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102-year-old Brewers fan Ruth Werner throws the first pitch
102-year-old Brewers fan Ruth Werner throws the ceremonial first pitch at American Family Field on Thursday, August 15
Courtesy of Milwaukee Brewers
The longest home game streak of the season was a boon for the Milwaukee Brewers’ chances of winning the division title.
It was also great for Aaron Civale’s stocks.
The Brewers picked up their third straight win and extended their lead in the National League Central to 10 games with 40 games remaining after their 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night at American Family Field.
With the latest version of his streak of three-run home runs, Willy Adames gave Civale a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then the right-hander took care of the rest in six scoreless innings.
RESULT: Brewers 5, Guardians 3
In two starts in this home game, Civale was able to limit his opponents to two runs over 12 ⅓ innings – both victories for the Brewers.
Not only did the Brewers extend their division lead to double digits, they also reached their year-high of 18 games over .500 (70-52) and kept up with the Dodgers and Phillies in their hunt for a top-two finish and a first-round bye in the postseason.
After five of seven games in this home series against teams battling for baseball’s top record, the Brewers are 3-2.
“It was incredible,” Adames said. “When you play against teams like that that you know are going to be in the playoffs in October, you want to play against those teams to see how good you are and see if you’re ready to play against the best of the best in October. We showed this week that we can do that.”
It was a positive end to a tough day for the Brewers, who were playing their first game since learning that All-Star outfielder Christian Yelich would have to undergo season-ending back surgery.
“When you lose a guy like that, it’s a big hole in the team,” Adames said. “We just have to keep going and maybe we can get to the World Series to make it worth it for him. I know he wants to be with us and compete. It sucks. You don’t want to get hurt. But he’ll be better after the surgery.”
Guardians make things interesting, but Joel Payamps makes everything clear
With the bullpen filling up with healthy pitchers returning from injury—starting with the impending return of Trevor Megill—now is not a good time to not play well for Milwaukee as a relief pitcher.
Bryse Wilson allowed two home runs in a three-batter period to turn a 5-0 lead into a two-run game in the eighth inning. Jose Ramirez ended the Brewers’ shutout effort with a two-run hit to the second deck in right, then former Brewers farmhand David Fry singled Wilson to right-center.
The right-hander has conceded a hit in five of his last seven games and allowed a home run in four of those games.
Nick Mears was called after Fry’s home run and struck out Andres Gimenez and Jhonkensy Noel with a nasty fastball-slider combination to send the Brewers still leading into the ninth inning.
With Devin Williams unavailable after two pitching appearances on the previous days, Joel Payamps saved the game with a 1-2-3 in the ninth inning.
Aaron Civale delivers the Brewers’ best start
After a mixed start with the Brewers, Aaron Civale has made some pretty good progress in his last two games. After throwing 6 ⅓ innings of two runs last Friday – a game in which he won his first game in four months – Civale comfortably managed six shutouts against the Guardians.
“The direction I’m going on the mound and the intensity we’re doing it with,” Civale said of his last two starts. “We’ve been working on a few little things between games, and (catcher) William (Contreras) is great back there.”
Civale threw seven different pitches, almost always staying outside the middle of the zone to keep the Guardians guessing. Cleveland was only able to record four hits against Civale, all of them singles, and did not manage a single walk.
“He manipulates the fastball,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s the key. You talk to hitters about a pitcher who can manipulate a fastball and that goes both ways. He mixes it up well, but it all comes from the fastball. And then he’s able to throw it wherever he wants.”
The only runners to reach batting position came on an error by Willy Adames in the fourth inning, a second-and-third stress with one out that Civale got out of on a pop out by Noel and a strikeout by Daniel Schneemann.
Civale also managed to do this against his former club. Cleveland signed him in 2016 and he was a pitcher there for five seasons before being traded to Tampa Bay last season.
Does that make the trip more enjoyable?
“Of course,” he said.
Garrett Mitchell finally scores
It was not a good stretch for Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell, who entered the plate in the third inning on Friday with 0 for his last 21 with 15 strikeouts. Pitchers had been attacking Mitchell mercilessly with high fastballs, which was by far the biggest weakness in his swing.
But Guardians starter Gavin Williams dropped a two-strike fastball to Mitchell when he had two bases on and two outs, and Mitchell chased it to right for an RBI double to make it 4-0 for the Brewers.
Milwaukee extended its lead when Joey Ortiz hit a triple to right-center field in the fourth inning and scored on Brice Turang’s single through a drawn-in infield.
Willy Adames hits another three-run home run
Adames is the last hitter you want to see as a pitcher with two men on base. The Brewers shortstop extended his franchise record by hitting his 10th three-run home run of the season in the first inning against Gavin Williams on Friday, smashing an 0-1 fastball 431 feet into right-center field.
The explosion, which gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead, narrowly missed the Toyota truck parked above the arena and bounced off instead.
Brewers Schedule
Brewers vs Guardians, Saturday, 6:15 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (7-7, 4.11 ERA) vs. Cleveland RHP Tanner Bibee (10-4, 3.39). Broadcasts: Television – Fox. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers vs Guardians, Sunday, 1:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Colin Rea (10-4, 3.72 ERA) vs. Cleveland RHP Ben Lively (10-7, 3.71). Broadcasts: Television – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
