Official Replay
In the fourth inning Eury Perez bunted a hard grounder to first baseman Adam Lind. Both began a race to the bag and it was a photo finish. Quite literally. The umpire called him out but the Braves asked for an official review. The replay on TV looked very close but it was really hard to tell who got to the bag first. That must have been what the review booth decided as well. They ruled the play an out but it was certainly an instance of "not enough evidence to overturn" rather than confirming the call.
There was a second review in the ninth. The rules allow for the umpires to review any play they choose after the 7th inning. Even though the Braves had lost the earlier review the umpires allowed an official replay of the Ciriaco caught stealing. The replay showed the tag beat the runner and so it was confirmed as an out.
Next Game:
Friday July 10, 9:10 pm CST: Jimmy Nelson vs Mike Bolsinger