Brewers survive for 7-5 victory after withstanding Phillies' 9th-inning comeback attempt
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Carlos Santana had a two-run homer, Mark Canha doubled twice and the Milwaukee Brewers withstood a late comeback attempt to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 on Saturday night.
Philadelphia lost its third straight even though Trea Turner tied a franchise record by homering in a fifth consecutive game. Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a homer for the second straight night and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for the Phillies.
The Phillies had runners on third and second in the ninth when Devin Williams struck out Turner swinging at a 3-2 pitch to end the game and earn his 32nd save in 36 opportunities. Turner had hit a three-run homer off Williams in the eighth inning of the Phillies' 7-5 loss to the Brewers one night earlier.
Milwaukee's William Contreras, Brice Turang and Andruw Monasterio had two hits each as the Brewers extended their NL Central lead to 4 1/2 games over the Chicago Cubs, who lost 2-1 to the Cincinnati Reds.
The Brewers won by getting big contributions from players they added at the trade deadline.
They acquired Santana from Pittsburgh on July 27. Four days later, they landed Canha in a trade with the New York Mets. Andrew Chafin (3-3), who earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief, arrived in an Aug. 1 trade with Arizona.
Philadelphia took a 2-0 lead on homers by Schwarber and Realmuto in the first two innings.
Schwarber hit a 424-foot drive to center on a 2-1 cutter in the first. Realmuto added a 438-foot shot to center on a first-pitch slider in the second.
Brewers starter Colin Rea settled down from there and left with the Brewers leading 3-2 in the fifth. Rea struck out six and allowed three hits, two runs and no walks in 4 1/3 innings in his first appearance for the Brewers since Aug. 4.
The Brewers called Rea up from the minors after right-hander Adrian Houser went on the injured list.
Philadelphia's Aaron Nola had gone 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in his 11 previous career starts against the Brewers, but he couldn't protect that early lead Saturday.
Milwaukee pulled ahead by scoring three runs in the second inning. Canha started the rally with a ground-rule double and scored on Turang's one-out single. Turang came home on a two-out double from Tyrone Taylor, who scored the go-ahead run on Christian Yelich's single to left.
The Brewers added four more runs in the fifth. After Contreras hit a one-out double, Santana homered to right center to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Canha hit a two-out RBI double that sent Nola out of the game, then Turang greeted Andrew Bellatti with a run-scoring single.
Nola allowed seven earned runs – a season high and one off his career high – and lasted just 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and gave up eight hits and three walks.
Turner homered in the sixth off Brewers reliever Trevor Megill. Nick Castellanos' sacrifice fly in the eighth cut Milwaukee's lead to 7-4. Schwarber hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth, then pinch-runner Johan Rojas stole second to put the potential tying run in scoring position.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers LHP Aaron Ashby was sent to Single-A Wisconsin to begin a rehab assignment. Ashby hasn't pitched all season and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder in April.
UP NEXT
LHP Ranger Suárez (2-6, 3.88 ERA) starts for the Phillies and LHP Wade Miley (7-3, 3.17) pitches for the Brewers as this three-game series closes Sunday afternoon.