Phillies Steamrolled By Brewers 10-0
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eric Lauer allowed four hits in seven innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 10-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.
Avisaíl García hit a two-run homer in his return to the lineup and Eduardo Escobar knocked in three runs as the Brewers maintained their franchise-record 11-game lead in the NL Central over the Cincinnati Reds. Kolten Wong and Christian Yelich added two RBIs each.
Philadelphia fell 2 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, who beat the Washington Nationals 8-5.
The Phillies had won all five of their previous matchups with the Brewers this season, including a four-game sweep in Philadelphia in May and a 12-0 blowout in Milwaukee on Monday.
But they couldn't do much of anything against Lauer.
Lauer (5-5) struck out five and walked one to continue his sizzling September. He has given up one run and allowed just seven hits over 14 innings in two starts this month.
He was pitching so well that the Brewers let him hit for himself with the bases loaded and two outs in a 3-0 game in the sixth inning. Lauer rewarded the team's faith in him by drawing a walk to spark a three-run rally.
Hunter Strickland and Miguel Sánchez worked the final two innings to complete the five-hit shutout.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (7-8) gave up three runs and six hits in five innings while striking out six and walking none. The Brewers put the game away by scoring seven runs against the Phillies' bullpen.
The Brewers opened the scoring in the third when Escobar knocked home two runs with a ground-rule double on the ninth pitch of his at-bat. Escobar's drive hit the dirt in left field and bounced into the stands in foul territory. Lauer singled and Wong doubled earlier in the inning.
Christian Yelich knocked in Escobar with a single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Milwaukee added three more runs in the sixth off reliever Ramón Rosso, who kept the inning alive by walking Lauer on five pitches with the bases loaded. Kolten Wong followed with a two-run single.
García broke the game open in the seventh with his 423-foot drive to left off Cam Bedrosian. The Brewers added two more runs in the eighth against Enyel De Los Santos
WONG RETURNS AS NEW DAD
Wong returned to the team from the paternity list and batted leadoff. His wife, Alissa, gave birth on Saturday to a boy named Kash Kaha.
The Brewers optioned utilityman Tim Lopes to Triple-A Nashville.
TRAINER'S ROOM
García returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Thursday after dealing with leg and back problems. He had entered Sunday's game in a pinch-hitting appearance. ... Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he expects C Manny Piña (oblique) to return from the injured list this weekend.
UP NEXT
Kyle Gibson (10-6, 3.30 ERA) pitches for the Phillies against Freddy Peralta (9-4, 2.70) when the three-game series concludes Wednesday.
