Brewers top D’Backs 4-2 behind Chase Anderson, homeruns

WP:Chase Anderson (4-3); LP: Zack Greinke (3-3); Save: Corey Knebel (2); Homeruns: Ari - Jake Lamb (1); Mil - Travis Shaw (11), Domingo Santana (3). Lorenzo Cain (6)

Yet another Winning Box Score!

Chase Anderson returned from the DL and turned in a good six inning outing, the Brewers bullpen did Brewer bullpen things, the offense scored four times off of Zack Greinke on three homers, all facets combining for a 4-2 victory at Miller Park tonight. Brewer pitching held the D’Backs to three hits on the night.

Anderson looked rusty to start but shook it off quickly. The D’Backs touched him for a run in the first on a single, a strikeout, a walk, a hit by pitch, and another walk. Derek Johnson made a mound visit at that point and obviously told Chase to get guys out, because he did - he retired the next eleven. A lead-off walk in the fifth was erased in a 5-6-3 double play, on appeal at first (Angel Hernandez can blow calls anywhere, and we get him behind the plate tomorrow night).

That took Anderson into the sixth with one run and one hit allowed, but with one down Jake Lamb hit a high fastball out to left-center. Chase got out of the inning with a single allowed but no further run damage, and Craig Counsell went to the pen for the seventh. The final line for ChACE was six innings, three hits, two runs (earned), three walks, and just two first inning strikeouts.

That first inning Arizona lead didn’t last long. Lorenzo Cain blooped a hit to right that fell due to a bad jump by rightfielder Chris Owings, and the misplay hurt the D’Backs when Travis Shaw took a Greinke change-up out to center, putting Milwaukee up 2-1.

Zack must have talked to DJ as well, because he also settled in and retired nine in a row, including five by strikes. But he went 3-0 on Domingo Santana with two down and nobody on in the fourth, and Sunday lofted an outside fastball into the party area in right field to put the Brewers up 3-1.

After Lamb’s homer had brought the A’s within 3-2 in the sixth, Lorenzo Cain led off the bottom of the inning with one of his back-leg blasts deep into left field seats to push the lead back to two at 4-2.

That moved the game to the bullpens, and the Brewers’ pen once again shut down the opposition to preserve a win. Matt Albers was first, pitching a perfect seventh with a strikeout. Jeremy Jeffress dispatched his first two batters quickly in the eighth, but walked Lamb to bring up Paul Goldschmidt as the tying run. Goldschmidt hit a slow roller to Shaw, and Travis’ throw just nipped him at first - maybe (there’s Hernandez again). Due to a lost challenge in the bottom of the seventh on a pick-off attempt at first (where Villar looked out, but the call stood - oh, Angel), Arizona was unable to demand a challenge. They asked nicely for one, but got a no-dice. Which was a good thing.

Corey Knebel got his first chance for a save since the second game of the season, and had a perfect ninth with a strikeout - save number two on the season. Man, just another weapon down there.

Milwaukee’s win takes them to ten over .500 again with a 29-19 record, while the Diamondbacks ball back to 25-22. It looks like the Cards will remain a 1 ¹⁄₂ back with a 6-0 eighth inning lead, and the Pirates and Cubs fall two 2 back on their off nights. Tomorrow night Milwaukee will go with Jhoulys Chacin (3-1, 3.63) to extend their hot streak, and the Crew will face Matt Koch (2-2, 4.06) in another 6:40 pm start.