LAS VEGAS – The Milwaukee Brewers move from one high-altitude, offense-oriented venue to another as they begin a three-game interleague series against the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison (7-1, 1.57) starts for the Brewers and seeks to continue the tremendous roll he’s been on, while the Athletics counter with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.37).
There were several roster moves made before the game, with right-hander Joel Kuhnel being selected to the roster and right-hander Craig Yoho optioned to Class AAA Nashville.
Also, right-hander Jake Woodford cleared waivers, was outrighted to Nashville and elected free agency and right-hander Carlos Rodriguez had his May 31 option voided and has instead been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement.
Things are getting ridiculous now
Jackson Chourio’s third single of the night set the table for Jake Bauers, who with two outs launched a titanic 457-foot blast over the batter’s eye in center to make it a 9-7 game.
Things are just getting silly now.
Cutting into the deficit, briefly
Andrew Vaughn came this close to a two-homer game when he blasted a ball to left-center with William Contreras on first with two outs in the fifth, and he and the Brewers had to settle for cutting one run off the deficit at 8-5.
Kuhnel came on for the bottom of the sixth and impressed with a couple 99-mph sinkers, then gave up a two-out solo homer to Nick Kurtz before finishing off the inning with his third strikeout.
Game goes off the rails quickly for Kyle Harrison
The A’s racked up two singles, a walk and a fielder’s choice from their first four batters in the bottom of the third, with two of those plays ones shortstop Joey Ortiz should have made but didn’t.
That opened the floodgates as the fielder’s choice, a chopper by Max Muncy that scooted under Ortiz’s glove, drove in two and then Tyler Soderstrom followed with a three-run homer to center.
Two batters later Zack Gelof homered to left, the deficit had grown to 8-4 and Harrison was replaced by Grant Anderson having been tagged for seven hits, eight runs (all earned, and a career high) and two walks with four strikeouts.
His ERA jumped nearly a full run, from 1.57 to 2.56 after the outing.
The lead swings back and forth
With two outs in the second, Gelof and Alika Williams – the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters for the A’s – each doubled to leave the Brewers in a 2-1 hole. The two runs equal the most Harrison had allowed in any of his previous 11 starts.
Not an issue for the Brewers as it turned out, with Chourio opening the third with an infield single and Brice Turang blasting a 443-foot home run to center and then Vaughn following with a 420-foot blast of his own to center with two outs to make it a 4-2 Milwaukee lead.
Teams exchange runs in the first inning
Chourio singled with one out, advanced to second on a William Contreras walk and scored on a Jake Bauers single for a quick 1-0 lead in the first.
The A’s then needed exactly one pitch to answer, as Shea Langeliers blasted Harrison’s first pitch out to left-center.
What is the Brewers record?
40-23, first place in the NL Central.
Brewers lineup
A’s lineup
Brewers probable pitchers and schedule
Brewers at Athletics (in Las Vegas), June 9, 9:05 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73) vs. Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers at Athletics (in Las Vegas), June 10, 8:05 p.m.: Milwaukee TBA vs. Athletics RHP Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.19). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A’s 9, Brewers 7: Seven homers and counting for the two teams
Reporting by Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
