Brewers top Rays 5-3 in solid all-around win

Box Score

The Brewers delivered a much-needed solid performance with a 5-3 win over the Rays on Tuesday night.

After several frustrating showings in their previous six games, the Brewers finally fired on all cylinders in the win.

Freddy Peralta took another step forward in his second start since returning from the injured list, firing five innings of two-run ball. Both of those runs scored on a two-run blast by Yandy Diaz in the top of the third. Peralta allowed just one other hit, struck out four, and walked none.

The right-hander got some help from his defense on a spectacular catch by Tyrone Taylor that robbed David Peralta of a home run to begin the second inning.

Meanwhile, the offense backed Peralta with enough run support, starting with a ground-rule double by Andrew McCutchen in the first inning to make the score 1-0. McCutchen’s liner plated Christian Yelich, who reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw by Rays opener Jimmy Yacabonis.

The Brewers added another run in the second inning on a base hit up the middle by Tyrone Taylor. Luis Urias ran through a stop sign from third-base coach Jason Lane and would have been out at the plate, but first baseman Ji-Man Choi cut off a perfect throw from Jose Siri.

Diaz’s home run tied the game at 2-2, but the Brewers took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on the corners, McCutchen punched another liner up the middle to plate another run and make it 3-2.

After Hunter Renfroe struck out, Kolten Wong continued his torrid second half with an opposite-field double down the line. Rowdy Tellez and McCutchen both scored, making it 5-2.

Trevor Gott, Hoby Milner, Brad Boxberger and Matt Bush combined to seal the win, allowing just one run across four innings.

The Rays scored against Milner in the seventh to make it 5-3 and may have added more runs if not for another strong defensive play by Milwaukee. Siri lined a ball into the gap in right-center and tried to stretch the hit into a triple. Hunter Renfroe fired the ball in to Willy Adames, who gunned down Siri at third.

Bush got a surprise save chance in the ninth, and he responded with his best outing as a Brewer so far. The flame-thrower worked a three-up-three down inning bookended by two strikeouts to earn his second save of the season and his first with the Brewers.

Craig Counsell later explained that Devin Williams and Taylor Rogers were unavailable tonight. The former shouldered a heavy workload last week, and the latter received a cortisone shot in his knee on Sunday. Both are expected to be fine moving forward.

The Brewers wrap up their two-game series with the Rays tomorrow afternoon. Brandon Woodruff gets the start opposite Jeffrey Springs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CDT.