Brewers 3, Tigers 2
DETROIT -- Carlos Gomez, who hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, singled up the middle with two outs in the seventh to drive in the tie-breaking run and give the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday.
The win went to right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress (1-0), who got a strikeout with runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth and then pitched a scoreless seventh in which he fanned two more.
Right-handers Jonathan Broxton and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the eighth and ninth, with Rodriguez picking up his eighth save.
The loss went to left-hander Kyle Lobstein (3-4), who gave up a pair of early solo home runs and then three singles in the sixth capped by Gomez's sharp ground single to center.
Third baseman Elian Herrera singled to start the sixth and was forced at second. Catcher Martin Maldonado singled to put runners on first and second. On Gomez's hit, shortstop Luis Sardinas slid home just ahead of catcher James McCann's tag on the throw from center fielder Anthony Gose.
Lobstein allowed seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out three.
Mike Fiers started for the Brewers and allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez grounded into a double play that required a review of two-minutes, 48 seconds to confirm with runners on first and second and nobody out in the eighth. Bothered by a bad left knee that undermines his left-handed hitting, Martinez was in the starting lineup for the first time in five games.
Aramis Ramirez, manager Craig Counsell's choice to be the Brewers' designated hitter, hit the first Lobstein pitch of the fourth inning down the left-field line and over the fence for his fourth home run, creating a 2-2 tie.
The Tigers took the lead 2-1 in the second when McCann laid down a perfect two-out squeeze bunt and beat it out for an RBI single. Left fielder Rajai Davis had doubled and stolen third.
Gose led off the first with a single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored when second baseman Ian Kinsler grounded out to first.
Gomez hit a home run leading off the game, his fourth of the season. Gomez had been hit in the head by a 97 mph fastball on Sunday but passed the concussion protocols.
NOTES: Craig Counsell's record as the Brewers' manager is now 7-7. ... LF Yoenis Cespedes was not in Detroit's starting lineup for the first time this season. He appeared as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1. Manager Brad Ausmus plans to rest his remaining two players who have appeared in every game, 1B Miguel Cabrera and 2B Ian Kinsler, as soon as possible. ... Milwaukee optioned out 2B Scooter Gennett and brought up former first-round Detroit draft choice RHP Corey Knebel. "In an American League series with a DH, there will be less moves in games," Counsell said. "We felt the extra pitcher would be more valuable than the extra position player." ... Disabled RHPs Justin Verlander and Bruce Rondon both threw bullpens Monday in their efforts to return to the Tigers in the next two weeks.