Contreras, Frelick help Brewers beat Padres 10-6 for 8th straight victory
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Scoring isn’t a problem for the Milwaukee Brewers anymore.
William Contreras homered and doubled, Sal Frelick drove in three runs and the Milwaukee Brewers capitalized on San Diego’s control problems to beat the Padres 10-6 on Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory.
The Brewers have scored at least five runs in each game during this win streak and had at least six runs in all but one of them. They had scored as many as five runs just 53 times in their first 122 games.
“We just have good at bats,” said Mark Canha, who had two hits during the Brewers’ seven-run rally in the sixth inning. “We’re doing a little bit of everything. We’re walking. We’re hitting for power. We’re just getting on base and also cashing in runs with runners in scoring position. We’re just kind of ‘offense-ing.’ “
Milwaukee’s seven-run sixth inning matched its most productive inning this season and helped the Brewers erase an early 4-1 deficit. The Brewers drew five walks during that rally, including one to Carlos Santana that forced home the go-ahead run.
The Brewers also had seven-run innings April 3 against the New York Mets and May 14 against Kansas City.
San Diego answered with two runs in the seventh and had the tying run at the plate with no outs before Hoby Milner protected the 9-6 advantage by retiring Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts in order.
The Padres went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
“There were a lot of things that were kind of a microcosm of what’s been going on this year,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “The runners in scoring position. Not being able to hold a lead. Just a lot of things that added up today that we’ve seen a little bit before.”
Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep of the Padres and extended its longest winning streak of the year. The Brewers have swept three straight series of at least two games for the first time since April 2014.
The Brewers lead the NL Central by four games over the Chicago Cubs heading into a three-game series beginning Monday at Wrigley Field.
“It’s going to be a fun series,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s how I look at it. As you get down to the end, the series all become more fun because they all become a little more important.”
The Brewers, who drew a season-high nine walks Sunday, continue to capitalize on big innings. They scored five runs in the third inning of a 7-3 victory Friday and five more in the fifth inning of a 5-4 triumph Saturday.
“We have been kind of feeding on each other a lot,” Canha said. “I notice when we get a leadoff guy on, usually that next guy gets on. It kind of snowballs like that.”
Milwaukee overcame an injury to starter Adrian Houser, who gave up four runs in two innings before departing with what the team called minor right forearm tightness.
Houser allowed a two-run homer to Gary Sánchez and a solo shot to Matthew Batten in the second,
“It’s not in the ligament, the UCL area, so from that perspective (it’s) less concerning,” Counsell said. “But he did have elbow stiffness, and that for a pitcher, we’ve got to take you out of the game when that’s going on. I think tomorrow’s a big day for him. See how he feels coming into tomorrow. We’re at the risk of certainly missing a start.”
Bryse Wilson (6-0) pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four.
Milwaukee trailed 4-2 with one out in the sixth when Canha singled and Brice Turang walked against Michael Wacha. Steven Wilson (1-2) loaded the bases with a walk to Andruw Monasterio and allowed a tying, two-run double to pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez.
Wilson intentionally walked Christian Yelich and retired Contreras before walking Santana, bringing home Monasterio. Frelick greeted Nick Martinez with a two-run double and Canha capped the rally with a two-run single.
The Padres mounted a comeback of their own in the seventh without the benefit of a hit. Abner Uribe threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches before Milner stranded his inherited runners.
TRAINER’S ROOM
After pitching three innings in a rehabilitation assignment with Class A Wisconsin, RHP Julio Teheran (hip) is expected to pitch Wednesday for Triple-A Nashville.
UP NEXT
Padres: Open a three-game series at St. Louis on Monday. LHP Blake Snell (10-9, 2.73 ERA) pitches for the Padres and RHP Adam Wainwright (3-9, 8.61) starts for the Cardinals.
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley (6-3, 3.18) starts for the Brewers and RHP Jameson Taillon (7-8, 5.60) pitches for the Cubs on Monday.
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