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The Milwaukee Brewers got a stark reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing before Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but that didn’t stop them from taking care of business against the last-place team in the division on the road. Even without Christian Yelich (positive test) and Jace Peterson (close contact), the Brewers put up a couple of big innings early and then cruised to an easy victory.
The second batter of the game, Willy Adames, reached on an error ahead of Omar Narvaez. Milwaukee’s catcher got a grooved 92 MPH fastball and knew what to do with it, depositing it over the fence in right-center for a quick 2-0 lead. The next two batters walked, then after a punchout, Lorenzo Cain stepped up to the plate for his first appearance back off the IL. He singled to center, driving in the third run of the inning.
The Brewers piled on in the second, with the first six batters all reaching base. Brett Anderson and Kolten Wong were both hit by pitches. Adames singled to load the bases, then Narvaez singled, scoring two to make it 5-0. Next Avisail Garcia doubled, scoring Adames and putting runners on second and third. After a pitching change from Luis Oviedo to Nick Mears, first baseman Rowdy Tellez singled off a deflection by the shortstop, bringing home two more runs to push the score to 8-0.
Things quieted down after that, at least in terms of scoring. The Brewers put men on in the third, fourth, sixth, and eighth innings that they failed to cash in. Then in the ninth, Rowdy Tellez’s third home run as a Brewer pushed the score to 9-0, where the game ultimately ended.
Brett Anderson started for the Cream City Nine and had an easy an efficient day across six innings, allowing just three hits and a walk. No runs, earned or otherwise, came in to score while he was on the mound, and he whiffed three opposing batters. He was at only 72 pitches when he was lifted, but manager Craig Counsell elected to close things out with the bullpen anyway. Miguel Sanchez, Hunter Strickland, and Jandel Gustave each fired a scoreless frame to end the tilt and secure the victory.
The Brewers and Pirates will do battle again on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 PM central. Adrian Houser will get the ball first for Milwaukee, while it has yet to be announced who will toe the slab for Pittsburgh.