MILWAUKEE (AP) — Joey Ortiz and William Contreras each scored two runs and the Milwaukee Brewers moved one step closer to their goal of clinching the NL Central title by defeating the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Monday night.
The Brewers’ magic number is two as they seek their third division championship in the last four years, and Milwaukee can seal the deal with a win and a Chicago Cubs loss on Tuesday night.
Brewers starter Aaron Civale (9-8) gave up seven hits and struck out six players while allowing one run and one walk in five innings. Colin Rea, normally a starter, made his fourth relief appearance of the season, working 2 2/3 shutout innings for the first save of the 34-year-old’s career.
Blake Perkins scored two runs for the Brewers. Brandon Marsh hit a home run for the Phillies.
Contreras opened the scoring with a two-run double that had an exit velocity of 115.6 mph, the third-highest of his career. Contreras hit a sharp grounder from Ranger Suárez that rolled to the left-center field wall and brought home Jackson Chourio and Perkins.
The Brewers extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning. Rhys Hoskins worked a leadoff walk against his former team, got to third base on Sal Frelick’s double and scored on Ortiz’s sacrifice fly.
After Marsh put the Phillies on the scoreboard with a two-out home run in the fifth inning, the Brewers scored twice in the sixth to make it 5-1. Ortiz hit a two-out RBI triple and scored on Brice Turang’s single to left.
Suárez (12-7) played five innings and struck out five players while allowing three runs, four hits and three walks.
Philadelphia made 1 of 9 with runners in scoring position and was unable to capitalize on opportunities to catch up.
The Phillies were one out in the third inning. Cal Stevenson tried to advance from first to third base when Trea Turner singled into right field, but Sal Frelick threw him out. Turner was then caught trying to steal second base, making the last out of the inning.
Kyle Schwarber and Turner opened the sixth with consecutive singles against Civale, but Hoby Milner came out of the bullpen and took out Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Alec Bohm in turn.
The Phillies brought the potential tying point to the plate after Schwarber’s two-out RBI single in the seventh inning cut Milwaukee’s lead to 5-2 and put runners on the corners, but Rea ended the inning by taking Turner out of the game with a fly to right.
Milwaukee extended its lead to 6-2 in the second half. Perkins hit a single, got to second base on Contreras’ walk, reached third base on a double steal and scored on Gary Sánchez’s sacrifice fly.
TRAINING ROOM
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said he had no update yet on RHP Joel Payamps, who left Milwaukee’s 11-10 loss in 10 innings to Arizona on Sunday due to forearm tightness. … Murphy said bullpen sessions are scheduled for Tuesday for RHP Nick Mears (forearm) and RHP Bryse Wilson (oblique).
Next
RHP Zack Wheeler (15-6, 2.80 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies and RHP Frankie Montas (7-10, 4.49) will start for the Brewers when the three-game series resumes Tuesday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
