Brewers: Matt Garza blanks Indians for 6 innings in return
By Phil Watson
Right-hander Matt Garza returned from the disabled list Tuesday night and fired six shutout innings as the Milwaukee Brewers won their fourth straight game since returning from the All-Star Break.
The Brewers, on what was dubbed Major League Night at Miller Park to commemorate the 60th anniversary of broadcaster and Milwaukee native Bob Uecker’s time in baseball, blasted the Cleveland Indians 8-1 behind the solid work of Garza (5-10), who scattered six hits while walking two and striking out four.
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“Like I had 20 days off,” Garza told MLB.com of how he felt in his return from tendinitis in his right shoulder. “It’s been awhile since I had that intensity. I kind of just ran out of gas, that’s it. But I think [83 pitches] is pretty good for the first time out after 20 days. I’m happy nothing hurt. … I had butterflies going in.”
The Brewers (42-52) got off to another fast start, as Gerardo Parra led off the game with a triple to right field off Indians right-hander Danny Salazar (8-5). Jonathan Lucroy grounded out to shortstop to drive in Parra with the game’s first run.
In the second, Carlos Gomez led off with a walk and, after a fly ouy, Jean Segura connected for his fourth home run of the season, driving a first-pitch fastball over the wall in left-center.
The triple to Parra and the homer to Segura were the only hits allowed by Salazar in his six innings of work.
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But after Cleveland (44-48) got on the board against right-hander Michael Blazer in the seventh on doubles by Yan Gomes and Giovanny Urshela, Will Smith came on to strike out two batters to end the threat.
Then Milwaukee, which is 17-6 over its last 23 games, blew the game open against right-hander Zach McAllister.
Segura led off with an infield single and stole second, scoring on Scooter Gennett’s single up the middle. Shane Peterson, batting for Smith, singled to center and Parra walked to load the bases.
Right-hander Ryan Webb came on to try and get out of the mess and induced Lucroy to bounce into a home-to-first double play that left runners at second and third with two outs.
It looked like Webb had escaped, but shortstop Francisco Lindor made a bad throw to first on Ryan Braun’s grounder, allowing Peterson to score and keeping the inning alive.
Left-hander Kyle Crockett came on to face lefty-swinging Adam Lind, who lined a single to left to score Parra and make it a 6-1 game.
After right-hander Jeff Manship relieved Crockett, Gomez singled to center to score Braun.
The Brewers added another run in the eighth. Segura led off with a single off reliever Austin Adams. Gennett hit into a fielder’s choice and, one out later, Parra cracked his second triple of the game to center field to score Gennett.
Parra became the second Brewer to triple twice in a game this season, joining Khris Davis, who turned the trick on May 27 against the San Francisco Giants, also at Miller Park.
It was the 21st time in franchise history a player has hit two triples in the same game. Rick Manning (July 6, 1984, and May 30, 1986), Paul Molitor (Aug. 17, 1979, and Aug. 1, 1992) and Fernando Vina (July 24, 1995, and April 24, 1996) are the only Brewers to do it twice.
The others to turn the trick were Ted Savage (Sept. 15, 1970), Ben Oglivie (June 23, 1979), Ted Simmons (May 26, 1984), Randy Ready (Sept. 7, 1985), Robin Yount (July 28, 1986), Franklin Stubbs (July 23, 1991), Tom Brunansky (May 15, 1993), Darryl Hamilton (July 5, 1995), Jose Valentin (Sept. 29, 1999), Geoff Jenkins (April 6, 2004), Alcides Escobar (April 21, 2010), Gomez (June 12, 2013) and Segura (June 17, 2014).
Neal Cotts worked around a hit and a walk, striking out one in a scoreless eighth, and Corey Knebel fanned two while setting down the Indians in order in the ninth.
Segura was 3-for-4, raising his average to .282, and the red-hot Parra was 2-for-4 and is now at .315 for the season, eighth-best in the National League.
The Brewers close out the quick two-game set with Cleveland at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday. Kyle Lohse (5-10, 6.17 ERA) takes the ball for Milwaukee against right-hander Cody Anderson (2-1, 0.89 ERA).
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Lohse is 8-9 in 24 appearances and 18 starts lifetime against the Indians, with a 5.45 ERA, 1.317 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 104 innings. He last faced Cleveland in 2012, while he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lohse took a no-decision in his last start, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts in five innings of a 4-3 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles on July 12.
Anderson, who debuted with the Indians on June 21, will make his first career appearance against the Brewers. He allowed a run on three hits in 6.2 innings, striking out one, in a 3-1 win over the Astros in Cleveland in his last start on July 9.
The Crew pulled to within a half-game of the fourth-place Cincinnati Reds with the win and Cincinnati’s 5-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs in 13 innings Tuesday night.
The Brewers have been last or tied for last in the National League Central every day this season.
Next: Lucroy Says He Was Rebuffed By Club On Extension Talks