MILWAUKEE (AP) — Garrett Mitchell hit an RBI double and the Milwaukee Brewers withstood Freddy Peralta's early exit to beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 and complete a doubleheader sweep Thursday night.
In the opening game, Corbin Burnes struck out 14 and allowed three hits in eight shutout innings in a 2-1 victory.
Peralta left the second game due to fatigue in his right shoulder after walking Tommy La Stella to lead off the third inning. The Brewers led 3-0 at the time.
The Brewers are at home for 20 of their last 26 games, a stretch that started with this doubleheader. They're hoping that schedule helps them go on a late surge as they attempt to chase down the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres for the NL's final wild-card spots.
“Having all these home games at the end is definitely going to help us with this playoff push, but it takes some good baseball for us to get in there,” Burnes said.
Burnes entered this doubleheader having allowed 17 earned runs in 21 innings over his last four starts. But he dominated the Giants and showcased the form that enabled him to win the NL Cy Young Award last season.
He struck out 10 or more batters for the ninth time this season to tie the Brewers' single-season record set by Ben Sheets in 2004. Burnes (10-6) also holds the franchise record for double-digit strikeout games with 21.
The 14 strikeouts were one off Burnes' career high. He had 15 in a 10-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 11, 2021.
“Nothing new," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. "That’s Corbin Burnes. That was as good as we’ve seen him. His stuff was carrying through the zone. He was hitting the top of the zone. His cutter was working well. The ball was moving all over the place. It’s tough to name five better starters in baseball.”
Burnes needed to be at his best to outduel San Francisco’s Jakob Junis (4-5), who struck out four and allowed three hits, two runs and two walks in six innings. Junis entered in the second inning, relieving opener Scott Alexander.
The Giants opened the scoring in the third inning as LaMonte Ward hit a two-out single and came home on Mike Yastrzemski’s double. Milwaukee's Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe hit consecutive RBI doubles in the fourth.
Milwaukee took the lead for good in the second game by scoring three runs in the first inning off Alex Young (0-1). Only one of the runs was earned.
Joc Pederson homered for the Giants in the second game.
Milwaukee's Peter Strzelecki (2-1) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to get the win in the second game.
Devin Williams got his 11th save in 12 opportunities in the first game. Taylor Rogers finished the second game for his 31st save in 39 opportunities.
The two teams combined for just 16 hits in the doubleheader. The Brewers had nine and the Giants had seven.
SIBLING RIVALRIES
This doubleheader had two sets of brothers facing off.
Taylor Rogers and Giants reliever Tyler Rogers are identical twins. San Francisco’s Scott Alexander is the older brother of Brewers right-hander Jason Alexander.
Jason Alexander is the Brewers’ scheduled starter Friday, so he was unlikely to pitch in Thursday’s doubleheader.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last time two sets of brothers played against each other in the same game was Aug. 6, 1977, when St. Louis’ Hector Cruz and Bob Forsch and Houston’s Jose Cruz and Ken Forsch all played in a game the Cardinals won 3-1. Elias’ records only accounted for instances in which all four siblings saw action in the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers IF Luis Urías was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Sean Hjelle in the sixth inning of the second game. Urías remained in the game after a brief delay.
RHP Justin Topa was designated as the Brewers’ 29th man for the doubleheader. Topa hadn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 3, 2021, as he recovered from a third elbow surgery. ... The Brewers also reinstated INF Mike Brosseau (right oblique) from the injured list and optioned OF Esteury Ruiz to Triple-A Nashville.
UP NEXT
Giants: Stay on the road to begin a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs. Scheduled starters Friday are LHP Carlos Rodón (12-7, 2.92 ERA) for the Giants and LHP Drew Smyly (5-8, 3.84) for the Cubs.
Brewers: Stay home to start a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds. Jason Alexander (2-2, 5.03) starts for the Brewers on Friday with LHP Nick Lodolo (3-5, 3.95) pitching for the Reds. ___
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