Two home runs back Quinn Priester, Brewers take game two over Braves

Box Score

Quinn Priester made the start on Tuesday night, not behind partner DL Hall for the first time in a few appearances. He was still just as strong, giving the Brewers six innings of one-run baseball. The offense backed him up with a couple of home runs, and the Brewers broke their two-game losing streak with a 4-1 win.

The game didn’t have the best start as Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the game with a single to center. Priester responded quickly with a strikeout of Austin Riley, then got Matt Olson to line out. He finished the inning with a groundout of Marcell Ozuna to keep the Braves in check.

The Brewers put together an early scoring chance in the bottom of the inning. After Brice Turang struck out, Jackson Chourio hit a bouncing ball to short that he just beat out. William Contreras moved him up by drawing a walk, giving the Brewers their first runner in scoring position. They couldn’t cash them in, though. Jake Bauers hit a ground ball to first that could have been a double-play ball, but Bauers just beat out the return throw. Rhys Hoskins then struck out to end the inning.

The second started out well as Priester struck out Michael Harris II, then got Ozzie Albies to pop out to third. The Braves got their own scoring chance with two outs thanks to back-to-back singles from Sean Murphy and Eli White. Priester kept them off the board with a strikeout of Nick Allen to end the inning. Meanwhile, the Brewers got a leadoff walk from Sal Frelick to start the bottom of the second. He was quickly erased when Isaac Collins hit into a double play, then Caleb Durbin struck out to end the inning.

The third inning was similar to the first for the Braves. Acuña Jr. hit his second single of the game, but was stranded there again after Priester retired the next three batters he saw. Meanwhile, the Brewers got another leadoff single, this time from Joey Ortiz. After Turang struck out for the second time, Chourio was up to bat. He hit a slider that just cleared the outfield fence, and the Brewers had a 2-0 lead.

The Brewers had a chance to add on as Contreras followed the home run with his own double to center. However, he would be left on second following back-to-back strikeouts by Bauers and Hoskins.

The fourth inning went by with both teams trading two-out baserunners. Murphy hit a double for the Braves with two outs, but was left there after White lined out. Caleb Durbin drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning, and he would also be stranded after Ortiz grounded out.

In the fifth, the Braves’ offense broke through. Allen led off the inning with a double, and Acuña Jr. followed that with his third single of the game. The Brewers’ lead was down to 2-1 and the Braves were threatening for more. That would get erased quickly after Riley grounded into a double play. Olson flew out to end the inning, keeping it a 2-1 game. Unfortunately, the Brewers’ offense responded with three more strikeouts for a quick fifth inning.

Priester responded to the run allowed in the fifth with a 1-2-3 sixth inning, his only three-batter inning. That was also his last inning of the day. He finished his day with six innings pitched, allowing just the one run in the fifth inning. He scattered seven hits through the start, but struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

Hanging on to a one-run lead, the Brewers’ offense gave Priester some additional run support. The first insurance run came from Bauers, who smashed a fastball far over the center field fence for a 3-1 lead.

The Brewers couldn’t add on there, but they chased Grant Holmes from the game after 5 1⁄3 innings pitched. Aaron Bummer finished the sixth for the Braves, retiring the two batters he saw that inning. Meanwhile, Abner Uribe was first out of the bullpen for the Brewers in the seventh. It was a quick inning for him—he needed just eight pitches to retire the side.

Needing more insurance, the Brewers put together a strong scoring chance in the bottom of the seventh. It started with Durbin getting hit by a pitch. The Braves challenged it, but the replay was inconclusive. The ball appeared to graze Durbin’s foot, but the camera angle was not clear. The call stood, and Durbin was on first base. Ortiz was up next, and he initially went for the sacrifice bunt. However, on a 2-1 count, the hit and run was on, and Ortiz hit a ball down the right field line. Durbin reached third, and the Brewers had runners at the corners. Ortiz stole second and Turang drew a walk, loading the bases with no outs.

The Braves went to José Ruiz, who had recently been acquired off waivers from the Phillies. His last appearance: five runs allowed on May 31st against the Brewers. Ruiz was off-target early, but managed to strike out Chourio. Next up was Contreras, who was more patient and drew a five-pitch walk to drive in a run. After a mound visit, Ruiz calmed down and struck out Bauers. Hoskins had one more chance to drive in a run with the bases loaded, but flew out to center to end the inning. Despite loading the bases with no outs, the Brewers only scored one run. It did increase their lead to 4-1.

Even though it was a long eighth inning, Uribe returned for the eighth inning. He started with two quick outs of Acuña Jr. and Riley, but then allowed a double to Olson. He stranded Olson there by getting Ozuna to fly out, preserving the 4-1 lead. The Brewers didn’t add on, going down in order against Dylan Dodd in the eighth.

That set up the ninth for Trevor Megill. There were no issues for him. He struck out Harris II and Albies, then ended the game with a first-pitch fly-out from Sean Murphy. The Brewers held on and won 4-1.

Chourio led the offense with a 2-for-4 day, driving in two of the Brewers’ four runs. Oritz was the other Brewer with a two-hit day. Contreras also drove in a run and reached base three times—one hit and two walks. Even though the Brewers scored four runs, they still had issues on offense. They went hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, and left seven runners on base. That included the seventh inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs but only scored one run.

The rubber match of the series will take place tomorrow afternoon. Chad Patrick will get the start for the Brewers, and he will face Spencer Schwellenbach of the Braves. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. CT, and it will be on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.

Two home runs back Quinn Priester, Brewers take game two over Braves

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