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 The Brewers certainly took advantage of the opportunity, belting a
pair of two-run home runs in a five-run first inning then riding
right-hander Wily Peralta to a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles
Dodgers.
"It was a good first inning," said Counsell, who improved to 2-1
since taking over for Ron Roenicke Monday. "The guys just jumped on
him. We had good at-bats that whole first inning, real good at-bats.
Give Wily a lead like that on a night he was throwing pretty darn
good, you feel pretty good."
Peralta made the good feelings even better, holding the Dodgers to
three runs -- only two earned -- while scattering seven hits without
a walk and striking out six. He worked eight full innings, marking
his longest outing since throwing eight last May at Cincinnati.
"He was in control," Counsell said. "No walks was great. He just did
it with ease tonight. That was encouraging to me."
The only blemishes on Peralta's line were a pair of solo home runs
by Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson, who also robbed Peralta of a
would-be home run in the sixth.
"That lead allowed him to kind of take a deep breath," Counsell
said. "But the ball was coming out of his hands so nicely. It was
different, I thought. He had good velocity again. I hope he just
kind of took a deep breath and relaxed a little bit and found
something to go on moving forward."
Peralta emerged as an anchor for the Brewers' rotation a year ago
when he was 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA but he'd gotten off to a slow
start this season and came into the game 0-4 with a 4.35 ERA.
"I've been working on my mechanics in the bullpen," Peralta said.
"They are feeling better the last few starts. Tonight I got into a
good rhythm. I didn't try to throw it too hard, and the life with
the fastball was there."
Wieland allowed seven runs on six hits and four walks in 4 2/3
innings.
Center fielder Carlos Gomez's leadoff walk got things started and
Gennett followed with his first home run of the season. Wieland
followed by walking Braun, and Lind made him pay with his fifth
homer of the year.
Milwaukee got one more run in the inning when catcher Martin
Maldonado drove in shortstop Jean Segura.
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"I couldn't locate the fastball," Wieland said. "I got behind to
Gennett and he made me pay. I thought I was throwing well to Lind
there, just left that curveball up. I take away those two pitches,
it's a totally different first inning. But after that (Ellis) told
me let's start over. It's a whole new game. And that's what I did, I
was able to settle in."
The Dodgers got one back in the fourth when third baseman Justin
Turner scored on an error by Segura.
Center fielder Joc Pederson made it a 5-2 game with a one-out home
run in the fifth. He added another in the eighth, marking his first
career multi-homer game.
Pederson's last seven hits have been home runs.
"He continues to swing the bat," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
"Obviously he's either walking or hitting a homer right now, but I
do like the ball going to center."
Wieland settled down after his rough first inning but ran into
trouble again in the fifth, giving way after a two-out double by
Lind and an intentional walk to third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Lind
scored when reliever Sergio Santos walked Segura.
NOTES: The Dodgers optioned LHP Daniel Coulombe to Triple-A Oklahoma
City, making room on the 25-man roster for RHP Joe Wieland, who
started Wednesday. Coulombe appeared in one game for the Dodgers,
allowing a run on a walk and a double in the ninth inning Tuesday as
Los Angeles beat the Brewers 8-2. ... Brewers starting pitchers had
recorded 10 quality starts over their last 14 games, posting a 3.72
ERA. Milwaukee's rotation had just two quality starts in the first
14 games, with an ERA of 6.12.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
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