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 But with right-hander Stephen Strasburg on the mound for
Washington and Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke resting three of his
top hitters, the odds were leaning toward the Nationals finishing
off a three-game sweep of the Brewers.
So much for baseball logic.
Second baseman Scooter Gennett hit a grand slam and left fielder
Khris Davis belted a solo shot as the Brewers tagged Strasburg for
seven runs and snapped a two-game losing streak with a 9-2 victory
over the Nationals.
"That's why I tell you guys I can't figure it out," Roenicke said.
"You just don't know what's going to happen. Scooter, huge at-bat.
Before that, those were all really good at-bats to load the bases
up. Happy to see Khris Davis with some good at bats today. Lyle had
some good at-bats. We did a nice job offensively."
Roenicke gave the team's leading hitter, catcher Jonathan Lucroy,
the day off along with third baseman Aramis Ramirez and right
fielder Ryan Braun, who has been mired in a monthlong funk. That
left light-hitting veteran Lyle Overbay to play first with utility
man Elian Herrera and backup catcher Martin Maldonado rounding out
the lineup.
Still, the moves paid off as the Brewers collected 13 hits for the
game -- eight of them off Strasburg (6-6), who lasted just 4 2/3
innings.
"They're a free-swinging team," Strasburg said. "They're going to
run in to balls, so I missed my spot obviously, but that's just kind
of how it is right now."
Milwaukee also got a boost from right-hander Marco Estrada, who had
been on the verge of losing his spot in the rotation after a long
run of home run-filled outings.
He had allowed 19 home runs in his last 10 starts but kept the ball
in the park for just the second time this season and held Washington
to two hits while covering 6 1/3 badly needed innings for Milwaukee,
which used six relievers to cover 10 innings the night before.
"I didn't care what the score was -- obviously, you want to win --
but after a night like last night, you just want to give the team
innings," Estrada (7-4) said. "The guys came out with a lot of
energy, they swung the bat really well and scored a lot of runs and
it just made my job just a little bit easier."
Washington also was short on arms and when Strasburg made an early
exit turned to rookie right-hander Taylor Hill to close out the
game.
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Hill allowed two runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings and had his
first big league strikeout when he fanned Davis to close out the
sixth.
"We were limited, so we were hoping (Strasburg would) go further,
but Hill threw the ball good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said.
"He saved our bullpen today."
Washington took advantage of four Estrada walks and a wild pitch to
generate its early offense, taking a 1-0 lead when first baseman
Adam LaRoche, who led off the second inning with a walk, scored on
right fielder Nate McLouth's fielder's choice.
Gennett gave Milwaukee a 4-2 lead with a grand slam in the bottom of
the inning.
After the Nationals cut the deficit to one with an RBI double from
shortstop Ian Desmond in the fourth, Davis belted Strasburg's first
offering to left-center field for his 14th home run of the season in
the bottom of the inning.
Davis and Gennett finished with two hits apiece.
NOTES: After using six relievers to cover 10 innings Tuesday night,
Milwaukee optioned RHP Mike Fiers to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday
and recalled RHP Alfredo Figaro. ... The Nationals also made a move,
summoning RHP Taylor Hill from Triple-A Syracuse and designating INF
Greg Dobbs for assignment. ... Washington continues a seven-game
road trip Thursday at Wrigley Field, where the Nationals will send
RHP Doug Fister to the mound in the opener of a four-game series
with the Cubs. ... Milwaukee opens a four-game set with Colorado at
Miller Park on Thursday with RHP Wily Peralta taking on LHP
Christian Friedrich.
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