Five Run 8th Carries Brewers Over D’backs, 9-4

The Brewers rode a five run eighth inning to break away from a 4-4 tie and beat the D’Backs for the second straight night, this time 9-4.

A not-so-scintillating match-up of Patrick Corbin for the D’backs and Matt Garza for the Brewers turned into an entertaining ballgame in Miller Park tonight, with no decision for either starter.

Neither starting pitcher was sharp at the start, although both retired the first two batters in the first. After Garza got two out, he gave up a hustle double to Jean Segura, an RBI single to Paul Goldschmidt, a steal to Goldschmidt, a double to Wellington Castillo, and an errant throw after a good stop by Jonathan Villar. Chris Owings grounded to third to end the inning, but two had scored.

With two down in the bottom half, Ryan Braun walked, Jonathon Lucroy singled up the middle, Chris Carter singled to left to plate Braun, Scooter Gennett walked on a close 3-2 pitch to load the bases, Jake Elmore singled in Luc and Sleepy, and Broxton singled to left...unfortunately, Gennett was thrown out at the plate - the first of three TOOTBLANS for the Brewers. 3-2 Brewers.

Arizona tied it up in the top of the fourth. Yasmany Tomas walked and was forced at second by Owings, Brandon Drury doubled to put runners at second and third, Corbin walked on four pitches to load the bases, and Owings scored on Michael Bourn’s fielder’s choice.

After six straight baserunners to end the first, the Brewers made Corbin look like his old self prior to Tommy John surgery - twelve straight outs, although Elmore singled in the fourth..then took off on a pitch in the dirt and was out from here to Phoenix at second. He did have a terrible rolling slide into second to make things entertaining, though.

Braun bumped his hitting streak to 11 with a single to rightcenter (where else?) leading off the sixth, and took second when Corbin walked Lucroy. That was the end of the line for Corbin as Enrique Burgos took over, and induced a 5-4-3 double play from Carter, Braun taking third. Gennett picked up Carter with a two strike, two out single off of Jean Segura’s glove to give the Brewers a 4-3 lead.

An unearned run in the seventh tied things up. Will Smith took over and with one down Bourn bunted one in front of the mound. Smith would have had Bourn, but his throw eluded Carter and went down the line, putting Bourn at second with a hit and an error. Phil Gosselin’s groundball to Carter moved Bourn to third, and with two down Smith got ahead of Segura but ended up walking him to bring up Goldschmidt, and bring in Tyler Thornburg. With two strikes, Thornburg fooled Goldschmidt with a curveball but Paul’s checked swing grounder went off of Carter’s glove for an infield single and Goldschmidt’s second RBI of the night.

Craig Counsell used a double switch to put Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the ninth spot, and in the bottom of the seventh the Barry Bonds of Miller Park doubled down the rightfield line, with one down. Capt. Kirk tried to steal third and was out easily for TOOTBLAN #3.

A struggling Daniel Hudson took over in the bottom of the eighth for the D’Backs, and Hernan Perez led off with his first hit in eight at bats in the series. Braun drew his second walk of the night, but Hudson struck out Lucroy. He then walked Carter on four pitches, bringing up Gennett. Once again, a two strike hit from Scooter put the Brewers ahead,,,this one a jam shot up the middle that just eluded Gosselin into centerfield. Two scored, giving the Brewers a 6-4 lead and Scoot a three RBI night.

Lefty Zac Curtis replaced Hudson and fanned pinch-hitter Andy Wilkins, but then walked Keon Broxton to load the bases, and rather than face the torrid Nieuwenhuis he walked in a run. The strategy backfired when Jonathan Villar singled to left, driving in Gennett and Broxton for a 9-4 lead. Perez flew to the track in rightcenter to end the inning. Arizona pitchers walked four in the inning, and seven for the game, and five of then scored.

Besides the seven walks the Brewers collected 11 hits, with a double and 10 singles. The Diamondbacks had 7 hits, four of them doubles.

Garza worked six innings, allowing five hits and three earned...Quality Start! He walked two and struck out nary a batter. Twelve of his eighteen outs came on groundballs, including the last six. Thornburg ended up working 1.1 innings, allowing two hits, walking a batter, and fanning three, and evening his season's all-important won-loss mark at 4-4.

Once again, the Brewers went to the bottom of the ninth in a non-save situation, but Counsell went with Jeremy Jeffress to get him some work. Jeffress looked sharp, getting called third strikes on Gosselin and Goldschmidt to surround a grounder to third from Segura.

Game 3 of the 4 game set starts at 7:10 pm, as the Diamondbacks (41-59) send Archie Bradley (3-6, 4.44) out to face Jimmy Nelson (6-8, 3.40) for the Brewers (43-55).