Milwaukee made the late-night game worth the wait as they inched closer to an NL Central clinch
The Milwaukee Brewers escaped with a closely-fought 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, as Aaron Civale picked up his fourth win as a Brewer and Devin Williams picked up his 10th save of the year.
The Brewers jumped out to a quick lead in the first as they strung together a few hits. Jackson Chourio jumped on the first pitch of the game from birthday boy Landen Roupp for a double to right. Two batters later, William Contreras brought him around with a single. Jake Bauers followed Contreras with a single of his own, putting runners at the corners with one out. Willy Adames then made it three hits in a row with another single, though he was thrown out trying to get to second as Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Mike Yastrzemski walked, Heliot Ramos hit into a forceout, and Michael Conforto struck out to put a runner at first with two outs. Matt Chapman then hit a liner out to left field that Chourio had a play on, but the ball sailed over his head for an RBI double to cut the lead to 2-1.
Both pitchers got through the second with 1-2-3 frames, though Chourio had to rob Grant McCray to prevent a two-out extra-base hit.
Roupp and Civale traded solid innings on the bump before Garrett Mitchell hit a solo homer to dead center off Tristan Beck, who entered for Roupp to begin the sixth. Yastrzemski responded with a leadoff homer of his own in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead back to one at 3-2.
The Brewers had another chance to add to the lead in the seventh when Joey Ortiz hit a one-out double and advanced to third on an error on the relay. Ortiz then tried to score on a wild pitch, but catcher Patrick Bailey tossed to Beck for the out at the plate, which stood upon a challenge by Pat Murphy.
Chourio made another nice play to end the eighth, falling into the netting down the left-field line for his second highlight-reel catch of the night.
The Brewers had another chance to add to the lead in the seventh when Joey Ortiz hit a one-out double and advanced to third on an error on the relay. Ortiz then tried to score on a wild pitch, but catcher Patrick Bailey tossed to Beck for the out at the plate, which stood upon a challenge by Pat Murphy.
Chourio made another nice play to end the eighth, falling into the netting down the left-field line for his second highlight-reel catch of the night.
Neither team got another runner into scoring position until the ninth when Sal Frelick and Ortiz both drew walks against former Brewer Taylor Rogers to put runners at first and second with two outs. Brice Turang was unable to come through, however, and the game went to the bottom of the ninth with the one-run lead intact.
Williams allowed an infield hit to Ramos but set down Conforto on a strikeout and Chapman on a popup. Another former Brewer, Mark Canha, drew a two-out walk to put the tying run at second and the winning run at first. Williams bounced back from the walk to strike out Tyler Fitzgerald, securing the victory for the Crew.
Contreras led the offense with three hits tonight, while Adames picked up two hits of his own. Civale went 5 1⁄3 innings with two runs allowed on three hits and a walk despite striking out just two batters. DL Hall, Trevor Megill, and Williams locked down the final 3 2⁄3 innings, allowing just one hit and two walks with four strikeouts.
With the win, the Brewers cut their magic number to win the NL Central to nine, pending the Cubs’ final with the Dodgers — Chicago trails 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Milwaukee is back in action in another late-night battle on Wednesday night. Colin Rea starts against reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell at 8:45 p.m.
