Eric Haase goes deep to tie it in the eighth

September 5, 2024 Vaseline blog 0

Eric Haase goes deep to tie it in the eighth

The Milwaukee Brewers play the St. Louis Cardinals for the final time in the 2024 season on Wednesday night at American Family Field.

Right-hander Colin Rea (12-4, 3.70) goes for the Brewers (81-58) while Cardinals ace Sonny Gray (12-9, 3.96) counters.

Offense awakens after Sonny Gray departs

The Brewers put the leadoff runners on in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but were left with nothing to show for it.

That changed in the seventh, when Garrett Mitchell tripled and came home two batters later, on a Joey Ortiz groundout. Gray kept it a 2-1 game, then departed after 99 pitches with a quality start in hand.

The fortunes quickly flip-flopped when left-hander JoJo Romero entered for the eighth and on his first pitch served up the game’s first homer, a 438-foot shot to left by Eric Haase that tied it at 2-2.

Brice Turang, up next, went the other way for his second double and third hit on the night, advanced to third on a groundout by Jackson Chourio but was ultimately stranded as William Contreras and Mitchell struck out opposite an intentional walk issued to Willy Adames.

DL Hall takes over in the fifth

Manager Pat Murphy indicated prior to the game that chances were DL Hall would be seeing some time soon.

As it turned out, the left-hander would take over to start the fifth with Rea’s four innings tying a season low (June 4).

Hall nearly had his head taken off by a Nolan Arenado liner three batters into his stint but otherwise kept St. Louis off the board for four innings, building off the strong seven-inning spot start he made at Cincinnati on Aug. 30.

He finished strongly, striking out five of the final six batters he faced. Over 68 pitches, Hall didn’t allow a hit, walked a pair and struck out six.

An ugly first inning for Colin Rea

After retiring the first two batters, Rea allowed a single to the suddenly hot Paul Goldschmidt, a double to Nolan Arenado, hit Brendan Donovan and then issued consecutive bases-loaded walks to Iván Herrera and Lars Nootbaar to give the Cardinals a quick 2-0 lead.

Rea needed 30 pitches in all to navigate the opening frame, but quickly settled in from there and allowed only a single over the next two innings.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, put its first pair runners on base against Gray in the third when Haase reached on a two-out throwing error by Masyn Winn and Turang doubled to left-center.

Third-base coach Jason Lane sent Haase home, but he was an easy out thanks to a strong relay throw by Winn that maintained the Cardinals’ 2-0 lead.

Brewers time, TV, radio

The Brewers game starts at 6:40 pm Wednesday.

TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620 and a state network

Brewers lineup

  • Brice Turang 2B
  • Jackson Chourio DH
  • William Contreras C
  • Jake Bauers 1B
  • Willy Adames SS
  • Garrett Mitchell RF
  • Blake Perkins CF
  • Joey Ortiz 3B
  • Sal Frelick LF
  • Eric Haase C

Cardinals lineup

  • Masyn Winn SS
  • Alec Burleson LF
  • Paul Goldschmidt 1B
  • Nolan Arenado DH
  • Brendan Donovan 2B
  • Ivan Herrera C
  • Lars Nootbaar RF
  • Jose Fermin 3B
  • Michael Siani CF

What is the Brewers record?

The Brewers are 81-58.

Brewers schedule

Off-day Thursday.

Brewers vs. Rockies, 5:10 p.m. Friday. Milwaukee RHP Frankie Montas (6-9, 4.70) vs. TBA. TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Rockies, 6:10 pm Saturday. Milwaukee RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 3.00) vs. TBA. TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Rockies, 1:10 pm Sunday. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (10-7, 3.75) vs. TBA. TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.