The Brewers picked up another win on Wednesday afternoon, wrapping up their season-opening homestand with another series win behind a solid pitching performance and a late offensive surge.
Jacob Misiorowski got off to a strong start, setting down the top of Tampa Bay’s lineup in order bookended with a pair of strikeouts. Drew Rasmussen had similar success in the bottom of the inning, putting Milwaukee down 1-2-3 with a strikeout of Christian Yelich.
After picking up a pair of strikeouts to begin the second, a foul tip off the bat of Nick Fortes (on a 100-mph fastball) flew directly into home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor’s mask, who fell to his knees and was visibly shaken up. Bucknor eventually got up and walked off the field under his own power, flanked by members of the Brewers’ training staff. It was a pretty scary moment, so hopefully Bucknor is alright.
After the delay, Misiorowski gave up a single to Fortes and a walk to Chandler Simpson, but he got out of the inning with the game still scoreless. After Rasmussen worked around a single and steal by Garrett Mitchell, Misiorowski found himself struggling in the third.
Miz hit the leadoff man, Richie Palacios, to put a runner on with nobody out. Up next was Yandy Díaz, who lofted a fastball over the right field fence for a two-run homer, putting Tampa up 2-0. Misiorowski then got a flyout before giving up a double to Jake Fraley, but he struck out the next two batters to keep the deficit at two.
The Brewers didn’t take long to respond in the bottom of the inning, as David Hamilton reached on a throwing error by Junior Caminero before swiping second base. After Joey Ortiz hit a deep fly ball that was caught by a sliding Cedric Mullins on the warning track, Brice Turang got a hold of one and put it into the Brewer bullpen to knot the game at 2-2. Caminero had another throwing error one batter later, but Rasmussen struck out the next two to keep the score at 2-2.
In the fourth, Miz allowed a one-out single to Simpson, who was wiped out at second on a spectacular diving play and throw by Turang. He then walked Palacios but got out of the inning with a soft grounder by Díaz.
Rasmussen continued right where he left off in the fourth, striking out Milwaukee’s outfield trio of Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins in order on just 12 pitches. Misiorowski was even more efficient in the top of the fifth, inducing three flyouts on just six pitches.
That would be indicative of the quiet innings to come, as Rasmussen worked around a Turang walk in the bottom of the fifth, Miz set the Rays down in order in the sixth, and Rasmussen’s replacement, Ian Seymour, allowed a leadoff single but then got a double play and strikeout for a clean bottom of the sixth.
Misiorowski’s day was over after six frames, as he allowed two runs on four hits and a pair of walks with seven strikeouts. He was slightly overshadowed by Rasmussen, who went five innings with two runs allowed (only one earned) on two hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
Grant Anderson took over for Miz in the seventh, setting the Rays down 1-2-3 before Seymour did the same in the bottom of the inning. Aaron Ashby allowed a leadoff walk in the eighth but got an inning-ending double play, and this one would be decided in the final at-bat for each team.
Griffin Jax got the ball in place of Seymour in the eighth, and immediately found himself struggling, with no help from his defense to boot. Ortiz singled (note: this was originally ruled an error, but the scoring was changed the next inning) to start the frame, and Turang followed with a sacrifice bunt. But Caminero failed to make the catch at first — his third error of the day — and both runners were safe.
The ball kept rolling from there, as William Contreras singled to load the bases with no outs. Yelich, who delivered the huge go-ahead hit in the eighth on Sunday, did exactly the same today, singling in both Ortiz and Turang to give Milwaukee the late 4-2 lead. Jake Bauers followed with a walk to once again load the bases.
Mason Englert took over for Jax, and he didn’t fare any better, allowing a two-run double to Mitchell — making it 6-2 Brewers — before Perkins brought in another with a groundout.
Hamilton drove in one more with a two-out single, giving Milwaukee a big six-run inning for an 8-2 lead before all was said and done.
DL Hall got the ninth and picked up a trio of strikeouts while working around a hit by pitch and single.
It was another solid day for the Crew, as they moved to 5-1 on the season. Ashby took the win with his scoreless eighth, while the staff as a whole scattered five hits, three walks, and a hit batter, giving up two runs (both credited against Misiorowski). Offensively, Turang, Yelich, and Mitchell led the way, as all three picked up a pair of RBIs. Perkins and Hamilton added an RBI each, and Turang and Mitchell had the only extra-base hits on a homer and double, respectively.
The Brewers get their first off day on Thursday before beginning a two-city interleague road trip this weekend. They’ll first head to Kansas City to take on the Royals. First pitch in Friday’s game is at 6:45 p.m. CT, airing exclusively on Apple TV, though you can also listen on the Brewer Radio Network.
