Article: Series Recap: Brewers and Dodgers split four game set.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The Brewers take on the National League top dog Dodgers in a four game series at American Family Field in a mid week series. With the Cardinals now having jumped the Brewers into first place in the NL Central, this series is critical for the Crew if they hope to have any chance at regaining the lead in the division. 

 

Game 1 -- Dodgers 4, Brewers 0

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL202208150.shtml

Freddy Peralta worked game one for the Brewers, against (one of) the Dodgers aces, Julio Urias. Peralta struggled with his command, walking four and throwing 92 pitches in just four innings. Freddy only allowed one run on a solo home run in the first inning to Freddie Freeman, but with the Brewers scuffling offense, tonight that proved to be enough. 

There just wasn't much going on for the Brewers offensively tonight. Four hits, a pair of walks by Christian Yelich. Their best opportunity to score was the bottom of the first when Yelich leadoff with a walk and Willy Adames singled, but a strikeout and two fly ball outs ended the scoring chance.  

Hunter Renfroe lead off the bottom of the third with a double, but again, didn't move off of second base. On the night, the Brewers went 0-9 with men in scoring position. The team didn't have a lot of baserunners, but in those opportunities, they absolutely failed to cash in. 

If you're the type that's looking for a bright spot, Jason Alexander came in late and put up three scoreless innings of solid relief work. 

Freddy Peralta's record drops to 4-3 on the season with the loss.

Game 2 -- Brewers 5, Dodgers 4

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL202208160.shtml

The Brewers sent Brandon Woodruff against Ryan Pepiot in game two. 

The Brewers offense ended the scoreless streak right away with Christian Yelich taking a leadoff walk and Willy Adames banging a two run homerun to left. 

Woodruff cruised along for the Crew until the fifth, when he gave up a pair of solo homeruns to Mookie Betts and Joey Gallo.  With his pitch count in the 90's, that signalled the end of the night for Woody. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Brewers got a power boost from an unexpected source.

 The Brewers held the 3-2 lead until the seventh inning when the Dodgers Chris Taylor hit a solo home run off of Matt Bush. The score stayed knotted all the way until the 11th, when the Dodgers scored their ghost runner off of Brent Suter with a single, but Suter limited the Dodgers to just the one run.

In the bottom of the frame, with Andrew McCutchen stationed at second base to start the inning, and closer Craig Kimbrel on the mound, slugger Hunter Renfroe shocked probably everyone watching when he laid a bunt single down the third base line. With runners at the corners, Kolten Wong struck out, Luis Urias walked, and the Brewers faced the prospect of a double play ball ending the rally. Victor Caratini delivered.

 

It's not shown in this clip, but Hunter Renfroe had to get a great read on this ball right off the bat to score on this little bloop. With only one out, he had to be sure that was dropping. Great baseball in the 11th inning from Hunter Renfroe. 

Brent Suter gets the win, and moves to 4-3 on the season. 

Game 3 -- Dodgers 2, Brewers 1

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL202208170.shtml

Eric Lauer pitched seven strong innings for the Crew tonight, giving up just two runs on solo homers to Austin Barnes and Max Muncy, but his Dodgers counterpart Tony Gonsolin was even better, shutting down the Brewers for seven innings on just two hits and a walk. 

Lauer went pitch for pitch with the Cy Young candidate Gonsolin for the first five innings, putting zeros on the board until the sixth, when Barnes got him for a solo homerun, and Muncy followed the next inning with a solo dinger of his own. On the night, Lauer allowed just four hits and three walks while striking out seven against the tough Dodgers lineup.

The Brewers got one back in the eighth inning when Christian Yelich singled home a run. Willy Adames had a chance to do some damage, but lined out to short to end the threat. With another chance against closer Craig Kimbrel, the Brewers put men on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, but Luis Urias grounded out weakly to third to end the threat. Down a run, the Brewers had the tying run in scoring position in each of the last two innings, but couldn't push it across. 

Lauer takes the unfortunate loss and drops to 8-5 on the season. 

Game 4 -- Brewers 5, Dodgers 3

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL202208180.shtml

With the Brewers needing a win to earn the split, Corbin Burnes takes the mound against Dodgers lefty Andrew Heaney.

Andrew McCutchen started things off with a bang in the first inning, launching his twelfth homerun of the season. In the bottom of the third, with the game still 1-0 Crew, he did it again.

 

The Crew added another two-spot in the fifth with a two run homer from Hunter Renfroe, his 21st of the season. 

The Brewers needed the offense today, as Burnes ran out of gas in the sixth.  The Dodgers roughed him up a bit, pushing three runs across the plate before Brad Boxberger relieved him with two outs and got out of the inning.

Taylor Rogers, Matt Bush, and Devin Williams handled the last three innings allowing just one walk from Bush, and Williams closed the door in the ninth, striking out the side. Burnes got the win to move to 9-5 on the season, and the Brewers got the much needed split with the very tough Dodgers squad. 

With the Brewers now hanging three games back of the Cardinals, the team heads to Chicago to take on the Cubs in a three game series. 

 

View full article