Solarte's two homers lift Padres to 13-5 rout of Brewers
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The San Diego Padres got production throughout their batting order, including two homers by Yangervis Solarte, to rout the Brewers.
"Having balance up and down the lineup is huge. When we're all clicking everyone saw what we are capable of," said Jedd Gyorko, who homered and had three hits batting in the sixth spot for the Padres.
Gyorko belted a solo homer off Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta (2-6) in the fifth.
"It was a fastball up. I was sitting dead-red," said Gyorko, who matched his season-high with three hits in a game for the third time.
Solarte's homers and Alexi Amarista's three RBIs helped the Padres crush the Brewers 13-5 on Monday night. Solarte hit a solo home run in the first and connected for a three-run shot in the seventh. It was his first career multi-homer game.
"His energy and the spirit about him is just wonderful," San Diego manager Pat Murphy said. "You can never estimate how much that means to a club."
Tyson Ross (8-8) gave up seven hits and two earned runs in six innings. He struck out five and walked two. He also had an RBI single in the third inning, one of 13 hits on the night for the Padres.
"It's huge any time you get guys swinging like that," Ross said of the run support he received. "It motivates you to get quick outs and pitch deep into the game."
The Padres blew the game open in the seventh with six runs sparked by Solarte's three-run homer off Preston Guilmet.
Peralta (2-6) was ineffective in his second start after spending more than two months on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. He gave up six runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings. Peralta walked three and struck out two.
TOUGH LOVE
Murphy, who coached Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell at the University of Notre Dame, faced his former player for the first time as manager on Monday. "I was awful to him. I was very, very hard on him. I thought he would never speak to me again. But when we were done with practice at night and you'd hear someone hitting in the cage, you didn't have to look who it was. It was Counsell. He's one of the best examples in baseball." Murphy recalled breaking Counsell's nose while hitting ground balls to him.
"He was back at practice an hour later. That taught me everything I needed to know."
Counsell attempted to hire Murphy for his coaching staff in Milwaukee earlier this year.
"He's a friend, he's been an important person for me in my baseball career," Counsell said. "He was a person who made me mentally tough, because he challenges you a lot."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: OF Justin Upton injured his right thumb when he crashed into the wall after making a running catch along the left-field line in the seventh. "His thumb got bruised pretty bad," Murphy said. "If he's down for any longer than a day we'll be concerned." ... INF Cory Spangenberg began a rehab assignment Monday night with Double-A San Antonio. He had a triple, a walk and drove in a run in four plate appearances. Spangenberg was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 30 (retroactive to June 28) with a knee contusion.
Brewers: Counsell said Kyle Lohse is penciled in to make his next start, on Friday at home against St. Louis. Lohse (5-13) lasted 4 1/3 innings on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, giving up nine hits and four runs. That prompted Counsell to state that Lohse's spot in the rotation would be discussed "in the next couple days." "Kyle's pitching Friday night as of now," Counsell said before Monday's game.
UP NEXT
Padres: Andrew Cashner (4-10, 4.13 ERA) last faced the Brewers on April 26 last season in Milwaukee. He gave up four earned runs over six innings in a 4-3 loss. He's 2-1 in three career starts against the Brewers.
Brewers: Jimmy Nelson (8-9, 3.76) is 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA over his last seven starts. He has pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings. Nelson's only career appearance against the Padres came on Aug. 26 last season in San Diego. He took the loss, giving up four runs (two earned) in five innings.
