The Milwaukee Brewers played without Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Aramis Ramirez, getting the day off after a 16-inning marathon the night before. But the Brewers still found plenty of offense to salvage the final game of the series, pulling out a 9-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
Scooter Gennett drove in five runs with a second inning grand slam and a run scoring single and Khris Davis drove in three more runs with a homer and a two-run single to lead the Brewers.
But even more important, Marco Estrada, who has struggled on the mound for more than a month, came through with his strongest outing in some time.
Estrada (7-4) didn’t allow a home run for just the second time this season. He’s already surrendered a major-league-high 24.
AUDIO: Ron Roenicke says Estrada needed to pitch well :20
Washington scored first in the second inning and jumped in front 1-0 on a Nate McLouth groundout. But the Brewers loaded the bases in the bottom half and Scooter Gennett clubbed a grand slam home run off of Washington starter Stephen Strasburg.
Davis clubbed a long home run to left-center off Strasburg in the bottom of the fourth to eventually put the Brewers up 7-2. That would end Strasburg’s afternoon.
Estrada worked 6 1/3 before giving way to the bullpen, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits. He walked off the mound to a standing ovation from the crowd of 39-thousand plus.
Alfredo Figaro, who was recalled from Class AAA Nashville that day, pitched two scoreless innings to close out the victory.
The Brewers open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies tonight. Wily Peralta (8-5, 3.02) pitches for the Brewers. Christian Friedrich (0-1, 6.00) goes for the Rockies.