CHICAGO – The Milwaukee Brewers, at the very least, are not the Chicago White Sox. That we can safely assume.
The Brewers erased a 2-1 deficit by putting up six runs across three innings late to come away with a 7-2 win over the White Sox at Rate Field on April 29. And they did it by putting only three base hits out of the infield after the first inning.
A four-run sixth inning made the difference for the Brewers, who took the lead through walks, infield singles and a hit by pitch. They then tacked on two more runs in the eighth without hitting a single ball out of the infield.
“I mean, we took advantage of free bases,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We got some infield hits, took advantage of free bases, ran a little bit. We executed when he had to on a cold night like tonight.”
BOX SCORE:Brewers 7, White Sox 2
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It made a winner of Freddy Peralta, who improved to 3-2 on the season after bouncing back from allowing back-to-back home runs in the first inning. Peralta went six innings, making it his second-longest start of the year, allowing three hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
Milwaukee continued its stretch of wins coming via blowout and losses being in close games. Its last six wins have come by a combined 41 runs while the last six losses have been by 10 runs.
Milwaukee’s offense comes through after five listless innings
It was rough sledding for the Brewers against the seven-win White Sox pitching staff through five innings. Their lone hit was Isaac Collins’ homer in the first until a Joey Ortiz infield single to lead off the sixth.
That 30-footer off the bat of Ortiz wound up being the start of a rally.
Former Brewers right-hander Bryse Wilson faced the minimum through three innings in bulk relief before the hit. The Brewers still weren’t able to square up their old teammate but a couple of well-placed hits got them back in the ballgame.
After a Collins one-out walk moved Ortiz to second, William Contreras poked a single through the right side to tie the game at 2-2.
Then a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Sal Frelick brought in the go-ahead run. Frelick was examined by team trainers but remained in the game, and moments later Caleb Durbin, a native of nearby Lake Forest, laced a two-run single through the left side.
Frelick was taken out of the game before the ninth inning but told reporters after the game he informed Murphy he was fine to remain in the game and expects to play Wednesday.
Brewers take the lead, then give it right back
A barrage of solo home runs ended with the White Sox leading, 2-1, after the first inning.
Isaac Collins opened up the scoring with his first career homer, taking White Sox opener Tyler Gilbert out to left field as the game’s second batter.
“It’s hard to describe, really,” Collins said of the milestone.
Collins continues to give the Brewers quality from the fourth outfield spot. He’s carrying a .705 OPS through his first full month in the majors in what’s largely a part-time playing role.
“At this level and just in general I just try to have quality at-bats,” Collins said. “You can’t chase results here. You can’t chase hits. You just take one pitch at a time and if you can put together a quality at-bat you can help your team.”
But Freddy Peralta gave the lead back almost immediately by surrendering back-to-back jacks to Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. It was the first time Chicago went back-to-back this year.
What time is the Brewers game today?
Time: 6:40 p.m.
What channel is the Brewers game on today? TV, stream
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin Extra
Stream: FanDuel Sports Network App
Brewers lineup
- Jackson Chourio CF
- Isaac Collins LF
- William Contreras C
- Christian Yelich DH
- Rhys Hoskins 1B
- Sal Frelick RF
- Caleb Durbin 3B
- Brice Turang 2B
- Joey Ortiz SS
White Sox lineup
- Joshua Palacios RF
- Andrew Benintendi DH
- Luis Robert Jr. CF
- Edgar Quero C
- Andrew Vaughn 1B
- Brooks Baldwin LF
- Lenyn Sosa 2B
- Miguel Vargas 3B
- Jacob Amaya SS
Brewers schedule
Brewers at White Sox, 6:40 p.m. April 30. Milwaukee RHP Tobias Myers (0-0, 4.50) vs. Chicago RHP Shane Smith (1-1, 2.30). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers at White Sox, 1:10 p.m. May 1. Milwaukee RHP Chad Patrick (1-2, 2.45) vs. Chicago RHP Sean Burke (1-4, 6.00). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.