The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Thursday at American Family Field, clinching the series with three consecutive bunts in the seventh inning. Rookie starter Brandon Sproat delivered 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, while small-ball tactics proved decisive. The victory came amid injuries to key Brewers hitters.
MILWAUKEE -- In a throwback to basics, the Brewers scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning after Garrett Mitchell drew a pinch-hit walk. Greg Jones advanced him with a sacrifice bunt in his Milwaukee debut, David Hamilton followed with a bunt single, and Joey Ortiz laid down another bunt to drive in Mitchell for a 2-1 lead. The sequence highlighted Milwaukee's embrace of small ball, with the team tied for the major-league lead with nine sacrifice bunts this season. Pat Murphy, the Brewers manager, noted that big-bodied pitchers struggle to field bunts effectively amid today's high-velocity game. “It’s obviously a very difficult thing for a pitcher to do his job the way we do it today,” Murphy said. “To have to break down, secure the baseball, get your eyes on the target and make a good throw with that type of adrenaline, I think it’s legit.” Sproat set the stage with a career-high 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, one walk and six strikeouts, with Toronto's lone run coming on Tyler Heineman’s squeeze bunt in the third. Aaron Ashby earned his major-league-leading fifth win despite recording just one out in relief, Trevor Megill pitched effectively, and Angel Zerpa secured his second save. The Brewers managed without three of their top four projected hitters, as Christian Yelich recovers from a groin injury expected to sideline him at least a month, while Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn heal from fractured hands. Blue Jays starter Patrick Corbin pitched 5 2/3 strong innings of one-run ball, but Toronto stranded opportunities, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounding into a double play with two on and no outs in the sixth. Manager John Schneider stressed the need for better balance in the lineup. The loss dropped Toronto to 7-11.
