Pitchers strong in 2-1 Brewers win over Guardians

Freddy Peralta allows one run in six innings and bullpen has perfect night

Box Score

With the Brewers on a three-game winning streak, they came into Saturday’s game with a chance to take the series against another division leader. The Brewers bats were not doing well, but the pitchers stepped up. They got just enough offense as the pitchers kept the Guardians in check, and the Brewers took a 2-1 win.

Freddy Peralta started the day with a 1-2-3 inning, and the offense took advantage of it. Brice Turang led off the first with a walk. Two batters later, Gary Sánchez brought him in with a double to deep left-center field, and the Brewers had an early 1-0 lead.

The two starters settled in from there, keeping the offenses in check for the next two innings. Peralta allowed a single and a walk in those two innings but that was all. Unfortuantely, the home run ball bit Peralta again in the top of the fourth. Josh Naylor hit a solo home run and the Guardians tied the game at 1-1.

That tie didn’t last longer than half an inning. In the bottom of the fourth, William Contreras came up second. He kept up his recent strong play, hitting his fourth home run of the homestand to put the Brewers back ahead at 2-1.

That was enough offense for Freddy Peralta. After a clean fifth inning, he walked José Ramírez with two outs in the sixth. Ramírez stole second and third, but Peralta struck out Naylor to end the inning. That was also the end of Peralta’s day. He allowed just the one solo home run in six innings of work, as well as a total of four hits and two walks. His three strikeouts today tied for his lowest strikeout total of the season, but his one run allowed was his second-lowest since the All-Star break (six scoreless against the Twins on July 20).

From there, the Brewers offense couldn’t do much else. They had just four hits and a walk in the game, and no batter reached base more than once. However, the Guardians offense didn’t do much more, with just four hits and two walks.

The bullpen helped make sure that the Guardians wouldn’t score again. Joel Payamps struck out one in a clean seventh inning. Jared Koenig struck out the side in a clean eighth inning. Devin Williams came in for his third save opportunity in four games, and he pitched a clean ninth to finish up the win.

The Brewers can secure a sweep with a win tomorrow afternoon. Colin Rea will take on Ben Lively in the final game of the homestand. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m.