Brewers survive rain and late rally attempt by Nationals to win 4-1

WP: Jhoulys Chacin (14-5)
LP: Tanner Roark (8-14)
SV: Jeremy Jeffress (8)

HR: Travis Shaw (27), Erik Kratz (5), Jesus Aguilar (31)

Box Score

This game looked like it was heading towards another crushing defeat for the Milwaukee Brewers. However, they were able to hold on and clutch out a win tonight.

Once again, the Brewers got on the board early. Travis Shaw hit a two-run home run in the first inning to score Christian Yelich and give the Brewers a 2-0 lead. They gave up one run in the bottom of the inning when Anthony Rendon grounded out with the bases loaded to make it a 2-1 game. The Brewers added to their lead in the second and third inning. A solo home run in the 2nd from Erik Kratz made it a 3-1 game, and then Jesus Aguilar homered in the third to make it a 4-1 lead.

That was all the Brewers could manage for scoring in the game. They only recorded six hits total, and five of those came in the first three innings. After a single by Christian Yelich in the fifth, the Brewers did not have another baserunner in the game. There were no walks in the game, but they only struck out four times. Yelich had two hits, but no other Brewer had more than one hit.

Fortunately, Jhoulys Chacin was pitching today. It started off really rough as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Rendon grounded out to drive in a run, but Chacin held it there with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning. After that, Chacin allowed two baserunners in the fourth, and at least one baseurnner in every inning except the third. However, he allowed no more runs on the board after the first, though he needed a tag at the plate from Jesus Aguilar to Erik Kratz to prevent a run. In total, Chacin pitched 6 ¹⁄₃ innings, allowing a run and six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Dan Jennings came in to pitch the rest of the seventh. He allowed a single to Trea Turner (who advanced on a balk), but got two lineouts to end the inning, including one on a long at-bat against Bryce Harper. After a three-pitch, three-out inning by the Brewers in the eighth, Jacob Barnes came in for the eighth. He allowed a single and a walk to begin the inning, but he started a double play and got a groundout to keep the game at 4-1 entering the ninth.

The Brewers went 1-2-3 again in the ninth inning, and Jeremy Jeffress came in to close out the game as the rain began falling in Washington. Wilmer Difo led off the inning by reaching base on an error from Arcia (which may have been influenced by the rain). After a three-pitch strikeout to Andrew Stevenson, Adam Eaton singled and Trea Turner walked in a long at-bat to load the bases with one out. Bryce Harper was up next, Jeffress started off with two strikes but Harper worked the count to 3-2. Jeffress did get the out on a curveball that got a swing from Harper, recording the second out. Rendon came up next, and he grounded out to Arcia to end the game and keep the 4-1 win.

As September arrives, the Brewers rosters expand and they have three deadline acquisitions who will be joining the team. In game two tomorrow night, Chase Anderson will face Stephen Strasburg. First pitch is at 6:05 pm.