It was a tough trip to Atlanta and Washington this week for the Brewers but they returned to American Family Field Thursday night and took out the frustration on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 14-1 blowout. It was a season high run total for the Crew which pounded out 16 hits and four, three run innings. Adrian Houser gave up a run in the top of the first but settled in for 6 innings, allowing just the one tally on four hits with five strikeouts. Milwaukee grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first when rookie Sal Frelick delivered a two out, two run double. Frelick would add a three run homer in the 6th for a 5 RBI night. Brice Turang tagged a three run bomb in the 5th inning, William Contreras had a two run double and Christian Yelich kept his bat warm on a three for four night with two driven in. The Brewers improved to 59-51 on the season and with the Chicago Cubs beating Cincinnati 5-3, Milwaukee is back up in the NL Central race by a half a game. Don’t look now but the Cubs are only two and a half games off the pace. The Brewers will send Colin Rea to the hill in game two Friday night while Pittsburgh counters with Quinn Priester. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:35 PM with a 7:10 PM first pitch on WTAQ.
Milwaukee’s first round draft choice this summer, Wake Forest third basemen Brock Wilken has been assigned to the High A Affiliate Wisconsin TimberRattlers. He’ll make his professional debut next Tuesday night at Fox Cities Stadium. Wilkin hit 31 homers for the Demon Deacons this season and set the school record with 71 over his three seasons at Wake.
