Brewers snap three-game slide behind Villar
LOS ANGELES -- Jonathan Villar hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night before 44,183 at Dodger Stadium.
Villar drilled a two-run homer over the center-field wall off reliever Pedro Baez (0-2) -- breaking a 6-6 tie -- to lift the Brewers (31-36).
Tyler Thornburg (3-1) set the Dodgers down in order in the eight for the win. Jeremy Jeffress allowed a run in the ninth before striking out Corey Seager with the bases loaded for his 19th save.
Trayce Thompson homered for the Dodgers (35-33).
Howie Kendrick's RBI single scored Thompson and Joc Pederson's run-scoring hit scored Kendrick to spark a three-run rally for Los Angeles in the sixth. Turner's sacrifice fly to left scored Pederson and knotted the score at 6, but the Dodgers needed a review to confirm it.
Yasmani Grandal attempted to advance to second on Turner's fly ball. However, left fielder Ryan Braun threw out Grandal just as Pederson touched home plate.
Scott Kazmir lasted four innings despite striking out eight, including the last four batters he faced. Kazmir gave up three runs on five hits with two walks. Kazmir yielded to reliever Casey Fien, who served up homers to Aaron Hill and Chris Carter in a three-run fifth.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra served up five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Guerra also hit a batter.
The Brewers plated three runs in the third off Kazmir. Villar led off the inning with an infield single followed by a walk to Hill. After a double steal put runners at second and third, Jonathan Lucroy laced a two-run single to right for a 2-0 Milwaukee advantage with one out. Lucroy came home on a sacrifice fly by Hernan Perez.
However, Thompson's three-run shot -- his 11th long ball this season -- to center in the bottom of the frame knotted the score 3-3.
Hill put the Brewers back on top, taking Fien deep into the left-field bleachers for a solo blast and a 4-3 lead. For Hill, it was his seventh homer this season. He also tagged Fien for his first earned run in eight innings.
After Ryan Braun reached on an infield single, Carter smoked a line drive over the wall in right-center for a two-run blast and a three-run Brewers' cushion. It was the 18th home run of the season for Carter.
NOTES: A moment of silence was held before the game for victims of Sunday's shooting in an Orlando nightclub, where 49 people were killed. ... Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda, who took a line drive off his right leg Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, remains on schedule to start Sunday. ... Dodgers INF Justin Turner was not in the starting lineup. Howie Kendrick started as 3B. ... Brewers OF Ryan Braun, a native of nearby Mission Hills, Calif., had hit safely in 18 of his 22 career games at Dodger Stadium. ... Milwaukee closer Jeremy Jeffress had not allowed a run or a walk on the road this season heading into the game. ... Los Angeles signed first-round pick Gavin Lux. RHP Zach Davies (5-3, 3.88 ERA) faces Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (0-2, 5.82 ERA) on Friday.