Zach Davies pitched 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball and the Milwaukee Brewers clubbed three home runs in a 8-0 win over the Washington Nationals in their series opener on Tuesday night.
Davies allowed just 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out seven and improved to 12-4. He continues to get plenty of offensive support as the Brewers banged out 11 hits, including home runs from Travis Shaw (23rd), Manny Pina (7th) and Eric Thames (24th).
The Brewers scored their first run on a Davies safety squeeze in the second inning, scoring Manny Pina from third base.
Travis Shaw clubbed a three-run homer, his sixth three-run shot of the season. Eric Thames home run came off of the facing of the third deck in right field.
Shaw now has career highs in home runs and RBI (73). Both of those personal bests come with two months still left in the baseball season.
The Brewers remain a half-game in front of the Chicago Cubs, who also won earlier in the day, 7-2 over the White Sox.
Game two of the series is tonight. Jimmy Nelson (8-5, 3.43) pitches for the Brewers. The Nationals counter with Gio Gonzalez (8-5, 2.83).
Brewers trade for bullpen help
The Brewers agreed to acquire veteran right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak from the Chicago White Sox for Class AAA Colorado Springs outfielder Ryan Cordell.
Swarzak turns 32 in September and is a free agent at the end of the season. He is having his best year as a pro, posting a 4-3 mark with a 2.23 earned run average in 41 appearances. Swarzak has spent six seasons in the Majors with Minnesota, Cleveland and the New York Yankees. He was a second round draft pick in 2004 by the Twins.
The 25-year-old Cordell was acquired from Texas last season as one of three minor-league prospects in exchange for catcher Jonathan Lucroy and reliever Jeremy Jeffress. The Brewers also acquired outfielder Lewis Brinson and right-handed pitching prospect Luis Ortiz in the deal.
Cordell was hitting .284 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 68 games at Colorado Springs.