Braves Lose To Brewers 3-2 In 13 Innings, Fall To 2-19 At Home

A bases-loaded single from Jonathan Villar in the 13th inning gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night, thus dropping the Braves to 2-19 at home this season.

Braves Lose To Brewers 3-2 In 13 Innings, Fall To 2-19 At Home

The Braves are also now 0-11 this season in games at their own Turner Field that have been decided by one run. Atlanta’s team, which used nine pitchers on Wednesday, are now 12-33 overall and 2-7 in extra-inning games. They have scored three runs in 31 innings over the last three games, including a shutout loss at Philadelphia Sunday and the first two games of a three-game series against the Brewers, who clinched their first road series win of the season.

Rookie right-hander Casey Kelly pitched his fourth inning on short rest for the Braves. With the bases loaded by the Brewers in the 13th inning, Kirk Nieuwenhuis singled, Aaron Hill walked, and Milwaukee outfielder Keon Broxton hit a popped-up bunt for a single to earn the first hit of his major league career.

“I can’t say enough about what I just witnessed out there,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Kelly’s performance. “The kid was unbelievable. I mean, just remarkable. You talk about leaving it out there and stepping up – it’s just a shame we couldn’t get him a win.”

After burning through the whole bullpen by the end of the ninth inning, Kelly ended up throwing 77 pitches in four innings, just three days after dishing out 85 pitches in five innings of his start at Philadelphia on Sunday.

“Anytime you get the call you’ve got to be ready — it’s the big leagues,” said Kelly, who threw a bullpen side session before Wednesday’s game, since he had been scheduled to start Saturday.

Gordon Beckham’s two-run, pinch-hit homer in the sixth gave the Braves a 2-1 lead.

Milwaukee tied it two innings later on Nieuwenhuis’ RBI groundout, after reliever Bud Norris gave up a single and a blistered opposite-field double by Chris Carter to put runners on second and third with one out.

The Brewers used their entire bullpen to survive the last 3 1/3 innings after starting Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz allowed one run, four hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Five different pitchers each got one out.

For Atlanta native Beckham, the home run was his first as a Brave and the first pinch-hit homer of his eight-year major league career. It was just the seventh homer in 21 home games for the Braves.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the fifth after Foltynewicz issued a leadoff walk to Broxton, who’s 1-for-25 with 16 strikeouts in his career. Broxton advanced on a sacrifice and a wild pitch, and scored on Jonathan Villar’s sacrifice fly.

ATLANTA, GA – MAY 25: Jonathan Villar #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers tags out Erick Aybar #1 of the Atlanta Braves as he attempts to steal second base in the second inning at Turner Field on May 25, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena