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Birthday boy Mike Moustakes leads Brewers to 7-5 victory against Marlins

We’re supposed to get you the gift, Moose.

By Brad Ford
Milwaukee Brewers v Miami Marlins Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Box Score

It’s Mike Moustakas’ birthday. It was also his first game back in the lineup since Sept. 2. Boy, was it a game to remember. Moose smacked two home runs to guide the Milwaukee Brewers to a tough 7-5 victory against the Miami Marlins.

The game started with a bang when leadoff hitter Trent Grisham hit a homer to take an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, Zach Davies gave the run back in the bottom of the inning on a sac fly by Starling Castro. Miami would take its only lead then in the second inning after Magneuris Sierra singled home Harold Ramirez.

Moose would show up for his first big moment of the game in the top of the third. With Cory Spangenberg and Yasmani Grandal aboard, Mike Moustakas launched a three-run homer. That’s his first homer since Aug. 21 and his 32nd of the season.

The Marlins wouldn’t go down without a fight tonight. Craig Counsell pulled Davies in the bottom of the fifth inning when he let a batter reach and a lefty came to the plate. Alex Claudio was brought in for the lefty-lefty matchup, but allowed a homer to former Brewers farmhand Isan Diaz. Jay Jackson came in to replace Claudio and immediate surrendered the game-tying homer to Garrett Cooper, another former Brewer.

That was it for the teams until the top of the ninth inning. With two outs, Grandal drew a huge walk to bring up the now 32-year-old Moustakas. Moose launched his 33rd homer of the season deep into right field, putting Milwaukee up by two.

Josh Hader was sent out to get the save. Hader struck out three of the four batters he faced, only allowing a two-out single to Miguel Rojas.

After a St. Louis Cardinals loss to the Rockies, the Brewers are just four games back in the NL Central. The Chicago Cubs are still playing the Padres at this time. If they lose, Milwaukee will be tied with Chicago for the second NL Wild Card.

The Brewers have a chance to sweep Miami tomorrow. Gio Gonzalez (2-2, 3.98 ERA) takes on Caleb Smith (8-9, 4.11 ERA) at 12:15 p.m.

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