The Milwaukee Brewers kicked off their series against the Baltimore Orioles on a high note with a 5-4 win, a winning margin that came late in the game.
For much of the night, it seemed the Brewers had the Orioles’ number. Milwaukee jumped to an early lead and maintained it for more than half the game.
In the second inning, the Orioles took a 1-0 lead when Quinn Priester entered the game after Rob Zastryzny opened, promptly giving up a home run to his first batter, Ramon Laureano. But it was merely a blip. The Brewers broadsided the Orioles in the bottom of the inning with a three-run outburst. The first two batters reached as Rhys Hoskins walked and Isaac Collins singled. It was Caleb Durbin who brought in the first run with a single to left field.
Brice Turang followed with a slap single through the right side of the infield. It brought in two runs to extend the lead to 3-1. Turang got caught turning around first, but the runs were already secured.
The Brewers created pressure throughout the game, but often left runners stranded on the bases, only a glimpse of a potential rally. In the third inning, William Contreras led off with a double, but the following three batters flew out. In the sixth, Frelick led off on a triple, but couldn’t make it home. In the seventh, it was Hoskins getting a one-out double, but he never advanced.
One insurance run was added to the scoreboard in the fifth, though, due to consecutive doubles from Turang and Contreras. Leading 4-1, the Brewers had all the momentum. It was a massive game for both as Turang went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Contreras was even more impressive, going 4-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base, just for fun.
Priester went 5 1⁄3 innings in “relief” after the opener. It was a solid, if unspectacular, effort for Priester. He only went 66 pitches, a trend we’ve seen in recent weeks. After two disastrous outings with a pitch count around 100, his workload has been limited, and he’s been much more effective in the shorter stints.
He was efficient and only allowed that home run to Laureano through the second to sixth innings. But once he came back out for the seventh, the situation got messy. A walk and a double put two runners in scoring position, and Pat Murphy pulled Priester.
Nick Mears came in and gave up a game-tying home run to Cedric Mullins on a fastball down the middle. Priester was credited for two of those runs, so his line finished as 5 1⁄3 innings with three earned runs, two strikeouts, and a walk against four hits.
Mears then battled a 12-pitch at-bat against Dylan Carlson that resulted in a walk. He left the game after his next batter. Jared Koenig came in as his replacement. Koenig had an opportunity to pick off Carlson stealing second, but an error kept the inning going. A strikeout against Jackson Holliday was enough to finally end the inning.
The eighth inning was just as chaotic, and ultimately, more decisive. Abner Uribe went to the mound for Milwaukee. It was a volatile outing, but he kept the sheet clean. He started with a strikeout, then walked Gunnar Henderson on four pitches. He allowed a hit to put two runners on, but bounced back by getting the final two batters out on a strikeout looking and a foul-tip strikeout to escape the jam.
The bottom of the frame saw Milwaukee display their acclaimed small ball. With two outs, Turang walked after getting to a 1-2 count. He proceeded to steal second base, setting up Contreras’ game-winning single up the middle. Turang scored easily, giving the Brewers a late 5-4 lead.
Trevor Megill entered for the ninth and walked the first batter, Mullins. In a gift to the Brewers, though, the next batter popped out in foul territory on a bunt attempt.
Mullins stole second base, so the Brewers weren’t in the clear yet. But Megill forced two flyouts to left field to end the game. It was his seventh save of his season as he lowered his ERA to 2.51.
The Brewers, in a series that could help them start to gain ground in the standings, are back on the field at 6:40 p.m. tomorrow night. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.