Miguel Rojas' 3 hits overshadowed by 5 from Trent Grisham, Marlins fall to Brewers 8-3
MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Trent Grisham had a career-high five hits and drove in two runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers won their fourth straight, 8-3 over the Miami Marlins on Monday night.
Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer and Lorenzo Cain had three hits and knocked in a run for the Brewers in a game that lasted 4 hours, 8 minutes.
Milwaukee moved within six games of idle first-place St. Louis in the NL Central. The Brewers began the day two games out of the second wild-card spot occupied by the division rival Chicago Cubs, who were playing later Monday night.
The game featured 15 pitchers who combined for 14 walks. The Marlins loaded the bases in four innings while the Brewers did it three times.
Grisham grounded out to lead off the game before recording hits in each of his next five at-bats, including a double and a triple. Needing a homer for the cycle in the ninth, he blooped a single to left-center.
The Brewers led 4-3 before breaking the game open with a four-run seventh. Grisham hit a two-run triple before Grandal went deep, his 26th homer this season. That's one short of his career high.
Matt Albers (6-5) recorded two outs in relief of Jordan Lyles, who worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits.
The Brewers got two runs in the first inning off Robert Dugger (0-2). Cain singled with the bases loaded and Cory Spangenburg followed with a run-scoring groundout.
Pinch-hitter Ryan Braun hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push the lead to 4-1.
Miguel Rojas's two-run single pulled the Marlins within 4-3.
MATTINGLY'S FUTURE
Marlins manager Don Mattingly's uncertain future with the organization past this season is not weighing on him.
"Not really," Mattingly said. "I'm in a pretty good spot in my mind. I have to make a choice too. So not really. We'll talk. We've talked about getting together and I assume we'll get together quickly because they've got to do a whole staff depending on what direction they want to go so not really, no. I feel pretty good."
The Marlins have gone through an extended rebuilding process since Mattingly arrived in 2016 and won 79 games. The wins have decreased each season since and the Marlins have NL's worst record this year.
"I do like the thought of young guys getting better and growing in this organization is really what I was thinking when I first came here. That's still something that I want, but the losses are hard to deal with and over time," Mattingly said. "We have a chance to lose over 100 games. We didn't lose 100 last year, but we have a chance this year and you don't quite know where the next year or two is going."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: IF Mike Moustakas (hand) took batting practice before the game and could return to the lineup in the series. "Moose is improving, he's taking batting practice and that's a very good sign so we're getting closer there," manager Craig Counsell said. ... 2B Keston Hiura (hamstring) also took batting practice and C Manny Pina (concussion) could also make his return in the series.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (6-4, 4.58 ERA) is 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA in four starts at Marlins Park.
Marlins: RHP Elieser Hernández (3-5, 5.23) allowed five runs, three earned, in the first inning of his last start at Pittsburgh.
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