Early offense helps Brewers top Dodgers 7-3

WP: Chase Anderson (1-0); LP: Manny Banuelos (0-2); Save: none; Home runs: LA - Edwin Rios (3); Mil - Christian Yelich (1)

Box Score

Chase Anderson worked six solid innings to lead the Milwuakee Brewers (16-7-1) to a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers (11-12) at Maryvale Baseball Park. The Brewers used solid hitting by their regular line-up in the first four innings to overcome a two run first by the Dodgers for a comfortable win.

Anderson hit his first batter and then a double to the second, followed by a sac fly and a groundout to account for the Dodgers’ two run first. A long homer by Edwin Rios in the second completed LA’s scoring. Anderson worked four more scoreless innings, allowing three hits, no runs, no walks, and notching five strikeouts. He hadn’t even reached his pitch number goal for the day and went down for a bullpen session after he came out.

Boone Logan, Yovani Gallardo, and Oliver Drake combined for an inning each to keep the Dodgers at bay. They went three innings allowing one hit, no runs, no walks, and striking out three.

At the plate, the Brewers struck back immediately in the bottom of the first when Christian Yelich hit his first homer of the spring leading off the inning. Keon Broxton reached on an infield single and scored when Ryan Braun had the first of his two RBI doubles.

After LA re-took the 3-2 lead in the top of the second, Milwaukee knotted it up again in the bottom of the third when Manny Pina’s two out single scored Yelich, who had walked leading off the inning. A three-run fourth keyed by a two-run single by Yelich, who also scored on Braun’s second RBI double from Braun. Yelich ended the day 2-for-2 with two walks, three runs scored, two RBI, and the homer.

Nate Orf led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and took third on a Kyle Wren. The final run of the ballgame came in on a double play ball.

The Cubs lost both games in a split squad day and are now tied with the Indians 2 ¹⁄₂ games behind Milwaukee. Tomorrow is the Brewers’ last off day while in Arizona. They return to action Tuesday, travelling to face the Rockies.