Milwaukee Brewers vs San Francisco Giants Box Score on Aug 21, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 22, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO -- Right-hander Chris Stratton combined with three relievers on a four-hitter Monday night, delivering the San Francisco Giants a 2-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a three-game series.

Brandon Crawford's RBI double highlighted a two-run fourth inning off Brewers starter Zach Davies, which was enough to hand the right-hander his first road loss of the season.

The Brewers (65-61) fell 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central and 3 1/2 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second NL wild-card spot.

Making just his fourth major league start, Stratton (2-2) limited the Brewers to four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Combined with his 6 2/3 shutout innings against the Washington Nationals in his previous start, Stratton extended his scoreless-innings streak to 12 2/3, the most for a Giants rookie since Chris Heston had a 16 1/3-inning run in July 2015.

Right-handers Matt Cain, Mark Melancon and closer Sam Dyson followed Stratton with a hitless and scoreless inning apiece, with Dyson overcoming a one-out walk and two-out balk in the ninth to record his 11th save.

Davies (14-7), who had been 7-0 on the road this season, left for a pinch hitter after six innings. He allowed just the two fourth-inning runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Jarrett Parker, Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval had two hits apiece for the Giants, who have won 10 of their past 11 home games against the Brewers.

The Giants out-hit the Brewers 9-4.

All four Brewers hits were singles on a night they had hoped to give manager Craig Counsell his 200th career victory on his 47th birthday.

The Brewers were shut out for just the second time since June 13.

A great play by Milwaukee shortstop Orlando Arcia in the fourth inning almost prevented the Giants from taking the lead.

After Parker walked to open the inning, Arcia dove to corral Pence's hard grounder up the middle and flipped quickly to second baseman Neil Walker for a force at second. However, in his haste to try for a double play, Walker dropped the toss while trying to barehand it, not getting any outs on the play.

Crawford followed with a chalk-raising double down the right field line, scoring Parker with the game's first run. Pence later scored on Nick Hundley's infield out.

The closest the Brewers came to scoring early on was when Stephen Vogt made a dash for the plate while Arcia, after singling, was caught in a rundown between first and second. Giants first baseman Ryder Jones' accurate throw got a sliding Vogt at the plate.

NOTES: Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval was hit in the left forearm by a RHP Carlos Torres pitch in the eighth inning and was removed from the game as a precautionary measure. ... After having a night to munch on C Buster Posey's accusation that Phillies RHP Hector Neris hit him intentionally with a pitch, Giants manager Bruce Bochy blurted before Monday's game: "I'll say it: (Neris) is an idiot." ... Posey was given the night off Monday. ... The Giants released OF Melvin Upton Jr., who was playing at Triple-A Sacramento (12 games, .244 average). ... Brewers manager Craig Counsell announced before the game that LHP Brent Suter (strained rotator cuff) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday. Suter is eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Tuesday. ... Despite an overcast day in San Francisco and being advised not to do so, Counsell took a glance at the solar eclipse Monday. "You've got to take a risk every once in a while," he said.