Corbin Burnes, Owen Miller lead the way in Brewers win over hapless Royals

After a tough series against one of the best teams in baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Milwaukee Brewers welcomed one of the worst to American Family Field in the Kansas City Royals.

Thanks to a solid start by Corbin Burnes and a three-hit game by Owen Miller, they took full advantage with a 5-1 victory that leapfrogged them past the Pittsburgh Pirates for first place in the Central Division standings.

Burnes threw six scoreless innings as Milwaukee's pitching staff limited Kansas City to only three hits and Miller, a Fredonia native, homered for the first time as a Brewer while recording the fifth three-hit game of his career.

BOX SCORE: Brewers 5, Royals 1

The pitching matchup couldn't have been more disparate, with Kansas City throwing a bullpen game and Milwaukee countering with its ace in Burnes.

The Brewers generated a run in the first against left-hander Josh Taylor when Willy Adames drew a two-out walk, stole second base, went to third on a throwing error and scored on Christian Yelich's single.

Miller's leadoff homer off Max Castillo in the third made it 2-0, then Tyrone Taylor's two-out RBI single in the fourth upped the lead to 3-0.

Burnes kept the Royals off the board over that same span but had to work hard to do so with his four walks in the first three innings representing a new season high.

Two of those free passes came in succession with two outs in the fourth, but Burnes struck out Maikel Garcia to complete the frame and then proceeded to retire nine of the final 10 batters to complete his night at a season-high 104 pitches.

Burnes (4-2) allowed two hits – both singles and his seven strikeouts were one shy of tying his season high.

Milwaukee had a chance to build on its lead when Miller doubled and William Contreras walked to open the bottom of the fifth.

After Willy Adames grounded out, the Royals put Yelich on and quickly benefited from that bit of strategy as Brian Anderson tapped into a 1-2-3 double play.

A two-out, solo homer hit by Freddy Fermin off Joel Payamps in the seventh cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-1.

The Brewers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, however, as they went on to load the bases with nobody out and cashed in with singles by Yelich and Anderson.

Relievers Peter Strzelecki and Elvis Peguero finished the game out for the Brewers.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Corbin Burnes, Owen Miller lead the way in Brewers win over hapless Royals