Marlins Blow Early Lead, Lose To Brewers 8-7
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MILWAUKEE (CBSMiami/AP) – The Miami Marlins were hoping for their first series sweep in almost two months but couldn't ride an early lead to victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Ryan Braun became the Brewers all-time home run leader with his 252nd home run and Khris Davis hit two home runs to help Milwaukee to an 8-7 victory over the Marlins.
Braun hit a 2-1 pitch from former Brewers starter Chris Narveson to lead off the sixth. Braun broke the tie with Hall of Famer Robin Yount with a blast off the railing of the second deck in right.
Davis teed off on the first pitch from Marlins starter Tom Koehler (8-11) in the second for a two-run homer and then did it again in the third to tie the game at 5-5 with a three-run homer. It was his fourth multi-homer game this season and fifth of his career.
Martin Maldonado put Milwaukee 7-6 ahead with a two-run single off Koehler. One batter later, Narveson relieved with the bases loaded, one out and stranded the three runners.
Wily Peralta (4-7) picked up the win despite surrendering six runs on eight hits over five shaky innings. He walked three and struck out two as the Brewers denied the Marlins their first sweep since May 6-8, 2008 and first at Miller Park since Sept. 1-3, 2006.
The Brewers bullpen preserved the victory with three scoreless innings of relief.
Corey Knebel and Will Smith covered the sixth and Jeremy Jeffress went an inning and 1-3. Francisco Rodriguez had two outs in the ninth when Marcell Ozuna hit a solo home run. Rodriguez recovered, striking out pinch-hitter Casey MeGehee for his 30th save in as many chances.
Justin Bour drove in three runs for the Marlins. He hit a two-run homer in the first and then ground into a fielder's choice that scored Martin Prado for a 6-5 lead in the fifth. Miguel Rojas had a run-scoring single in the second and Connor Gillespie knocked in a run with a double in third.
Koehler lost his season-worst fifth straight game. He's allowed 23 runs over that stretch.
Dee Gordon used a single in the first and triple in the eighth for his 42nd multi-hit game, sharing the NL lead with Cincinnati's Joey Votto.
Adam Lind went 3 for 4 with two singles and a double for Milwaukee.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: OF Ichiro Suzuki almost had the game off. Tuesday night, he became the oldest player (41 years, 301 days) in club history with four hits, going 4 for 5 with two runs scored for his first four-hit game since July 28, 2013. He was 0 for 5 on Monday. He entered Wednesday's game in the seventh, taking right field in a double switch.
Brewers: Manager Craig Counsell is going to a four-man rotation at least until a three-game series at Cincinnati the first week of September. "We will need a fifth starter there," Counsell said. "With the amount of off days we have, guys are still going to have an extra day of rest during this stretch." While the club has three of the next eight days off, another factor in the reduction from five starters was another poor performance by rookie right-hander Tyler Cravy. Winless in five career starts, he pitched himself out of the rotation after Tuesday night's 9-6 loss. He lasted only 2 2-3 innings, giving up seven runs - four earned - on seven hits and three walks.
UP NEXT
Marlins: LHP Brad Hand (2-3, 4.74 ERA) opens the three-game home series with the Philadelphia Phillies. He is 1-2 with a 3.44 ERA in nine career games, including five starts, against the Phillies.
Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (9-9, 3.61 ERA) starts Friday in the opener of a three-game road series with the Washington Nationals. His first career start against them was a five-inning, 10-hit 7-2 loss on June 13 at Miller Park.
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