Brewers survive for 7-5 victory after withstanding Phillies' 9th-inning comeback attempt

Updated Sep. 2, 2023 11:31 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Devin Williams made sure he didn't lose a duel with Trea Turner for a second straight night.

Turner struck out swinging at a 3-2 pitch from Williams with the tying run on second base to end the game as the Milwaukee Brewers beat Philadelphia 7-5 on Saturday. Williams had allowed a three-run homer to Turner in the eighth inning a night earlier, enabling the Phillies to take the lead before the Brewers rallied to win that game 7-5 as well.

“I threw him the worst changeup I've thrown in three months yesterday,” said Williams, who earned his 32nd save in 36 opportunities.

The matchup between one of the game's top closers and one of the league's hottest hitters capped a second straight thrilling game between these two likely playoff teams.

Philadelphia trailed 7-2 after five innings but rallied to put the game in doubt in the ninth. The Phillies' comeback included a sixth-inning solo shot from Turner, who tied a franchise record by homering for a fifth consecutive game.

“That's the thing that this club does,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We bring the go-ahead run to the plate after we're down 7-2 and just keep chipping away and keep fighting. We just kind of ran out of innings.”

Carlos Santana had a two-run homer and Mark Canha doubled twice for the Brewers. Milwaukee’s William Contreras, Brice Turang and Andruw Monasterio added two hits each as the Brewers extended their NL Central lead to 4 1/2 games over the Chicago Cubs, who lost 2-1 to Cincinnati.

“I can see the energy, the attitude,” Santana said. “Everything is positive.”

Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a homer for the second straight night and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for the Phillies.

The Brewers won by getting big contributions from players they added at the trade deadline.

They acquired Santana from Pittsburgh on July 27. Four days later, they landed Canha in a trade with the New York Mets. Andrew Chafin (3-4), who earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief, arrived in an Aug. 1 trade with Arizona.

“I'm coming to a new team, new family, new clubhouse, new fans, new stadium,” Santana said. “I have to try to finish strong and keep it up.”

Philadelphia took a 2-0 lead on homers by Schwarber and Realmuto in the first two innings.

Brewers starter Colin Rea settled down from there and left with Milwaukee leading 3-2 in the fifth. Rea struck out six and allowed three hits, two runs and no walks in 4 1/3 innings in his first appearance for the Brewers since Aug. 4.

The Brewers called Rea up from the minors after right-hander Adrian Houser went on the injured list.

Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola had gone 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in his 11 previous career starts against the Brewers, but he failed to protect that early lead Saturday.

Milwaukee pulled ahead by scoring three runs in the second inning. Canha started the rally with a ground-rule double and scored on Turang’s one-out single. Turang came home on a two-out double from Tyrone Taylor, who scored the go-ahead run on Christian Yelich’s single to left.

The Brewers added four more runs in the fifth. After Contreras hit a one-out double, Santana homered to right center to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Canha hit a two-out RBI double that sent Nola out of the game, then Turang greeted Andrew Bellatti with a run-scoring single.

Nola (12-9) allowed seven earned runs – a season high and one off his career high – and lasted just 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and gave up eight hits and three walks.

“He couldn’t stop the momentum tonight with runners on base,” Thomson said.

Turner homered in the sixth off Brewers reliever Trevor Megill. Nick Castellanos’ sacrifice fly in the eighth cut Milwaukee’s lead to 7-4. Schwarber hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth, then pinch-runner Johan Rojas stole second to put the potential tying run in scoring position.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers LHP Aaron Ashby was sent to Single-A Wisconsin to begin a rehab assignment. Ashby hasn't pitched all season and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder in April.

UP NEXT

LHP Ranger Suárez (2-6, 3.88 ERA) starts for the Phillies and LHP Wade Miley (7-3, 3.17) pitches for the Brewers as this three-game series closes Sunday afternoon.

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