Urias stays hot, Woodruff notches solid start in 5-1 Brewers win

Andrew McCutchen got things going early with a leadoff home run and the Brewers never looked back. A Luis Urias home run in the third and a strong six innings by Brandon Woodruff were enough to defeat the Nationals, 5-1.

Fans were still filing into the ballpark when McCutchen got things started with a first-pitch leadoff home run out to the right field. It would be his 20th leadoff home run of his career and his second first-pitch home run of the season, giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead.

Luis Urias continued his great start to the season, extending his on-base streak to a perfect 16-for-16. After already getting on in the first with a single, in the fifth he made it a multi-hit day with a solo home run to right field, extending the lead to 3-1. Saturday would be the fourth multi-hit game of his shortened season, upping his average to .293. He was great in the field too, making a magnificent over-the-shoulder grab to rob Josh Bell of a base hit in the first.

It was another solid start for Woodruff, who collected his fifth win of the season. After making quick work of the Nationals in the first and second, he found some trouble in the third thanks to a lead-off home run by Lane Thomas. Dee Strange-Gordon followed with a base hit, only to be thrown out stealing by Victor Caratini the next batter up. A Cesar Hernandez single set up Juan Soto to end the inning on a double play. Woodruff would end the night allowing just the one run while striking out six in six strong innings of work.

Keston Hiura made it back-to-back games with a hit since being called up, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. His RBIs came in the fifth when he lined a two-out single to left field to drive in Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe. Hiura joined Yelich (two), McCutchen (three) and Urias (two) as Brewers to tally multiple hits on the night.

In the ninth, Hoby Milner got himself into a bit of trouble. A couple of base hits gave the Nationals runners at second and third with two outs. The save situation meant it was time for Josh Hader to come into the game. Hader forced Riley Adams to fly out and end the game, giving Hader his 15th save in 15 appearances this season, extending his MLB record for converted saves to start the season.

Speaking of records, the Brewers set one of their own on Saturday. According to Adam McCalvy on Twitter, the Brewers' 26 wins through their first 40 games is their best 40-game start in franchise history, surpassing the previous record of 25 set in 2014, 2009 and 2007.

The Brewers will try to make it 27 wins and a clean sweep of the Nationals on Sunday, with the first pitch being at 1:10 pm CT.