After last night’s home run fest, expectations were that today’s game would feature more of the same. It wasn’t at the same levels as last night, but offense was still plentiful in this one. Unfortunately, the Brewers just couldn’t keep up this time, and they lost 7-5 to even the series at 1-1.
If there was any doubt that tonight’s game would be similar to last night, it was put to rest just two batters into the game. Christian Yelich led off the game with a single to center. Next up was Jackson Chourio, who sent one over the right field fence for the first home run of the day. The Brewers had the early 2-0 lead.
The Brewers tried to build off that with two outs. Jake Bauers drew a walk and Garrett Mitchell doubled to put runners at second and third. However, Sal Frelick couldn’t get them home as he flew out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, it was the Athletics’ turn. Nick Kurtz hit the team’s first home run, closing the gap to 2-1. While starter Robert Gasser also walked a batter, he escaped the first allowing no additional runs.
The second inning went by quickly for the Brewers, who were retired in order by Athletics starter T.J. Ginn in order. Meanwhile, the Athletics kept up the pressure. Jonah Heim led off the bottom of the inning with a single, then Henry Bolte hit his first career home run to center field. That gave the Athletics a 3-2 lead.
It was a quiet inning for both teams in the third. The Brewers went down in order again. Meanwhile, the Athletics put together another scoring chance, this one coming with two outs. Max Muncy walked and Heim singled to put a runner in scoring position, but Gasser struck out Bolte to end the inning.
In the fourth, a one-out double from Mitchell gave the Brewers another scoring chance, and they cashed this one in. Frelick singled to center, and Mitchell scored easily from second, tying the game at 3-3.
Luis Rengifo kept the pressure on with a bloop single, putting another runner in scoring position. The Brewers couldn’t bring him in, with both David Hamilton and Yelich grounding out to end the inning.
Gasser had a clean bottom of the fourth inning, but the Brewers gave it right back by going down in order in the top of the fifth. He went back out for the fifth, which started off with a strikeout of Kurtz. Then, the Athletics pounced. After Shea Langeliers singled, Tyler Soderstrom hit a home run over the right field wall, putting the Athletics ahead 5-3. Two batters later, Heim hammered one out to center to make it 6-3. Gasser got out of the inning with a strikeout of Bolte.
After the bullpen was overworked yesterday, Gasser had to go as long as he could in this one. Had the bullpen been rested, manager Pat Murphy might have pulled Gasser at four innings before facing the Athletics a third time. He ended up allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks. Four of those hits were home runs. He did strike out seven while giving the Brewers some needed innings.
With all the offense so far in this series, this game was nowhere near done yet. In the top of the sixth, the Brewers mounted another rally. Bauers led off the inning with his second walk of the day, then Mitchell’s third hit (a single) moved Bauers up to third. Frelick was up next and grounded out to shortstop, but Bauers scored since the only play was at first base.
Rengifo got Mitchell to third with a groundout, and Hamilton drew a walk (which stood after technical difficulties on the ABS challenge system) to bring Yelich up as the go-ahead run. While he couldn’t hit one out to take the lead, he did single to center to get Mitchell home. Both runners advanced on a Bolte bobble, and that ended the night for J.T. Ginn. The Athletics went to Elvis Alvarado, who struck out Chourio to end the threat. However, the Brewers were within one at 6-5.
Joel Kuhnel was first out of the bullpen for the Brewers, pitching for the second straight night. Unfortunately, he allowed a home run as well for the second straight night, this one a Zack Gelof home run to center. Kuhnel finished the inning with no other runs allowed, though he did walk one.
From there, the offense suddenly dried up on both sides. The Athletics tried to add on in the eighth against Coleman Crow, but he got out of the inning stranding runners at first and third. Crow pitched the final two innings for the Brewers, allowing a hit, a walk, and an error while covering first base.
As for the Brewers, they did not have another baserunner for the rest of the game. The final 10 batters went down in order. The game ended with Chourio hitting a ball hard, but right at shortstop Alika Williams.
Even though it was another game with plenty of offense, this one was much more tame compared to last night. The two teams combined for 12 runs and six home runs, a relatively quiet night compared to the 29 runs and 11 home runs yesterday. There were also significantly fewer ABS challenges — just five tonight — but that was partially due to a malfunction during the game.
After being the lone Brewers starter to not reach base yesterday, Mitchell rebounded with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, hitting two doubles and a single, and scoring two runs. Yelich was the only other Brewer with multiple hits, going 2-for-5. Chourio and Frelick each drove in two runs. The Brewers only drew three walks, with two coming from Bauers.
With the series tied, the rubber match will take place tomorrow evening in Las Vegas. It could be another high-powered day for the offenses, with Brandon Sproat facing Jack Perkins. First pitch will be an hour earlier at 8:05 p.m.
