Brewers Finally Top Mets, 7-4

The Brewer bats finally woke up against Mets pitching, and they probably have a make-up double header earlier in the week for the Mets to thank. Mets’ spot starter Logan Verrett struggled through four innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 4 hits and four walks, with 3 homeruns given up. The offensive outburst allowed Wily Peralta to win his 4th of the year, although he only completed five innings.

After Asdrubal Cabrerra staked Verrett to a 2 run lead in the second with an opposite field shot into the bullpen with James Loney at first, the Brewers finally started scoring runs against them. Chris Carter led off the bottom of the second with a moon-shot homer to left; good thing the roof was open. Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled and scored on a double play to tie the game.

In the third Ryan Braun turned a fastball around to straight away center for a 3-2 lead. The bottom of the fourth saw a most unlikely rally from the Brewers: with two down and nobody on, Martin Maldanado drew the second of three walks (no, really...) and Wily Peralta launched a no-doubter into deep left center for his first major league homerun.

Peralta allowed a homerun to Curtis Granderson in the top of the fifth but there was no further damage, and then exited to allow the pen to finish this one off. Granderson just missed a homer leading off the third, tripling off the top of the wall in right. He was stranded there, as Peralta pitched around Yoanis Cespedes and enticed a double play off the bat of Neil Walker on a 2-0 pitch. Granderson ended a double shy of the cycle.

The Brewers stretched the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Scooter Gennett and Ryan Braun went back to back off of Antonio Bastardo. Neither ball actually reached the seats, clearing the short fence in right, but still extended the Brewers homerun total to 5.

Carlos Torres, Corey Knebel, and Tyler Thornburg worked an inning a piece, allowing only a walk and striking out 5. Jacob Barnes allowed a run on 2 hits in the ninth in one third of an inning, allowing Jeremy Jeffress to come in for his 17th save.

The Brewers improved to 29-33, and will send Zach Davies (4-3) out to face Steven Matz (7-2) for the Mets (34-27). The afternoon match-up will conclude the four game series before an off day and a trip to the west coast next week.