Logan Henderson pitched well, Joey Ortiz delivered at the plate and the Milwaukee Brewers won another series; what else is new?
The Brewers keep on winning games by using every corner of their roster, this time a 4-3 victory to take the series over the New York Mets on July 22 at American Family Field behind five quality innings from Henderson and a near cycle by Ortiz.
A pair of solo shots accounted for most of the damage against Henderson while the Brewers played from ahead nearly all game.
That was thanks in large part to the work of Ortiz.
The Brewers shortstop put Milwaukee ahead with a two-run triple in the second, then followed it with a single and double in his ensuing two at-bats. Ortiz came to bat with two outs in the eighth, but the cycle was forced to stay in the garage; he walked.
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Defense teams up to keep the lead in eighth
With two on and two outs in the eighth, Jorge Polanco rolled an Abner Uribe slider back toward the middle of the field, seemingly ticketed for center until Brice Turang ranged wide to his right and made the stop on his feet.
Turang couldn’t get the ball out quick enough to flip to second for the force, so he had to contort his body and throw off-platform to first. That led to an awkward hop for Jake Bauers, who had just moved from right field to first but dug it out nevertheless just in time to beat Polanco and preserve a 4-2 lead.
The Mets scratched a run across against Trevor Megill on a two-out Francisco Alvarez single until, who else, Ortiz made a diving stop on a smash by A.J. Ewing for the final out.
No problem for Aaron Ashby in middle innings
Working two complete innings for the first time since June 14 was no problem for Aaron Ashby, who protected the lead for the sixth and seventh after Henderson departed.
Ashby’s clean sixth was his first 1-2-3 inning since July 1 and he followed it with three strikeouts while working around a one-out walk in the seventh to retake the MLB lead for strikeouts by a reliever (79).
Christian Yelich Insurance Company
Following Ortiz’s double to move within a home run of the cycle in the sixth, the Mets went to southpaw A.J. Minter to face Christian Yelich. The battle went the way of the Milwaukee designated hitter, whose eyes widened at a 1-1 cutter that he roped at 104.3 mph off the bat to the base of the wall in center field for a triple.
Brewers leave bases loaded in the fifth
Turang’s base running set the Brewers up for a big inning against the New York bullpen. The middle of the order couldn’t cash in.
Heady running to beat the throw to second on a grounder by William Contreras loaded the bases with nobody out against lefty Cionel Perez for Garrett Mitchell, but the Brewers center fielder struck out looking for the first out. The Mets then went to right-hander Huascar Brazoban to face Andrew Vaughn, and the sinkerballer won the battle by inducing a 6-4-3 double play on a full count.
Logan Henderson through 5 strong innings
After giving up a solo homer in the second, Henderson struck out four over the next two innings while keeping the Mets from creating any real sort of threat.
A strikeout of Alvarez in the fifth tied Henderson’s career high of nine, which he set in his MLB debut last April 25.
Henderson was cruising until Brett Baty beat him on a well-executed changeup low and away, yanking it 105.8 mph into the picnic area beyond the right-field fence with one away in the fifth.
That cut the Brewers’ lead to 3-2 and Ewing two batters later laced a two-out double to the right-center gap, but a changeup got Francisco Lindor well out in front for an inning-ending looper to second.
Mets misplay gives Brewers a lead in second
Mets starter could have gotten out of a mess in the second without so much as a small stain. Instead, his defense opened the door to spill three runs.
Scott got Bauers to pop out and Cooper Pratt to strike out with runners on the corners to open a door to escape unscathed. Ortiz then drove a 96.3 mph fly ball to the warning track in right that could have ended the inning but Baty misread the spin, allowing it to land for a two-run triple.
Yelich followed by smacking a single to left to push the advantage to 3-1.
Marcus Semien sneaks one out
It looked as if Jackson Chourio had a chance to make a play on a deep fly ball from Marcus Semien that was just over the yellow line in left, but his glove got caught in the chain-link fence as he timed his jump and the Mets took a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t a surefire play by any means but similar to others going back toward the wall that Chourio has struggled to make this year.
Logan Henderson strikes out three in the first
With the Mets ready to attack changeups, Henderson mixed it up to earn three strikeouts in a scoreless first inning.
Ewing opened the game by going down against a cutter, then Lindor swung through a fastball at the top of the zone. Following a Bo Bichette infield single that hit off Henderson’s foot, Carson Benge struck out swinging on a 94.3 mph heater down the middle.
Brewers probable pitchers and schedule
Off day, Juy 23.
Brewers vs. Rockies, July 24, 3:10 p.m.: Brewers LHP Shane Drohan (5-3, 3.20) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Rockies, July 25, 6:10 p.m.: Brewers LHP Robert Gasser (2-4, 4.91) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Rockies, July 26, 1:10 p.m.: Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (10-4, 1.57) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Joey Ortiz flirts with cycle as Brewers beat Mets, 4-3, for series win
Reporting by Curt Hogg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Curt Hogg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
