Victor Caratini belted a two-run homer and William Contreras scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to fuel the visiting Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday.
The modest offense proved enough for Adrian Houser (3-2), who settled down after allowing back-to-back homers by Brett Baty and Brandon Nimmo in the third inning. Houser allowed seven hits and struck out five in six innings.
Third baseman Brian Anderson’s error helped New York load the bases in the seventh before Elvis Peguero induced Starling Marte to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Joel Payamps bridged the gap to Devin Williams, who struck out Marte on three pitches with the bases loaded to end the game. Williams’ 16th save of the season gave Milwaukee its ninth win in the last 13 games.
Tommy Pham had two hits for the Mets, who have lost nine of their last 12 games.
New York’s Max Scherzer cruised into the sixth inning before essentially being undone by one mistake. Caratini deposited a first-pitch fastball over the wall in center field for his fourth homer of the season. With a two-hit game, he improved to 10-for-20 with two homers in his career versus Scherzer.
T.J. McFarland (0-1) relieved Scherzer to begin the seventh and allowed a one-out single to Contreras and hit Willy Adames with a pitch before being replaced by Dominic Leone. Owen Miller’s infield single loaded the bases for Anderson, whose drive to center field allowed Contreras to trot home and give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.
New York enjoyed an unlikely power surge from its Nos. 9 and 1 hitters to seize a 2-0 lead with one out in the third inning.
Baty deposited a 1-1 changeup from Houser over the wall in right field for his fifth homer of the season and first since May 19.
Nimmo doubled the advantage just two pitches later, sending a sinker from Houser just inside the left-field foul pole. The homer was Nimmo’s 11th of the season and third in three games.
–Field Level Media
