Brewers 5, Cardinals 3: Rhys Hoskins turns the game around with huge three-run home run
Thanks to Rhys Hoskins, the Milwaukee Brewers remain undefeated against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024.
The first baseman drilled a three-run home run to center with two outs in the seventh inning, and that blast proved to be the difference in a 5-3 victory at American Family Field on Saturday night.
It was the lone hit with runners in scoring position (1 for 9) for the Brewers, who improved to 6-0 against their National League Central Division rival and 8-0 in the teams' last eight games, the longest winning streak by either team in the series.
Box score: Brewers 5, Cardinals 3
Freddy Peralta started for the first time since his suspension and threw six solid innings. Hoby Milner (1-0), Bryan Hudson and Trevor Megill followed Peralta.
St. Louis put two on with two outs in the ninth against Megill, but Nolan Arenado flied out to end it.
Rhys Hoskins delivers the big home run
William Contreras drew a one-out walk in the seventh then went to third on a two-out single flared to left by Jake Bauers. Bauers then stole second.
That brought Hoskins to the plate. And with struggling rookie Jackson Chourio waiting on deck, it seemed like a perfect time to pitch around the Brewers slugger.
Hoskins fell behind in the count, 0-2, then got it back to full before going down and driving an Andrew Kittredge slider just over the fence in center for a three-run homer.
Brewers waste a prime opportunity
Kyle Gibson had been tough on Milwaukee but hit the end of the road in the sixth when he allowed a broken-bat single and a pair of walks to load the bases with nobody out.
After Chourio came off the bench and struck out against JoJo Romero, Gary Sánchez was hit by a pitch to force in a run and make it 3-2. Then, Joey Ortiz came off the bench and fouled out and Blake Perkins flew out, dropping the Brewers to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
Freddy Peralta creates a mess
After Matt Carpenter doubled to lead off the fifth, Peralta made a couple mistakes that came back to bite him as he walked Nolan Gorman as the result of a pitch-clock violation and then mishandled a Masyn Winn bunt that left him safe and loaded the bases.
After Brendan Donovan popped out, Lars Nootbaar followed with a single to center to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Peralta then battled back to strike out both Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado.
With Gibson continuing to hold down Milwaukee's offense, the Cardinals got to Peralta for another run in the sixth and again it was the bottom third of the order that did the damage with Gorman's two-out RBI double making it a 3-1 game.
Peralta allowed eight hits, the three runs and a walk with eight strikeouts in his 100-pitch outing.
Brewers load the bases, take the lead
Contreras extended his on-base streak to 19 games with a first-inning double, but Milwaukee didn't cross the plate until the third.
An Oliver Dunn double and walks by Perkins and Contreras loaded the bases, and with two outs Jake Bauers picked up an RBI the hard way when he was drilled in the right arm by a Gibson fastball.
St. Louis had threatened to take the lead in the top of the third after consecutive singles off Peralta. But he recovered and got a flyout and a pair of strikeouts to strand the runners.
Cardinals lineup
Brendan Donovan LF
Lars Nootbaar CF
Paul Goldschmidt 1B
Nolan Arenado 3B
Ivan Herrera C
Matt Carpenter DH
Nolan Gorman 2B
Masyn Winn SS
Brewers lineup
Brice Turang 2B
William Contreras C
Willy Adames SS
Jake Bauers LF
Rhys Hoskins 1B
Sal Frelick RF
Gary Sánchez DH
Oliver Dunn 3B
Blake Perkins CF
Brewers schedule
Brewers vs. Cardinals, Sunday 1:10 p.m. St. Louis TBA vs. Milwaukee RHP Bryse Wilson (2-1, 2.40). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers vs. Pirates, Monday 6:40 p.m. Pittsburgh TBA vs. Milwaukee TBA. TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers 5, Cardinals 3: Rhys Hoskins turns game around with home run
