Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth on Thursday afternoon to highlight a six-run inning and lead the visiting San Diego Padres to an 8-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the rubber match of a three-game series at Miller Park.
Renfroe's drive off Joakim Soria into the left field seats was his 12th home run of the season. He has homered in four consecutive games as part of a career-best seven-game hitting streak.
Rookie right fielder Franmil Reyes followed Renfroe with an opposite-field homer to right off Jacob Barnes for the Padres' final run.
The Brewers entered the ninth holding a 4-2 lead with closer Corey Knebel seeking his 15th save. However, Knebel walked the first three hitters -- Freddy Galvis, A.J. Ellis and Carlos Asuaje -- he faced on full-count balls, then gave up a run-scoring infield single to Travis Jankowski to bring the Padres to within one.
Right-hander Soria replaced Knebel and retired Eric Hosmer on a short fly to right before Renfroe connected.
Renfroe is 11-for-29 (.379) with four homers and 12 RBIs during his hitting streak. Reyes is 9-for-15 (.600) over his past four games, with three homers.
Kirby Yates (4-0) was credited with the win while Knebel (2-3) was charged with the loss.
Jonathan Schoop, who has struggled for Milwaukee since being acquired from Baltimore in a trade-deadline deal, hit a two-run double to break a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning. Schoop had been 3-for-26 (.115) with no extra-base hits or RBIs as a Brewer before he connected off Padres starter Robbie Erlin.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra held the Padres to two runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts over six innings. One of the hits was a home run by Galvis, who had been 5-for-52 (.096) during his career at Miller Park before he connected on his seventh homer -- and second in the series.
Erlin gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts over five innings. Errors by second baseman Jose Pirela and shortstop Galvis resulted in the two unearned runs.
--Field Level Media
San Diego | Milwaukee | |
Robbie Erlin | Player | Junior Guerra |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 6.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 3 |
7 | Hits | 8 |
3.60 | ERA | 3.00 |
San Diego | Milwaukee | |
Franmil Reyes | Player | Travis Shaw |
3 | Hits | 3 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
1 | HR | 0 |
7 | TB | 3 |
.600 | Avg | .750 |