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 The Gold Glove-winning center fielder homered on the first pitch
he saw, then drew three walks and singled as the Brewers snapped a
two-game losing streak with an 8-3 victory over the Arizona
Diamondbacks on Monday night at Miller Park.
"The road trip in Cincinnati was a little tough, so to come back
home and start the game like that was real amazing," said Gomez, who
has three leadoff home runs this season.
He was one of three Brewers players to homer Monday as Milwaukee
snapped out of an offensive funk that led to losses in four of the
previous five games.
Catcher Martin Maldonado and shortstop Jean Segura each hit his
first home runs of the season. Segura's two-run shot in the sixth
broke the game wide open, giving Milwaukee a five-run lead.
Gomez, Segura and Maldonado combined to go 6-for-10 with seven RBIs,
allowing manager Ron Roenicke to give his overworked late-inning
relievers a chance to catch their breath.
"(Closer Francisco Rodriguez) was still warming up there in the
ninth, but it feels good to have so many guys that had good
offensive days today," Roenicke said. "Hopefully we get it going and
we can score a few more runs every game."
The offensive outburst also helped right-hander Matt Garza, who
battled through command issues and a high pitch count but still held
Arizona to just three runs on eight hits over six innings. Garza
(2-3) finished with two walks and five strikeouts.
"This was an important game for him," Roenicke said. "He needs to
get that win and keep us in ballgames. He's been pressing, like
everybody would, so it was nice to see."
Garza needed 25 pitches to get through the first inning.
Right fielder Gerardo Parra led off with a double to the gap in
right-center and scored on a two-out RBI single by second baseman
Aaron Hill, giving Arizona a 1-0 lead.
Gomez even the score in the bottom of the inning, and Maldonado gave
the Brewers a 3-1 lead with his home run to left in the second.
The Diamondbacks struck again in the third, and again, Hill played a
key role.
Parra and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt sandwiched singles around a
strikeout by third baseman Martin Prado.
Catcher Miguel Montero drove in Parra with a base hit to right, and
Hill followed with a single to left that drove in Goldschmidt and
made it 3-3.
Shortstop Chris Owings walked to load the bases with one out, but
Arizona couldn't capitalize.
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"We were having pretty good at-bats up until that point," Arizona
manager Kirk Gibson said. "They drove the ball out of the ballpark,
and we had a bunch of singles and one double. I think that was kind
of the difference."
Garza settled in after that and retired 10 of his last 13 batters --
getting a little help from replay along the way -- to make it
through six innings.
"I felt like I got some timing and a little bit of rhythm going,"
Garza said. "I just want to keep it going to the next start. It was
bumpy early, but the guys just stood behind me and backed me. It was
real satisfying."
He was able to leave with a lead thanks to left fielder Khris Davis,
who drove in second baseman Scooter Gennett with a sacrifice fly in
the fifth -- the last inning for Arizona right-hander Mike
Bolsinger, who gave up four runs on seven hits and four walks while
striking out three.
Bolsinger (1-2) kept the Diamondbacks close, but the Brewers, who
scored an average of 2.6 runs per game during their recent swoon,
finally were able to get some late-inning insurance.
Gomez drove in two more with a single off right-hander Randall
Delgado in the sixth. He scored when Segura, batting in the No. 2
spot, followed with his first home run of the season.
"It's important how we bounce back," Gomez said. "That's what we've
been doing so far this season. We've found a way to come back and
play the right baseball."
NOTES: After the game, the Diamondbacks placed RHP J.J. Putz on the
15-day disabled list due to right forearm tightness. Arizona will
recall RHP Evan Marshall from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday. ... C
Jonathan Lucroy, the Brewers' leading hitter with RF Ryan Braun on
the disabled list, got the day off. ... Diamondbacks OF A.J. Pollack
appeared as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and grounded out. He
missed the previous four games with a groin injury.
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