8th-Inning Home Run Sends Brewers Past Twins, 5-4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Christian Yelich broke a tie with a solo home run in the top of the eighth, Milwaukee's bullpen pitched five scoreless innings, and the Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series.
The Brewers moved to 7-2 on their 10-game road trip with their latest come-from-behind victory.
Rookie Jake Cave hit a two-run homer in his major league debut for the Twins to give them a 4-2 lead in the fourth, but the Brewers battled back with two runs in the fifth inning and Yelich's go-ahead home run off Addison Reed (0-3).
Brewers closer Josh Hader (2-0) got the final out in the seventh, struck out the side in a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth and struck out three more in the ninth after a leadoff walk.
Both rookie starting pitchers struggled with their control.
Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta, who struck out 13 in his outstanding first start, allowed four runs in four-plus innings while walking six.
Minnesota's Fernando Romero, who allowed just one run combined in his first three starts, lasted five innings, allowing four runs (three earned.) He threw two wild pitches, both of which were costly.
Romero's wild pitch to Jesus Aguilar with two outs in the fifth inning brought home Manny Pina to tie the game at 4 after Pina's RBI double pulled the Brewers within one. Romero also uncorked a wild pitch with a man on first base in the first inning. With Lorenzo Cain trying to advance to second base, catcher Bobby Wilson committed a throwing error that allowed Cain to scamper to third and later score on Aguilar's sacrifice fly for the game's first run.
Aguilar hit his third home run in two games, tying the game 2-2 leading off the fourth inning.
The Twins had taken a 2-1 lead on Wilson's two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the second. It was Wilson's fourth hit with the Twins — three of which have driven in runs.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: 1B Joe Mauer was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a cervical strain and concussion-like symptoms before Saturday's game. Mauer was removed from Friday's game with neck stiffness but was later revealed to have "balance issues and light sensitivity." . 3B Miguel Sano (left hamstring) began a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with "tentative" hopes of returning for the Twins' road trip.
Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (rotator cuff inflammation) made a rehab start with Milwaukee's Single-A affiliate, allowing no runs and striking out nine in 4 2/3 innings. Manager Craig Counsell said the team would evaluate Davies' next step after his bullpen session on Monday.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Milwaukee sends RHP Junior Guerra (3-3) to the mound Sunday. Guerra went six innings in a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last start. RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-2) pitches for the Twins. He's allowed just one run in 11 innings over his last two starts.
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