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Christian Yelich called his timing at the plate “dogshit” saying that things with the bat have been “a zoo” lately, but perhaps a switching to a new piece of lumber before Thursday’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks will turn the tide on the former MVP’s injury-plagued season. Milwaukee got on the board first against Jon Duplantier and the DBacks, with Jackie Bradley, Jr. getting things started with a solo home run to lead off the third. After a walk, a punchout, and a single, Yelich came to the plate with two on and one out. Christian got a 1-0 changeup he could handle and smacked it over the wall for his second dinger of the season, making it a 4-0 Brewers advantage.
The DBacks chased Brewers starter Brett Anderson in the fifth inning. Ketel Marte led off with a double then came around to score on a one-out bomb off the bat of Carson Kelly. A Christian Walker doubled was the end of the line of Anderson, leading Brent Suter to be called upon on the mound. He gave up a double to Nick Ahmed to allow Walker to score and make it 4-3, but then settled in and got out of the inning after that. In the bottom of the fifth, the Brewers answered back right away with a solo home run from Luis Urias to lead off the frame. Yelich and Avisail Garcia both walked with one out, then Yelich scored when Omar Narvaez grounded out to first but Christian Walker committed a throwing error. Those two runs gave the Brewers a 6-3 cushion.
The teams traded runs again in the eighth. Devin Williams walked David Peralta leading off the top half, then uncorked a wild pitch that moved him up to second with one out. He scored on a single by Marte making it 6-4. Williams walked another batter in his inning but got out of it, but continues to battle inconsistency as he threw 34 pitches and his ERA is now 4.43 on the season. Milwaukee got the run back, though, when Avi Garcia smashed a solo homer off the scoreboard as the first batter of the bottom of the eighth, making it 7-4. That’s where the game would finish as Josh Hader came on and worked around a single by striking out the side in the ninth. It was his 13th save, and the Brewers now sit at 30-26 on the season.
The series continues on Friday at American Family Field, with Freddy Peralta set to face Matt Peacock. The game is scheduled to start at 7:10 PM central.