Gamel’s 10th-inning homer lifts Brewers over Braves, 3-2
ATLANTA (AP) — The longest start of Brandon Woodruff’s career felt like a win to him, even though he wasn’t involved in the decision.
Woodruff allowed only two runs in eight innings and Ben Gamel homered leading off the 10th to lift the Milwaukee Brewers over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Sunday.
All five runs in the game came on homers.
Woodruff gave up five hits in a sturdy outing. His streak of wins in four straight starts ended, but he was happy to give Milwaukee’s bullpen a break by showing he could last eight innings.
“I’ve been able to get some strikeouts, but my whole goal this year has been to just get deep into the game,” Woodruff said.
The right-hander threw 93 pitches and had six strikeouts with no walks.
“He’s been really good the last four times out and today he even took it to another level,” said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who was ejected in the fifth. “It was really good. It was a great performance.”
Gamel’s drive off Wes Parsons (1-2) reached the fountain area behind the center field wall and helped the Brewers end Atlanta’s four-game winning streak.
Gamel said he was looking for the first pitch he could drive.
Christian Yelich and Keston Hiura also connected for Milwaukee, which avoided a three-game sweep in a matchup of 2018 NL division winners. Hiura’s fifth-inning shot was the first of his career.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman went deep for Atlanta.
Freeman has homered in four consecutive games for the first time in his career. His 11th homer was the 200th of his career and tied the game in the seventh.
“It’s special,” Freeman said. “It was nice to do it in front of the home fans, and to get a nice ovation was special.”
Josh Hader (1-3) pitched two perfect innings.
Mike Foltynewicz, who entered with an 8.02 ERA in four starts, allowed only three hits in six innings for Atlanta.
Acuña led off the game with his ninth home run to the second section of the left field seats. Woodruff didn’t allow another baserunner to reach second until Freeman’s shot in the seventh tied the game at 2.
Freeman hit a game-ending homer off Hader in the 10th inning of a 4-3 win Saturday night. In a ninth-inning rematch Sunday, Freeman flied out to left field.
The Brewers wasted a scoring chance in the ninth.
With one out, Yasmani Grandal singled off Jacob Webb and moved to third when Eric Thames’ grounder skipped into center field. Grandal held at third base on Hiura’s fly ball to shallow center field. Webb’s pitch to Gamel bounced off the brick backstop to catcher Tyler Flowers, who threw out Grandal at third base.