Myers locks down Pirates in dominant 9-0 win

Myers cruises through eight shutout innings

Box Score

The Brewers cruised to a convincing 9-0 victory Wednesday night courtesy of Tobias Myers.

The righty continues to prove he can shut down lineups without relying on premium velocity. He outclassed the Pirates, tallying six strikeouts over eight scoreless frames. He allowed just four hits on the night, scattering traffic without facing many difficulties.

He didn’t allow a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning when first baseman Rowdy Tellez led off with a double. A single from Joshua Palacios put runners on the corners, but the defense converted a double play to end the inning.

As is the case so often with this Brewers team, the defense was a sturdy support for their starting pitcher. Rhys Hoskins made a play to end the fourth inning by snagging a grounder that would have snuck down the line for a double. The defense converted that seventh inning double play. And Sal Frelick made a sliding catch in foul territory in the sixth inning despite rapidly closing in on the side wall.

When a pitcher and the defense combine so fluidly, it provides a perfect foundation for the offense to thrive. Nearly the entire lineup contributed to the comfortable victory. From the first inning, the Brewers made it difficult for Pirates starter Martin Perez by stringing together three straight hits with two outs. After Christian Yelich reached on a single, Willy Adames doubled to kick off the scoring. Frelick then sliced a single to the opposite field to bring home Adames.

With a quick 2-0 lead, the Brewers were settling into a rhythm. They reached base every inning against Perez with their next outburst coming in the fourth inning. After two singles put runners on, William Contreras came through with another clutch two-out hit. His double forced a close play at home plate, but Brice Turang’s speed allowed him to slide home safely to expand the lead to 4-0.

The team didn’t lack for power, either. In the fifth inning, Hoskins powered his 14th home run of the year to continue his recent surge. Even though he hasn’t been hitting for average, Hoskins now has three home runs in his past five games.

Frelick continued his impactful night with a leadoff double in the seventh inning. Andruw Monasterio has been a bit of a letdown offensively this year, but he came through with a single to score Frelick by taking a pitch outside the zone to the shallow part of the outfield. By this point, the 6-0 lead was excessive, but it surely added to the entertainment.

The Brewers weren’t finished with the fun, though. Jackson Chourio doubled, again a crucial leadoff hit, to set up another big inning. Jake Bauers earned a walk as he came in to pinch-hit for Christian Yelich. With two runners on base, Willy Adames cranked his 14th home run of the season. The pitch was an inside breaking ball, hanging just around the middle of the zone, that Adames pulled over the left field fence for his 60th, 61st, and 62nd RBIs of the season.

Frelick would add a triple, his third hit of the evening, but he wouldn’t come around to score this time. Frelick’s impact lately has been a tangible boon to the Brewers offense as he now has an .834 OPS over his last 15 games. He’s walked five times and struck out five times in that span, as well as stealing three bases.

There were very few things to complain about in this game as the entirety of the team performance emphasized what can make this team great. The offensive explosion saw five different places reach base at least two times. Myers’ exceptional start was more evidence that the Brewers, despite questions about the rotation, have what it takes to lock up a division title.

Myers went eight scoreless innings, striking out six as he allowed just four hits and a walk. Rob Zastryzny pitched a perfect ninth on just five pitches to finish things off.

The Brewers totaled 14 hits tonight, as Adames and Frelick each had three, both finishing a hit short of the cycle – a triple for Adames and a homer for Frelick. Monasterio and Yelich each had two, while Yelich, Monasterio, and Blake Perkins each had a steal.

The Brewers face the Pirates tomorrow in an early contest to determine the series winner. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. as the Brewers will have to deal with Paul Skenes on the mound for Pittsburgh with Colin Rea scheduled to start for Milwaukee.