Brewers: 3 homers negated when San Francisco takes the 6th
By Phil Watson
The day began with one of the longest home runs—chronologically—in Miller Park history and was spiced up with one of the longest—in terms of distance—since the ballpark opened, but in the end, the Milwaukee Brewers were done in by another huge inning in an 8-4 Memorial Day loss to the San Francisco Giants.
More from Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Brewers are making a bold bet with Jackson Chourio
- 5 Pitchers Milwaukee Brewers Should Trade For
- Milwaukee Brewers: 3 trade packages the New York Mets could make for Corbin Burnes
- This former player will eventually manage the Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Brewers: 3 trade packages the Baltimore Orioles could offer for Corbin Burnes
Right-hander Kyle Lohse was cruising along, allowing just a run on former Brewer Nori Aoki’s solo homer in the third inning, before the dam burst in the sixth.
Holding a 4-1 lead entering the sixth, Lohse struck out Angel Pagan before the wheels began to wobble.
Hunter Pence and Brandon Crawford sandwiched singles around a walk to Brandon Belt, loading the bases.
Matt Duffy followed with an RBI single up the middle that former Gold Glove center fielder Carlos Gomez botched into another run by misplaying the ball, making it a 4-3 game.
Reliever Jeremy Jeffress—the busiest man in baseball with 25 appearances—came on and gave up a ground ball single to Andrew Susac that tied the game 4-4.
Pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco lined a single up the middle that would have scored Duffy anyway and left runners at first and second … had Gomez not committed his second error of the inning with a wild throw to allow the runners to take an extra base.
May 25, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Nori Aoki (23) hits a single to drive in a run in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Aoki followed with another line drive up the middle for a 6-4 San Francisco lead.
Left-hander Will Smith came on and walked Joe Panik to load the bases before Pagan struck out—for the second time in the inning (ouch!). Pence followed with a double to left that plated two more runs before left-hander Neal Cotts had to come on and get Belt to finally end the frame.
The final tally on the inning—seven runs, seven hits, two errors by Gomez, an 8-4 deficit and eventually, a third consecutive loss as relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Hunter Strickland slammed the door shut, holding Milwaukee (16-30) hitless over the final four innings.
That was enough to make a winner of Tim Lincecum (5-2), who was shaky, allowing three home runs—two to Khris Davis—after allowing just one in his first eight starts.
Davis’ first home run was a thing of beautiful confusion. After blasting a no-doubter into the right field seats, Davis was ruled out for failing to touch home plate after San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy had his team appeal.
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell immediately called for a replay review and, after looking at the tape, the call was reversed and the home run restored.
After the Giants (26-20) tied the game on Aoki’s homer in the third, Davis went deep again—a long blast to left-center—and made sure there was no ambiguity about the outcome.
It was Ryan Braun’s turn in the bottom of the fifth.
With Davis aboard following a one-out single, Braun unloaded on a Lincecum fastball, depositing it onto the concourse over the bleachers in left field.
The 474-foot blast was the longest by a right-handed hitter in the history of Miller Park, which opened in 2001. The longest homer ever in the ballpark was hit by Russell Branyan on July 27, 2004, against Atlanta Braves’ right-hander Greg Maddux, a bomb that went 480 feet.
When the game was over, Counsell talked about the appeal and the replay reversal of Davis’ homer.
Lohse (3-5) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Jeffress was charged with three runs while failing to record an out. Smith was charged with a hit while walking one and fanning one in a third of an inning.
Live Feed
Reviewing the Brew
Cotts worked 1.1 innings and struck out one while allowing a pair of hits. Brandon Kintzler surrendered a hit and recorded a strikeout in the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez walked one and fanned two in a scoreless ninth.
Davis had three of the Brewers’ five hits in the game. Hector Gomez’s ground-rule double in the fourth and Braun’s homer in the fifth were the only others.
Aoki was 4-for-4 in his first game at Miller Park since he was traded to the Kansas City Royals after the 2013 season. He also walked once and stole his 11th base of the season while raising his average to .312. He signed with the Giants as a free agent last winter.
The Brewers and Giants go back at it at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday. Right-hander Matt Garza (2-6, 5.71 ERA) starts for Milwaukee, while San Francisco goes to World Series hero Madison Bumgarner (5-2, 2.84).
Garza is 1-1 in two career starts against the Giants with a 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings. Bumgarner, the left-hander, is 4-2 in seven starts against the Brewers with a 1.65 ERA.
Next: Peralta Has Rib-Cage Strain, Out 4-6 Weeks