Ninth inning rally leads Brewers to 8-6 win

WP: Tyler Thornburg (3-1) | LP: Pedro Baez (0-2) | SV: Jeremy Jeffress (19)

HR: Aaron Hill (7), Chris Carter (18), Jonathan Villar (6), Trayce Thompson (11)

Box Score

On a three game losing streak, the Brewers needed a boost to end the streak. They got a good one from the offense.

The Brewers got some offense going early with a single from Aaron Hill and a walk from Ryan Braun. The Brewers came close to a 3-0 lead with a long foul ball from Jonathan Lucroy that was reviewed, but it was just too far out, and the Brewers couldn’t capitalize.

After a second inning that just had a single from each team, the Brewers got on the board. Jonathan Villar led off the inning with a single, Hill walked, and a double steal put runners at second and third. A Jonathan Lucroy drove them both in to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead. Chris Carter followed it with a double, and Hernan Perez had a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last. A walk to pitcher Scott Kazmir and a single by shortstop Corey Seager put two runners on base for Trayce Thompsn, who hit a three-run home run to tie the game at 3-3.

The fourth inning was quiet again with two 1-2-3 half innings. In the top of the fifth, home runs by Aaron Hill and Chris Carter gave the Brewers a 6-3 lead. Junior Guerra had another quiet inning in the bottom of the fifth, and the Brewers went through the top of the sixth quickly as well. The Dodgers then rallied in the bottom of the sixth, with a ground-rule double from Thompson and Howie Kendrick sinigle making the score 6-4. That ended the day for Guerra, and Will Smith came in relief. Unfortunately, a single to Joc Pederson and a walk to Yasmani Grandal put runners at first and second, and then a strange double play tied the game at 6-6.

The game went to the bullpens at this point. In the seventh, Will Smith and Chris Hatcher pitched perfect innings. Tyler Thornburg and Pedro Baez followed that up with perfect eighth innings to keep the score tied at 6-6. Baez came back out for the ninth, and walked Kirk Nieuwenhuis before allowing a home run to Villar to give the Brewers an 8-6 lead.

Jeremy Jeffress came out to close the game and promptly got Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal out to start the innings. However, singles to Justin Turner and A.J. Ellis, along with a hit by pitch to Chase Utley, loaded the bases. Corey Seager came up to attempt to tie or win the game, but struck out on three pitches to end it.

It wasn’t Junior Guerra’s day on the mound. In 5.1 innings, he allowed five runs on five hits and a walk, striking out four. Meanwhile, Scott Kazmir had a short day, pitching just four innings and allowing three runs. In the Brewers bullpen, Will Smith allowed a run, while Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress had scoreless appearances.

On offense, the top of the lineup had a good day at the plate. Jonathan Villar, Aaron Hill, and Chris Carter each had two hits, and Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy each had a hit as well. Lucroy, Villar, and Carter each drove in two runs a piece.

The series continues tomorrow with the battle of the rookie pitchers. Zach Davies will face Julio Urias in the Friday night game. First pitch is at 9:10 pm.