Phillies' Bullpen, Bats Deliver 6-4 Series-Opening Win Over Brewers
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a tiebreaking double in the sixth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies used stellar relief work to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 on Friday night, overcoming Christian Yelich's major league-leading 20th homer.
McCutchen's two-hit hit drove in Scott Kingery for a 5-4 lead. Rhys Hoskins added his 12th homer in the seventh, and five Phillies relievers combined for six scoreless innings.
Vince Velasquez (2-2), who was reinstated from the injured list earlier in the day, pitched two innings for the win. Hector Neris struck out the side in the ninth for his ninth save in nine tries.
Yelich returned after missing two games with back spasms and went deep in the third. Orlando Arcia also homered, but Milwaukee was hurt by some shaky relief.
Freddy Peralta (2-2) allowed two runs and three hits in two innings. Matt Albers also permitted a run while recording three outs.
Kingery's RBI double made it 2-1 Phillies in the second, but the Brewers tied it in the bottom half on Arcia's fifth homer. After Yelich connected, Yasmani Grandal made it 4-2 with an RBI double off Jerad Eickhoff.
Maikel Franco got one back for Philadelphia when he singled in Hoskins in the fourth. Bryce Harper tied it up in the fifth with an RBI double.
Philadelphia had a chance to go in front, but Lorenzo Cain hauled in César Hernández's shot to deep center as he crashed into the wall.
The Phillies cut down the potential go-ahead run in the fifth when Yelich was thrown out at the plate on a failed double-steal attempt.
Neither starter fared well. Milwaukee's Chase Anderson gave up three runs and six hits in four innings, while Eickhoff surrendered four runs and five hits in three innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Velasquez was sidelined by a right forearm strain. RHP Drew Anderson was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room on the roster. ... OF Odúbel Herrera fouled a ball off his right shin in the eighth but remained in the game after being checked by a team trainer.
Brewers: C Manny Pina, on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain, ran and caught a bullpen session. He could take batting practice on Saturday. ... RHP Jimmy Nelson was reinstated from the injured list and optioned to Triple-A San Antonio. Nelson hasn't appeared in a major league game since having shoulder surgery in September 2017. ... INF Travis Shaw (right wrist strain) continued a rehab assignment at Triple-A San Antonio.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Jake Arrieta (4-4, 3.77 ERA) pitches on Saturday. He is 8-7 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 career starts against Milwaukee.
Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin (3-5, 4.65 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA in nine career games (seven starts) against Philadelphia.
