Brewers 6, Red Sox 3: Five-run third inning, another strong pitching performance key victory

BOSTON -- One big inning made the difference on Saturday afternoon.

Scoring all but one of their runs with two outs in the third inning off Boston Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta, the Milwaukee Brewers then rode another strong pitching performance to record a 6-3 victory at Fenway Park.

Four different players drove in the runs with four straight hits, then Brice Turang added a two-out solo home run in the eighth for a bit more breathing room as Milwaukee clinched a series victory.

"It's just kind of what we're capable of," said Jake Bauers, who contributed an RBI single in the flurry. "I mean, we're going to hit a three-run homer one night and then single you to death the next night.

"It's good to see, so hopefully we can just keep it going."

It was also the team's first road series victory since sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, April 19-21.

The Brewers again utilized an "opener" gambit, starting left-hander Jared Koenig for the second straight game. He became the first Brewers pitcher to start consecutive games since Zack Greinke started three straight from July 7-13, 2013.

Right-hander Colin Rea (4-2) took over from there, taking a no-hitter into the seventh before Hoby Milner (1 ⅔ innings) and Trevor Megill (⅓) combined to pitch the final two innings.

Jared Koenig does the job again

Despite the Red Sox shuffling their lineup to make it less lefty heavy, Koenig struck out three of the four batters he faced before being lifted in favor of Rea.

He threw 15 pitches after throwing 12 on Friday.

"It's nice, going out there and getting the four outs that were needed and throwing the ball well," Koenig said. "It's always nice to help out."

Milwaukee's offense, meanwhile, botched a prime chance for an early lead in the second.

After a replay challenge determined a drive down the left-field line by Willy Adames was interfered with by a fan, Adames was awarded a double. Bauers flew out, then Gary Sánchez walked and Sal Frelick singled to load the bases.

But Joey Ortiz popped out and Blake Perkins was robbed of multiple RBI and extra bases when Tyler O'Neill made a leaping grab at the base of the Green Monster to leave the Brewers scoreless.

Next time is the charm

The Brewers made sure not to give away their next opportunity, which came the following inning.

It began when Christian Yelich lined a two-out, ground-rule double down the left-field line. Adames walked and Bauers singled to center to get Milwaukee onto the scoreboard.

Sánchez and Frelick each followed with run-scoring singles, then Ortiz lined a two-run double to center to up the Brewers' lead to 5-0.

"Yelich has a great at-bat and hits a line drive down the line, and then after that five straight hitters come up and get a hit or walk or do something and all of a sudden you look up and it's 5-0 and you're like, 'Wow, that's pretty impressive,' said Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

"Relentless. Every pitch is important. 'Two outs, nobody on, this at-bat I'm going to try to win the pitch and just keep going.' Everybody tried to win the pitch, and see what happens? Keep pecking away like that, like a woodpecker."

Colin Rea did his part as next man up

While the offense cooled off considerably following the outburst, the pitching was top-notch.

Although he issued a couple free passes in the the bottom of the third and another in the fifth, Rea didn't allow a hit through the sixth inning while generating nine fly-ball outs over that same span.

"I was watching it from the training room," Koenig said. "I didn't want to move. I was hoping Colin was going to keep it going."

Rea was unable to, however, as Rafael Devers smacked a double off the wall in center to start the bottom of the seventh. Two batters later, Wilyer Abreu doubled Devers in to break up the shutout and make it 5-1.

A two-out RBI single by Ceddanne Rafaela cut Milwaukee's lead to 5-2 before Rea got David Hamilton to ground out and finish his day at 68 pitches. He induced 11 fly-ball outs in all.

"Those walks, I kind of just lost it there for a couple hitters," Rea (4-2) said. "But I thought Jared did a great job of starting the game and setting the tone early, and I just tried to come in and kind of follow that."

Brice Turang supplied a little more insurance

The Brewers finally get an insurance run as Brice Turang homered to right with two outs in the eighth. It was Turang's first long ball since April 20.

Hoby Milner pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and got to within an out of finishing the game off in the ninth but with two outs Murphy called on closer Trevor Megill.

He was greeted by a run-scoring bloop single. Boston had the tying run at the plate in the form of the ex-Milwaukee farmhand Hamilton, but Megill struck him out to end it and earn his eighth save.

With Sunday's matinee remaining, the Brewers have a chance for a series sweep and a winning road trip.

"It definitely feels good," said Rea. "It was kind of getting to be a little bit longer of a road trip there for a little bit. But these last two games we've played well, so hopefully we can continue doing that tomorrow."

Brewers time, TV, radio

The Brewers game starts at 3:10 p.m. Saturday.

TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620 and a state network.

Brewers lineup

• Brice Turang 2B

• William Contreras C

• Christian Yelich LF

• Willy Adames SS

• Jake Bauers 1B

• Gary Sánchez DH

• Sal Frelick RF

• Joey Ortiz 3B

• Blake Perkins CF

Red Sox lineup

• Jarren Duran CF

• Connor Wong C

• Tyler O'Neill LF

• Rafael Devers 3B

• Romy Gonzalez DH

• Wilyer Abreu RF

• Dominic Smith 1B

• Cedanne Rafaela SS

• David Hamilton 2B

Brewers schedule

Brewers at Red Sox, 12:35 p.m. Sunday: Milwaukee RHP Tobias Myers (1-2, 5.00) vs. Boston RHP Tanner Houck (4-5, 1.94). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers 6, Red Sox 3: Five-run third, more strong pitching key victory