Brewers blank Dodgers to avoid sweep

Sports Xchange
05 Jun 2017, 03:19 GMT+10

MILWAUKEE -- Home runs from Eric Thames and Domingo Santana supported Zach Davies, who pitched six shutout innings as the Milwaukee Brewers avoided a sweep with a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.

Davies (6-3) held the Dodgers to three hits and a walk while striking out six to win for the sixth time in his last nine starts.

Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda (4-3) held Milwaukee to two runs on two hits and struck out seven but needed 92 pitches to get through four innings.

He's yet to work past the fifth since returning from the disabled list May 25.

Thames put Maeda in an early hole, slugging a solo home run in the first, and Eric Sogard doubled the lead with a run-scoring single in the second.

From there, it was duel between Davies and Maeda.

Davies had retired 11 in a row when Yasmani Grandal broke up his no-hit bid with a one-out single in the fifth. Davies left Grandal stranded and worked around a two-out walk to Corey Seager in the sixth to maintain the shutout but was lifted in the seventh after back-to-back singles left him at 103 pitches.

Oliver Drake came on and got two quick outs on a double play and Jacob Barnes ended the inning by getting Austin Barnes to fly out to right.

Milwaukee threatened with two aboard in the bottom of the inning but couldn't cash in against Ross Stripling.

Santana's home run in the eighth off Sergio Romo provided a little breathing room for Corey Knebel, who earned his fifth save of the year with three strikeouts in the ninth.

NOTES: Over the last 10 games, Brewers starters have posted a 1.32 ERA while striking out 61 batters. ... The Brewers lead baseball with 16 relief losses this season. ... Los Angeles leads the National League with a plus-84 run differential. ... The Dodgers are 13-6 against NL Central teams this season. ... RHP Brandon McCarthy reported no issues with his blistered finger after throwing a bullpen session Sunday and said he expects to take the ball Tuesday when his Dodgers face the Nationals in Washington. ... Brewers RHP Matt Garza was still feeling sore Sunday, a day after suffered a chest contusion when he collided with 1B Jesus Aguilar. Manager Craig Counsell said Garza would be examined over the next few days but wasn't sure if his next start would be in jeopardy.