Brice Turang delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Saturday night, moving into sole possession of the best record in Major League Baseball.
Milwaukee improved to 69-41 with its fifth win in seven games, overtaking the Los Angeles Dodgers for the league’s top mark. The Brewers relied on steady pitching, timely hitting and another strong bullpen performance to secure the series victory.
The Angels, meanwhile, dropped their fifth straight game and have now lost eight of their last nine contests despite taking an early lead.
Angels Strike First
Los Angeles wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.
Mike Trout singled with one out in the first inning before Jorge Soler followed with a bloop double that sailed over the head of Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz. Trout scored all the way from first base to give the Angels a 1-0 advantage.
That would be the only run the Angels managed as Milwaukee’s pitching staff settled in and kept the home team quiet for the remainder of the game.
The Angels approached the contest with caution on the mound, choosing to pull scheduled starter José Soriano before he threw a pitch as a precaution ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. The decision forced Los Angeles into a bullpen game.
Brewers Respond Behind Bauers
Milwaukee answered in the fourth inning when Jake Bauers continued the best power season of his career.
Bauers connected for a solo home run to straightaway center field, tying the score at 1-1. The blast was his 20th home run of the season, marking the first time he has reached the 20-homer milestone in the majors. His previous career high was 12 home runs.
The Brewers continued to apply pressure throughout the game, but the Angels’ bullpen kept the contest even until the late innings.
Bullpen Game Keeps Angels Close
Los Angeles pieced together an effective effort from four pitchers after opting not to use Soriano.
Right-hander Brett Kerry, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, provided the longest outing. He allowed one run across four innings while giving the Angels valuable length.
Three Angels pitchers worked at least two innings, helping keep one of baseball’s hottest teams from pulling away early.
Despite the solid collective performance, Milwaukee finally broke through in the eighth inning.
Turang Delivers Go-Ahead Hit
Jackson Chourio ignited the decisive rally with a one-out double in the eighth.
Turang followed by lining a run-scoring single to give the Brewers their first lead of the night at 2-1.
The insurance run came an inning later when rookie Cooper Pratt added an RBI single in the ninth, extending Milwaukee’s advantage to 3-1.
Left-hander Samy Natera Jr. took the loss after allowing the go-ahead hit in the eighth inning.
Brewers’ Pitching Holds Firm
Milwaukee’s pitching staff limited the Angels to one run after the opening inning.
Left-hander Robert Gasser worked five innings and surrendered only one run while keeping Los Angeles from building on its early lead. Right-hander Chad Patrick followed with two scoreless innings to earn his sixth victory of the season.
Closer Trevor Megill handled the ninth inning for his 18th save, finishing off another efficient effort by the Brewers’ bullpen.
The combination of Gasser, Patrick and Megill allowed Milwaukee to capitalize on its late offensive opportunities and complete another important road win.
The result continued the Brewers’ strong recent stretch and pushed them to the top of the major league standings. For the Angels, the loss extended a difficult skid despite another competitive effort built around solid pitching and an early offensive breakthrough.
Up Next
The series concluded Sunday with Milwaukee scheduled to send right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who entered the game at 11-4 with a 1.58 ERA, to the mound against Angels right-hander Walbert Ureña, who carried a 6-7 record and a 2.70 ERA.