Three in a row: Brewers ride Davies’ start, early defense, and late offense to a 5-1 win

Box Score

Zach Davies made his 100th start of his career tonight, and he got to make it just miles from his high school. With some help from the Brewers offense and defense, he made sure it would be a good night for him.

The game started with a 1-2-3 inning on both sides of the ball. The Brewers got a bit of offense in the second, thanks to a Mike Moustakas triple and a sacrifice fly from Ryan Braun. The Diamondbacks responded quick though, manufacturing their own run from a Christian Walker walk and steal, and then a Jake Lamb single to bring him home and tie the game at 1-1.

After that, both starters settled in and it turned into a proper pitchers’ duel. Neither starter allowed more than one baserunner in an inning over the next five innings. Zach Davies was strong, allowing just one run, five hits, and three walks in the game. He didn’t strike out anyone, but he still kept the Diamondbacks in check. Meanwhile, Merrill Kelly matched Davies in his start. Kelly also pitched seven innings, allowing just a run on three hits and six strikeouts, not walking a batter.

Meanwhile, as Davies was doing his best to keep it a tied game, he needed some help from the defense to carry it out. It started in the first inning, as Lorenzo Cain continued to be a stud on defense, robbing a home run from Eduardo Escobar to keep the game scoreless. The ball would have easily been a home run had Cain not made his catch.

Cain wasn’t done there. In the third, he had an over-the-shoulder catch to rob Merrill Kelly of a hit. Mike Moustakas got into the action as well with another of his line drive snags to take a hit from Tim Locastro. Orlando Arcia started a couple of important double plays in the game to keep the Diamondbacks in check. Then, Cain came back with another impressive play, making a running catch on the warning track in the seventh to keep it a 1-1 game.

Thanks to Davies and the offense, the Brewers were in position late to take the lead, and they took advantage in the eighth. Facing Yoan Lopez, Eric Thames led off the inning with a ground-rule double. Keston Hiura followed it with a single, and Orlando Arcia brought in Thames with a single, giving the Brewers a 2-1 lead.

With Hiura at second and Arcia at first, Jesus Aguilar was called on to pinch hit. On a 0-1 count, Hiura and Arcia went for the double steal, and Carson Kelly tried to get Hiura at third. His throw was high and went into left field, allowing Hiura to score and Arcia to get to third, and the Brewers lead was 3-1. Aguilar finished up his at-bat with a sacrifice fly, scoring Arcia and increasing the lead to 4-1.

The Diamondbacks tried to rally in the eighth, facing Jeremy Jeffress. Singles by Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar put runners at the corners with just one out, and brought Christian Walker to the plate as the tying run. However, a 6-4-3 double play ended that threat, protecting the Brewers 4-1 lead.

With a three-run lead going into the ninth, the lead wasn’t comfortable enough yet for the Brewers. Ryan Braun made it a little more comfortable, adding on an insurance run to give the Brewers a four-run lead.

Matt Albers came in for the ninth, and didn’t have any problems, recording a 1-2-3 inning that finished with a strikeout of Nick Ahmed to secure the win.

It was a very even day for the Brewers offense. Every starting position player had one of the Brewers’ eight hits. Grandal was the only Brewer on base multiple times as he also drew the only Brewers walk of the game.

Can the Brewers push this winning streak to four in a row? Jhoulys Chacin will try to do that tomorrow as he takes on Taylor Clarke in game two of the series. First pitch is at 8:40 pm.