Brewers 8, Phillies 5
MILWAUKEE -- Wily Peralta made his second quality start of the season and the Milwaukee Brewers' offense belted out eight extra-base hits to snap a three-game losing streak with an 8-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
Peralta worked a season-best six full innings and held Philadelphia to four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits but didn't walk a batter for the first time this season.
However, it was not smooth sailing throughout for Peralta (1-3), who has battled inconsistency through his first four outings. He fell behind 1-0 in the second on an RBI single from Philadelphia starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff, but stranded a pair of runners by striking out Peter Bourgeois to end the inning.
A single and an error in the third inning led to another Phillies run, but again Peralta escaped, this time with the help of a double play. He retired eight of his next nine batters before back-to-back doubles by Cameron Rupp and Cesar Hernandez gave the Phillies a 4-2 lead in the sixth.
But Milwaukee's offense answered the bell in the bottom of that frame, starting with a leadoff home run from Scooter Gennett. Ryan Braun, who homered in the fourth to put the Brewers on the board, followed with a single, then Chris Carter and Kirk Nieuwenhuis reached on doubles.
Eickhoff got Aaron Hill to bounce to third for the first out of the inning, but Jonathan Villar made it a 6-4 game with an RBI double that finally chased Eickhoff (1-3), who was charged with seven runs on nine hits while striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings.
With Peralta at 82 pitches and the Brewers in front, manager Craig Counsell sent Alex Presley to pinch-hit. Presley sent a first-pitch split-finger fastball to right for his first home run of the season and an 8-4 Milwaukee lead.
Philadelphia got one run back in the eighth, but right-hander Jeremy Jeffress worked around a two-out single by Darin Ruf for his sixth save in as many chances this season.
NOTES: Philadelphia placed RHP Charlie Morton on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Morton will undergo an MRI Monday in Philadelphia. He injured the leg Saturday, running out a bunt in the second inning. ... Phillies RHP Luis Garcia was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where posted a 4.26 ERA in five relief appearances this season. ... Through their first 18 games, Brewers starting pitchers have averaged an MLB-worst 4.98 innings of work and own the National League's highest collective ERA (6.22) and batting average against (.316). ... Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy, who extended his hitting streak to eight games Saturday night, got a day off Sunday but was available to pinch hit, if needed. During his streak, Lucroy is 10-for-31 with three RBIs. ... A victory Sunday would move Philadelphia above the .500 mark for the first time in 2016. The Phillies haven't had a winning record since April 11, 2005, when they improved to 3-2.