The visiting Milwaukee Brewers knocked the San Francisco Giants out of first place for the first time since May, using a tiebreaking single from Jace Peterson and ninth-inning home run from Lorenzo Cain to pull away for a 5-2 victory Wednesday night.
Six relievers combined to limit the Giants to two runs over seven innings after starter Brett Anderson had to leave the game after getting hit by a line drive in the left (pitching) shoulder. The Brewers won their third straight to open the four-game series and ran their overall winning streak to four.
The loss was the fourth in a row for the Giants, who moved into first place in the National League West on May 31 and led by as many as five games last month. San Francisco surrendered its position to the Los Angeles Dodgers on the first day of September after the defending World Series champs completed a three-game home sweep of the Atlanta Braves.
After an RBI double by Kris Bryant and run-scoring single by Buster Posey allowed the Giants to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the fifth, the Brewers reclaimed the lead for good in the seventh. Peterson’s single to left followed a two-out walk by Cain and infield single by pinch hitter Jackie Bradley Jr.
Peterson’s hit came off the Giants’ fourth pitcher, Jose Alvarez, after Dominic Leone (3-3) departed with two men aboard.
With Milwaukee up 3-2, Brewers reliever Jake Cousins stranded two baserunners in the eighth.
Milwaukee tacked on a pair of runs in the ninth, the first coming on Cain’s leadoff homer, his seventh long ball of the season.
Willy Adames made it 5-2 three batters later when he doubled home Kolten Wong.
Daniel Norris (2-3), who pitched a scoreless sixth, was credited with the win. Josh Hader worked around a one-out walk in the ninth for his 29th save.
Cain’s first of two hits and first two of three RBIs gave Milwaukee its initial lead against Giants starter Kevin Gausman in the second. The single drove in Avisail Garcia and Omar Narvaez.
Cain also scored twice and Peterson finished with two hits for the Brewers, who increased their lead in the NL Central to a season-best 10 1/2 games while also clinching the season series with a fourth win in six meetings.
The clubs duel one final time in the regular season on Thursday afternoon.
Bryant collected two doubles for the Giants, who host the Dodgers for three straight starting on Friday.
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–Field Level Media