Brewers win 5-4 to snap 3-game skid and end Dodgers' 5-game winning streak

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Devin Williams retired Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in order in the ninth inning to preserve the Milwaukee Brewers' 5-4 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday that snapped the Dodgers' five-game winning streak.

Williams needed only seven pitches to retire those three MVPs and earn his second save in as many opportunities. Ohtani hit a fly to left, Betts struck out and Freeman grounded to second.

“I don’t know if there’s a better 1-2-3 in the league,” Williams said. “It was definitely a good test. I passed it today. I might have to do it again tomorrow.”

The Brewers got only four hits but capitalized on three Dodgers errors to end a three-game skid. Milwaukee is the only major league team that hasn’t lost at least four in a row at some point this season.

“We competed,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That's the Brewers you guys have seen all year.”

Los Angeles' most critical error came in the seventh, when Betts misplayed a ball in right field to enable Joey Ortiz to score the go-ahead run on Jackson Chourio’s single.

“I know that guy (Ortiz) is fast,” Betts said. “I was trying to make a play. I just missed it.”

Ortiz led off the seventh by getting hit by a pitch from Brent Honeywell (0-1). After Ortiz advanced to second on Brice Turang’s sacrifice bunt, Chourio singled to shallow right.

When the ball rolled past Betts, Ortiz came all the way home and Chourio advanced to second. Chourio wasn’t credited with an RBI on the play.

The Dodgers had tied the game in the top of the seventh when Miguel Rojas delivered a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single off Jared Koenig (9-3).

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler came off the injured list and gave up four runs – one earned – over 3 1/3 innings after missing nearly two months with right hip inflammation. He struck out three and allowed three hits and four walks.

Los Angeles lost despite taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Frankie Montas’ bases-loaded walk to Teoscar Hernández brought home Ohtani, who started the game by reaching on an error by Ortiz. Later in the inning, Betts came home on a sacrifice fly by Kiké Hernández and Freeman scored on Kevin Kiermaier’s two-out double.

Montas recovered from his tough start and didn’t allow any more runs in his five-inning stint. He struck out six and yielded five hits, three walks and three unearned runs.

Buehler walked the bases loaded to start the bottom of the first, but the Brewers couldn’t take advantage.

Turang tried to score from third on Wiliam Contreras’ fly to center, but Kiermaier threw him out. Willy Adames then struck out to end the threat.

Kiermaier’s throw to the plate went 99 mph, the fastest outfield assist by any Dodgers player since Statcast started measuring those speeds in 2015.

The Brewers tied the game with three runs in a second-inning rally that featured a leadoff homer from Jake Bauers and an RBI triple from Turang.

Milwaukee took a 4-3 lead in the fourth but wasted an opportunity to do more damage.

Kiké Hernández committed an error on a bouncer to third from Ortiz that scored Garrett Mitchell from third. Turang then greeted Anthony Banda with an apparent double down the left-field line that would have put runners on third and second with one out.

The problem was that Ortiz slid into second, took a step backward, then didn’t retouch the bag before heading toward third. After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left the dugout and held a mound conference, Banda threw to second on an appeal play and Ortiz was ruled out.

Roberts said after the game that three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw had noticed Ortiz's mistake from the bench and pointed it out, leading to the appeal.

Although Turang remained on second, his apparent double was ruled a fielder’s choice. Chourio then grounded out to end the rally.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers IF Tommy Edman (wrist) and IF Max Muncy (oblique) are on track to return early next week. RHP Ryan Brasier (calf) is expected to return Saturday.

UP NEXT

RHP Jack Flaherty (9-5, 2.97 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers and RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 2.79) starts for the Dodgers when this four-game series concludes Thursday afternoon.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers' Walker Buehler walks to the dugout after being removed during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio smiles after hitting an RBI-single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández hits an RBI sacrifice fly during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio breaks his bat hitting an RBI-single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio breaks his bat hitting an RBI-single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Austin Barnes (15) throws out Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames at first base during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Brice Turang (2) gestures after hitting an RBI-triple iin the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a tiebreaking homer in his return from the injured list as the Arizona Diamondbacks bounced back after blowing a four-run lead and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 on Friday night.

The Diamondbacks moved into sole possession of the NL’s second wild-card spot by taking a one-game lead over the New York Mets, who lost 12-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Atlanta Braves, who lost 4-3 at Miami, are three games behind the Diamondbacks and two games behind the Mets.

Milwaukee already has clinched the NL Central title.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte hit his 33rd homer – setting a new career high – and also doubled and singled. William Contreras went 4 for 5 with a homer and Garrett Mitchell and Joey Ortiz also went deep for the Brewers.

Milwaukee rallied from a 4-0 deficit by homering off Arizona ace Zac Gallen (13-6) three times in a four-run fifth inning before the Diamondbacks took the lead for good in the sixth.

Gurriel led off the sixth by connecting on a 1-1 pitch from DL Hall (1-2) and hitting it over the wall in left center. Gurriel had been activated from the injured list earlier in the day after recovering from a strained left calf.

His homer started a three-run rally that culminated with Randal Grichuk drawing a bases-loaded, two-out walk from Jared Koenig. Grichuk took a 3-2 pitch low to bring home Gabriel Moreno.

Rhys Hoskins and Sal Frelick opened the bottom of the sixth with consecutive singles to bring the tying run to the plate, but Kevin Ginkel retired the next three batters to keep the score at 7-4. The Brewers got the tying run to the plate but failed to score again in the seventh.

A.J. Puk worked the ninth for his third save in six opportunities.

The Brewers had gotten back into the game in the fifth by pouncing on Gallen, who hadn’t allowed more than two homers in any of his previous 26 starts this season. He entered Friday having given up a total of two homers over his last 11 starts.

Ortiz hit a one-out drive to left-center that traveled 416 feet. After Brice Turang grounded out, Jackson Chourio beat out an infield single and Contreras followed with a 409-foot homer to center. Mitchell sent Gallen’s next pitch over the wall in left center for a game-tying, 393-foot blast.

It was the first time the Brewers had homered three times in an inning since Rowdy Tellez, Brian Anderson and Mitchell went deep against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in the sixth inning of a 9-0 victory over the New York Mets on April 4, 2023. Gallen hadn’t allowed three homers in a game since a 5-3 loss to Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of last year’s NL Championship Series.

Gallen gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings while striking out five and walking one.

Brewers starter Colin Rea gave up three runs and five hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked one.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Gurriel was playing his first game since Sept. 1. The Diamondbacks made room for him by designating INF Luis Guillorme for assignment.

BREWERS' MOVE

The Brewers designated RHP Enoli Paredes for assignment and promoted RHP Kevin Herget from Triple-A Nashville.

UP NEXT

RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.00 ERA) pitches for the Diamondbacks and RHP Aaron Civale (7-8, 4.48) starts for the Brewers when this four-game series continues Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Colin Rea (48) throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras, right, reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers third base Joey Ortiz (3) throws out Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio, left, and Willy Adames, right, collide after Adames caught a ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras hits a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)