Field Level Media
Jul 27, 2018
Pinch hitter Ryan Braun delivered a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, and Travis Shaw added a two-run home run in the ninth Thursday night, helping the visiting Milwaukee Brewers outfinish the San Francisco Giants 7-5 in the opener of a four-game series.
Christian Yelich had three hits, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs for the Brewers, who were opening an eight-game trip.
In a 2-2 tie, Yelich led off the eighth with his second hit, a bad-hop infield single, off Giants reliever Mark Melancon (0-1).
With one out, Shaw grounded a hit off the glove of Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, sending Yelich to third, from where he trotted home on Braun's tiebreaking hit.
Erik Kratz followed with a third consecutive single, scoring Shaw to give the Milwaukee bullpen a two-run lead.
After the Giants closed within 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Yelich again ignited a Brewers uprising, this time with a one-out double against the fourth Giants pitcher, Chris Stratton.
Jesus Aguilar made it 5-3 with an RBI single, after which Shaw unloaded on his 19th homer of the season to open a four-run lead.
The Giants rallied for two in the last of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Chase d'Arnaud and an RBI double by Andrew McCutchen, but Brewers closer Corey Knebel struck out Nick Hundley as the potential tying run to preserve the win.
All-Star reliever Josh Hader (3-0), who pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, got the win. Despite allowing two runs, Knebel was credited with his 13th save.
Yelich had his 14th home run among his three hits, a solo shot that got the Brewers even at 2-2 in the sixth.
The homer came off Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez, who allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, He walked two and struck out five.
Shaw, Aguilar, Kratz and Eric Thames had two hits apiece for Milwaukee, which was beginning a run of 14 straight games against National League West competition.
Austin Slater scored a pair of runs, while Buster Posey, Evan Longoria, Crawford and Steven Duggar collected two hits each for the Giants, who fell to 31-20 at home.
Brewers left-hander Wade Miley worked the first five innings, limiting the Giants to two runs and six hits. He walked two and struck out one.
--Field Level Media