MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Christian Yelich hit one of Milwaukee’s four homers, Brett Anderson pitched six strong innings and the Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 9-3 on Wednesday night.
Avisail Garcia, Ryan Braun and Keston Hiura also homered as Milwaukee tied a season high in runs and home runs a night after nearly being no-hit by Minnesota’s Kenta Maeda. The Brewers also drew seven walks.
“The guys that we’re counting on to be run producers tonight came through,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “Braun, Yelich, Avi with really big nights in driving the baseball. We needed one of those nights.”
Anderson (1-2) posted his longest outing of the season, giving up five hits and a run with five strikeouts.
Rich Hill (1-1) allowed four runs, four hits, and three walks in 2 2/3 innings after being reinstated from the injured list.
“I put us in a really bad position today and lost the game for us,” Hill said. “I think just going out there and putting us in that position is difficult. It’s obviously hard for me to swallow. I need to do better than that. That’s not acceptable.”
Hill cruised through the first two innings on just 16 pitches, but he couldn’t finish the third in his second start of the season after being sidelined 19 games with left shoulder fatigue.
The first of Hill’s three walks in the third started the onslaught. Hill let out a loud expletive after walking Orlando Arcia, and Braun followed with his first home run of the season. Garcia singled home two more runs, ending Hill’s night early.
“Just couldn’t find what he wanted too and eventually just became a, truly, a pitch-count issue where we’re just not going to be able to leave him out there to throw anymore,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Yelich homered to start the scoring in a four-run fifth inning. Braun singled in front of Yelich’s sixth homer of the year.
In his past 10 games, Yelich is hitting .324 with three homers and eight RBIs. The 2018 NL MVP hit .037 in his first six games of the season.
Garcia hit his second home run of the season and Hiura connected for his sixth off position player Ehire Adrianza pitching in the ninth.
“I think everybody is feeling comfortable, feeling better every single game,” Garcia said. “It’s a tough season. It’s a grind for everybody, it’s not easy, but we’re here, it is what it is. I think we’re in a good place right now.”
Anderson was in cruise control for his best outing in his first season with Milwaukee. He allowed an RBI single to Eddie Rosario in the second and worked around two hits in the fourth. He hadn’t pitched more than 4 1/3 innings in his first three starts of the year.
“I think this is one of our better overall team victories offensively, defensively and pitching,” Anderson said.
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