Dustin May arrives with Brewers after trade, prepares to start Aug. 6
New Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dustin May met with the media before his first start with his new team, scheduled for Aug. 6 against the Pirates.
Kyle Harrison is back – and in a big way.
The left-hander dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates over five innings in his return from the injured list on Wednesday night, Aug. 5, striking out 10 in five innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 victory at American Family Field.
Harrison struck out the final eight batters he faced – the second-longest streak in franchise history – but was then forced to leave the game after beginning his warmup for the sixth due to cramping in both calves.
BOX SCORE: Brewers 4, Pirates 2
Christian Yelich also awakened from a deep offensive slumber with a pair of hits and a run batted in and William Contreras homered for the first time since July 19 as the Brewers chased Paul Skenes after five innings.
Chad Patrick, DL Hall, Antonio Senzatela, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill combined to limit Pittsburgh to two runs over the final four innings.
Right-hander Grant Anderson was optioned to Class AAA Nashville to create room for Harrison on the 26-man roster.
The shutout is scuttled
Hall entered for the seventh and was greeted by a Bryan Reynolds single. He then walked Esmerlyn Valdez but got to within an out of escaping when Nick Gonzales hit into a 6-4-3 double play.
Endy Rodríguez followed with his second homer in as many games, this one to left, and halved Milwaukee’s lead at 4-2.
Senzatela replaced Hall and ended the inning with a strikeout.
Uribe and Megill pitched the eighth and ninth without issue, with Megill recording his 20th save in the process.
William Contreras checks in
With one out in the sixth and facing UW-Whitewater alum Lake Bachar, Contreras launched a first-pitch homer to left-center to increase the lead to 4-0.
Yelich then followed with a single to left, giving him his first multi-hit game since July 22, and followed up by stealing second. But after Andrew Vaughn walked, both were stranded.
Kyle Harrison looking great…until
Harrison allowed a two-out single in the second but erased it immediately with a double-play grounder and then followed up a third-inning walk with a pair of strikeouts.
He then continued his run by fanning the side in both the fourth and fifth innings, giving Harrison eight straight and 10 for the game – his sixth career double-digit performance and fourth this season.
Harrison then returned to the mound for the sixth but as he was warming up he turned to the dugout and gestured, and not long thereafter head athletic trainer Brad Epstein, manager Pat Murphy and Chris Hook all headed out for a brief meeting before pulling him.
The team announced afterwards Harrison (9-2) was suffering from cramping in both calves.
He allowed one hit and one walk over his 69-pitch outing, and his eight straight strikeouts were second-most in franchise history behind 10 in a row recorded by Corbin Burnes against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 11, 2021.
Patrick, meanwhile, struck out Rafael Flores Jr. to start the sixth, giving Milwaukee pitchers nine straight punchouts before Ronny Simon followed by drawing a walk.
Brewers finally break through against Paul Skenes
Skenes issued a leadoff walk to Brice Turang in the first and then proceeded to retire the next 10 batters he faced until Garrett Mitchell and Contreras drew consecutive walks in the fourth.
Yelich followed by pulling a double to right to drive in the game’s first run, then Vaughn muscled a broken-bat single between first and second base and into right to up Milwaukee’s advantage to 3-0.
What is the Brewers’ record?
71-43, best in the major leagues.
Brewers probable pitchers and schedule
Brewers vs. Pirates, Aug, 6, 1:10 p.m.: Brewers RHP Dustin May (5-7, 4.38) vs. Pittsburgh RHP Braxton Ashcraft (11-4, 3.96). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Twins, Aug, 7, 6:40 p.m.: Brewers LHP Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.48) vs. Minnesota TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Pirates, Aug, 8, 6:10 p.m.: Brewers LHP Shane Drohan (3-4, 4.48) vs. Minnesota TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Pirates, Aug, 9, 1:10 p.m.: Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.63) vs. Minnesota TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.