Brewers bats come alive, blast Marlins 12-3

WP: Chase Anderson (2-1)
LP: Dillon Peters (2-2)

HR: Lorenzo Cain (2), Ryan Braun (4), Orlando Arcia (2), Lewis Brinson 2 (1,2)

Box Score

After scoring just eight runs against the Reds in a three-game series (four of which came courtesy of Eric Thames), the Brewers needed to find a way to get their bats going. It might have been as simple as the Marlins coming to town.

The Brewers got on the board early, as Lorenzo Cain drew a walk and Christian Yelich reached base on an error by Starlin Castro, putting Cain at third. Then, Yelich attempted to steal second, but was caught in a rundown between first and second. However, he kept the rundown going long enough for Cain to score from third, giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Lewis Brinson was making his first trip back to Miller Park since being traded over the winter to Miami in the deal that brought Yelich to Milwaukee. Brinson made his first plate appearance count, smashing a home run to center field to tie the game at 1-1. He would add on a second in his second plate appearance, which staked the Marlins to a 3-2 lead at the time.

After adding on a run on a wild pitch in the third, the Brewers were down 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, after Brinson’s second home run. Cain made sure the Marlins lead was short lived, hitting a leadoff home run to tie the game at 3-3. After Travis Shaw drew a two-out walk, the Marlins brought in Odrisamer Despaigne to try to keep the Brewers in check. It didn’t work, as Jesus Aguilar doubled to give the Brewers a 4-3 lead, and Hernan Perez followed it with a single for a 5-3 lead.

The Brewers decided that wasn’t enough, though. Jett Bandy led off the inning with a double, and then Despagne left the game with an injury that came up facing Lorenzo Cain. Junichi Tazawa replaced Despagne, and Cain hit a double off him to increase the Brewers lead to 6-3. The Marlins then chose to intentionally walk Christian Yelich, and then ended up walking Domingo Santana to load the bases. Travis Shaw struck out for the second out of the inning, but Jesus Aguilar made sure the loaded bases wouldn’t be wasted. He hit a single to center that brought in Cain and Yelich, giving the Brewers an 8-3 lead.

The Brewers weren’t done there. With the pitcher spot due up, the Brewers brought in Ryan Braun as a pinch hitter. On the second pitch he saw, Braun hit a three-run home run out to left center, blowing the game wide open at 11-3. Then, for good measure, Orlando Arcia followed Braun up with a home run, increasing the lead to 12-3.

Chase Anderson made the start for the Brewers and it was an okay day for him. He pitched 5 ¹⁄₃ innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. The main damage came on the two home runs he allowed to Lewis Brinson, though he only had two clean innings. The bullpen kept the Marlins completely in check, though. Jeremy Jeffress, Taylor Williams, Oliver Drake, and Matt Albers combined to allow just one walk in 3 ²⁄₃ innings of work.

Overall, on offense, both Lorenzo Cain and Jesus Aguilar had three-hit games. Travis Shaw drew three walks, getting on base four times overall. Cain also reached base four times in the game. All of the Brewers starters reached base at least once in the game, with Domingo Santana the only one to not also record a hit.

The four-game series continues tomorrow evening at Miller Park. Jhoulys Chacin will make his next start for the Brewers, facing Trevor Richards of the Marlins. First pitch is at 7:10 pm.