Sal Frelick had two hits and scored three times to help the visiting Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-3 win against the Washington Nationals in the opener of their three-game series on Friday night.
William Contreras homered, Willy Adames had two hits and a run, and Garrett Mitchell and Blake Perkins each drove in two runs for the Brewers, who ended a two-game skid.
Frankie Montas made his debut for Milwaukee after he was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, and the right-hander allowed three runs and nine hits in five-plus innings. Montas (5-8) struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (8-9) allowed four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.
CJ Abrams hit a two-run homer and Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits and a run for the Nationals, who have lost five in a row.
The Brewers began the scoring with three runs in the second inning. Jake Bauers walked to lead off the inning and scored from first on a double to left by Rhys Hoskins for a 1-0 lead. Frelick dropped a single into center and took second on an errant throw into the infield, putting runners on second and third. One out later, Mitchell lined the ball just out of the reach of diving center fielder Jacob Young for a double, driving in two more runs.
The Nationals got two runs back in the third. Young singled to center with one out and was aboard when Abrams lifted a cutter over the fence in right-center field to cut it to 3-2. It was his 16th home run of the season.
Garcia lined a single to right to start the fourth inning, stole second and came home on a two-out single up the middle by Ildemaro Vargas to tie it 3-3.
Irvin retired eight in a row before Adames singled to lead off the sixth. Adames was on third with two outs by Robert Garcia was summoned from the bullpen, and his second pitch hit Frelick. Garcia walked Joey Ortiz on four pitches to load the bases.
Perkins then pinch-hit for Mitchell and grounded a two-run single through the right side to give the Brewers a 5-3 lead.
Contreras’ 12th home run of the season, a solo shot, extended the lead to 6-3 in the seventh.
Brice Turang’s sacrifice fly and Jackson Chourio’s RBI single pushed it to 8-3 in the eighth.
–Field Level Media