Kyle Lohse back, Ryan Braun hurt in Milwaukee Brewers romp in San Diego
By Phil Watson
Kyle Lohse returned after missing a start because of a sore ankle and pitched six solid innings and the Milwaukee Brewers gave him plenty of support in a 10-1 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park Monday night to open a nine-game road trip.
Ryan Braun hit one of the Brewers’ two homers in the game before leaving in the seventh inning with a bruised quad that he sustained in a collision with San Diego first baseman Jake Goebbert in the first inning.
Lohse (12-7) struggled with his command, particularly early, but allowed just a second-inning run on four hits in six innings of work, walking four and striking out five. Lohse had not pitched Aug. 13 in Chicago and posted his first victory since July 23.
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Milwaukee’s offense, meanwhile, reached double digits in runs for the first time since an 11-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on July 13.
The Brewers (73-58) maintained their 1½-game lead in the National League Central over the Cardinals, who won at Pittsburgh Monday 3-2.
Milwaukee got off to a quick start, pushing across a run in the first inning against left-hander Eric Stults (6-14). Carlos Gomez led off with a single and stole second. Braun followed with an infield single that pushed Gomez to third and Aramis Ramirez singled to left to give the Crew a 1-0 lead.
Lohse walked two of the first three batters he faced, but helped himself out of the jam when he picked Will Venable off second base.
The Padres (60-70) got the equalizer in the bottom of the second on an RBI triple by Alexi Amarista. Lohse made a fine defensive play later in the inning, fielding a bunt by Stults and firing home to catcher Martin Maldonado to nail Amarista at the plate.
The umpires initiated a ridiculously long review—four minutes—before upholding the call.
Braun put the Brewers back on top in the third with a one-out bomb to left-center, his 17th home run of the season. With two outs, Khris Davis walked and stole second and Rickie Weeks followed with a walk. Maldonado singled to left to score Davis to put Milwaukee up 3-1.
On the first pitch of the top of the fifth, Ramirez crushed a home run to deep center field, his 14th, for a 4-1 Brewers lead.
Milwaukee salted the game away in the top of the sixth. Right-hander Blaine Boyer took over on the mound to start the inning and walked Jonathan Lucroy with one out. Braun followed with a single to center and Ramirez launched a ground-rule double down the left-field line that scored Lucroy.
Davis then doubled to left when Seth Smith couldn’t haul in a soft liner. Braun scored and Ramirez was held at third. Weeks lofted a sacrifice fly to right to put the Crew up 7-1.
Lohse got one more assist from a wandering Padre baserunner in the sixth. After allowing a single to Smith and walking Yasmani Grandal, Lohse struck out the next two hitters before Maldonado picked Smith off second base with a strong throw to shortstop Jean Segura, who sneaked in behind the runner at second.
In the seventh, pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay and Gomez hit back-to-back singles and Lucroy walked to load the bases. Gerardo Parra, hitting for Braun, grounded out to first to drive in Overbay and put the Crew up 8-1.
In the ninth, Milwaukee capped the scoring, touching up left-hander Alex Torres for a pair of runs. Segura led off with a walk and Elian Herrera, hitting for Gomez, doubled to right field. One out later, Parra ripped a single to right to chase home both runners.
Zach Duke struck out two while working a perfect seventh inning, Will Smith worked around a pair of hits in the eighth and Brandon Kintzler finished, allowing two hits but no runs in the ninth.
The Brewers banged out 16 hits, their most since a 19-hit outburst in that 11-2 win over the Cardinals the day before the All-Star break. Braun was 3-for-4, while Gomez and Ramirez were each 3-for-5.
Ramirez and Parra each drove in three runs.
The teams hook up again at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday, with right-hander Jimmy Nelson (2-4, 4.15 ERA) taking on All-Star right-hander Tyson Ross (11-12, 2.68 ERA).