Brewers mount comeback after bullpen slip-up, beat Phillies 7-5

A ninth-inning comeback erased a rare bullpen meltdown for the Brewers as they defeated the Phillies 7-5 on Friday night.

The decisive play came in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded ground ball hit to third base by Owen Miller. Alec Bohm missed the ball, clearing the bases and giving the Brewers the lead.

The Brewers began September by deploying the formula that has served them well for most of the season. Freddy Peralta followed up his excellent August by striking out 10 in six innings while allowing just a solo home run to Kyle Schwarber. A go-ahead three-run home run in the fourth by Willy Adames positioned Craig Counsell to turn to his A bullpen for the final nine outs.

Hoby Milner worked a perfect seventh, but Joel Payamps and Devin Williams combined to allow four runs in the eighth to give the Phillies a 5-3 lead.

Tasked with preserving a 3-1 lead, Payamps issued a walk and allowed consecutive singles to make it 3-2.

Payamps rebounded to record the next two outs, at which point Counsell made the aggressive call for Williams for a four-out save.

Two pitches later, Trea Turner launched a middle-in changeup down the left-field line for a go-ahead home run.

After Milwaukee’s rare bullpen slip-up, the Phillies followed with an implosion of their own. Jose Alvarado allowed two hits and issued two walks, including a bases-loaded walk of Tyrone Taylor that plated the Brewers’ first run of the eighth.

Jeff Hoffman entered with the bases still loaded and one out in a 5-4 game.

Hoffman struck out Willy Adames for the second out of the inning, leaving it up to Miller, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh.

Miller rolled a routine grounder to third that should have ended the inning, but the ball rolled under Bohm’s glove and trickled into left field, clearing the bases and giving the Brewers the lead.

Williams remained in the game to pitch the ninth, throwing a perfect inning to send the Brewers home as winners.

The series resumes on Saturday in a nationally televised game. Colin Rea starts opposite Aaron Nola. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on FOX.