Ramirez, Braun lead Brewers to victory over Phillies
The Brewers felt fortunate to win this one.
Aramis Ramirez drove in three runs and Ryan Braun had four hits to lead Milwaukee over the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Tuesday night.
Hernan Perez tripled and had a pair of hits for the Brewers, who have won six of eight. They went ahead with two runs in a bizarre eighth inning.
"A win you feel like you snatched it a little bit," manager Craig Counsell said.
Carlos Ruiz homered for Philadelphia, which has lost five of six to drop its major league-worst record to 27-52.
Before the game, the Phillies said Pete Mackanin will remain their manager for the rest of the season. Mackanin took over on an interim basis last Friday after Ryne Sandberg resigned.
The announcement came a day after Philadelphia named longtime baseball executive Andy MacPhail its president in waiting. MacPhail will spend the next three months evaluating the organization before replacing Pat Gillick, who helped pick him.
In a game matching the two worst teams in baseball, the start was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 19 minutes.
Ken Giles, pitching in relief of Cole Hamels, retired the first two batters in the eighth before Braun's single. Giles (3-2) appeared to get the third out when Carlos Gomez swung through a two-strike pitch, but plate umpire Mike DiMuro indicated the catcher, Ruiz, had called time just before the pitch. Giles already was on his way back to the dugout and appeared stunned when DiMuro threw his hands up to signal no pitch.
Giles couldn't recover. Gomez singled and then Ramirez drove in Braun with a single to right. A walk to Gerardo Parra loaded the bases, and Gomez scored the go-ahead run when Giles walked pinch-hitter Adam Lind.
Mackanin said Ruiz called time in order to keep Braun close at first base.
"I don't have a problem with it because if you don't pay attention to the runner, he gets in scoring position," Mackanin said. "You don't want that, either."
Neither Giles nor Ruiz was in the clubhouse afterward when it was open to reporters.
After falling behind, the Phillies threatened in the bottom of the eighth. They loaded the bases with one out against Will Smith. Jeremy Jeffress relieved and got Darin Ruf to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The first two batters reached in the ninth against Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez on a walk and an error, but he got out of the jam for his 17th save in as many chances.
"Kind of a crazy game," Counsell said.
Neal Cotts (1-0) struck out Ryan Howard in the seventh to earn the win.
Hamels, likely one of the most coveted pitchers in baseball as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, pitched seven strong innings. He allowed two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. The left-hander is winless in his last six starts but has a 3.60 ERA during that span.
Ruiz put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with a two-out solo homer in the sixth off rookie Taylor Jungmann. It was Ruiz's first homer since Sept. 5.
Jungmann allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in six innings.
HAMELS A SOCCER FAN
As he waited out the rain delay, Hamels watched the first half of the United States' 2-0 win over Germany in the Women's World Cup. The Phillies put the game on the big video board in left field.
"I thought it was awesome," Hamels said of the delay. "I got to watch the soccer game. That was kind of enjoyable."
Hamels said he's missed previous World Cup games because they've coincided with days he's pitched.
ON A ROLL
Braun doubled in the ninth for his fourth hit. He is batting .500 over his last nine games, and is a career .438 hitter in 24 games at Citizens Bank Park.
UP NEXT
Phillies RHP Aaron Harang (4-10, 3.56 ERA) looks to snap a seven-game losing streak when he opposes Milwaukee RHP Kyle Lohse (4-9, 6.28) on Wednesday night. Harang has a 6.05 ERA during the skid. Lohse is 5-5 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 starts against Philadelphia.
