Brewers come back to win in extras against Pirates

W: David Phelps (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
L: Dovydas Neverauskas (0-1, 0.00 ERA)

HR: Colin Moran 2 (3)

For the first time since 2004, the Milwaukee Brewers came back from a deficit of four or more runs in the ninth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The game started out sloppy for both slides. After just an inning and a half, it went into a nearly two-hour rain delay. Somehow, Brewers starter Adrian Houser came back from the delay after throwing an inning and started back up. He was met by Colin Moran, who hit his first of two homers of the game.

After that minor hiccup, it was clear sailing for Adrian Houser. He didn’t give up another hit and struck out four total over his five innings.

The Brewers finally got on the board in the seventh inning thanks to Lorenzo Cain. Avisail Garcia started the inning with a double. Lorenzo Cain came to the plate three batters later and racked up a two-out RBI to tie the game at one.

Unfortunately, the bullpen fell apart after the game was tied. Devin Williams came out for a second inning of work in the bottom of the seventh. After getting an out, Colin Moran hit his second homer, a monster shot that left the ballpark. A walk and a fielding error committed by Williams himself brought a pitching change and Alex Claudio to the mound. Claudio immediately struck out Gregory Polanco, but walked the next batter to load the bases. The Pirates followed up with a two-RBI single. Pittsburgh’s final run came on a wild pitch by Claudio that allowed a runner to score from third.

Things looked gloomy after that for the Brewers. A futile eighth inning led to the ninth. Luckily, the Pirates’ bullpen is trash. Justin Smoak started things with a single to get the first runner aboard for Milwaukee. Eric Sogard walked with one out to put two aboard for Lorenzo Cain. Cain hit a sharp single that would set up a bases loaded situation for Keston Hiura, the game-tying run. Hiura’s jersey was grazed by a pitch, driving in a run and bringing the Milwaukee Nine within three runs. Next, Christian Yelich hit a slow roller to first that forced Josh Bell to take the easy out at first base and ignore the double play opportunity. The Brewers were now within two. Ryan Braun came to the plate ready to show that he’s still as clutch as ever. After two of the worst strike calls we would see from a zone that was miserable all game, Brauny laced a double down the line, plating Cain and Hiura and tying the game.

The tenth inning would prove fruitless for either team despite now having a runner start the inning at second base. In the eleventh, Eric Sogard led off with an RBI double that drove in Brock Holt and gave the Brewers the lead.

David Phelps pitched the tenth and eleventh for Milwaukee after Hader had a clean ninth inning. The newcomer had two perfect innings and struck out three to pick up his first win as a Brewer and of the year.

Milwaukee stays in Pittsburgh for a 6:05 p.m. game tomorrow. Newcomer Josh Lindblom makes his debut for the Blue and Gold against Derek Holland.