Aided greatly by two errors, the host Washington Nationals scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a 3-2 over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon.
Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams inherited a 2-1 lead to start the final inning but never recorded an out. An error by first baseman Carlos Santana let the first batter reach base. Dominic Smith singled, and Keibert Ruiz walked to load the bases.
Alex Call then hit a grounder to third, but the Brewers’ Andruw Monasterio threw wildly to the plate seeking a forceout, and two runs scored. Williams (5-3) took the loss and was charged with his third blown save.
The win went to Washington’s Kyle Finnegan (5-3), who worked a scoreless top of the ninth.
The Brewers had the late 2-1 lead thanks to on an opposite-field double down the left field line in the sixth inning by Christian Yelich. The hit left Brewers on second and third with no outs, but Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore came back to get swinging strikeouts on William Contreras, Carlos Santana and Willy Adames.
That was all for Gore, who allowed just two runs on three hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Five Milwaukee relievers held the Nationals at bay until the ninth.
The teams traded early runs. The Brewers took a 1-0 lead on Tyrone Taylor’s solo shot in the second inning, his third homer of the season and second in four games.
The Nationals caught up in the third against Brewers starter Wade Miley when Call led off with a double and rookie Jake Alu singled him home. It was the second RBI in two games for Alu, has taken over at third base for Washington with the trade of Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs this week.
Miley, who came off the injured list after dealing with bone chips in his pitching elbow, went four innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out five and threw 60 pitches in his first start since July 9.
–Field Level Media