Led by Christian Yelich‘s 10th career multi-homer game and his first at LoanDepot Park, the Milwaukee Brewers destroyed the Marlins on Friday, 16-1.
The Marlins kicked off the game by going with JT Chargois in the opener role that he had been used in multiple times this season. Chargois wasn’t able to get out of the first inning as he walked two Brewers. He was taken out for Steven Okert, who only had to throw three pitches to get out of the inning.
Although Okert was able to get Miami out of that jam, he ran into deep, deep trouble in the top of the second. After Willy Adames worked the walk, Josh Donaldson hit his 13th home run of the season to give the Brewers an early 2-0 lead.
Donaldson’s homer was just the beginning. Milwaukee would go on to score 10(!) more runs, including eight off of Bryan Hoeing. Every player in the lineup outside of Willy Adames had an RBI. Yelich, Josh Donaldson and Mark Canha each had multiple RBIs.
“Pitching sets the tone,” said Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker following the game. He pointed to the staff’s control issues (issuing walks to five of the first 10 batters) and the hard contact they allowed.
Just days after both Luis Arráez and Jake Burger went down with injuries, they were both back in the lineup, but after the Brewers scored 12 runs, they were removed from the game entering the third inning.
“It didn’t make much sense to try to push them through what they’re going through right now,” said Schumaker. “Down 12 runs, I never would say we’re punting a game or anything like that because that’s not what I’m doing. I’m trying to make sure they’re healthy for this run. They did everything they could to get in that game.”
Corbin Burnes went five shutout innings where he struck out six and walked two. He only gave up two hits.
The Marlins’ only run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Job Berti hit a leadoff solo home run. The ball left the bat at 105.9 mph and it went 416 feet into the air. That was Berti’s fourth home run of the season.
Up to the end of last season, Brian Anderson had spent his whole career with the Miami Marlins. He endured an ownership change and had an everyday role when they reached the postseason in 2020. The Marlins acknowledged BA with a video on the scoreboard in his first game there as a visiting player.
After not sitting on the bench since September 11, Anderson made an appearance against his former team, but he was robbed of a hit in his first at-bat and then popped out in his second.
As a result of the victory, the Brewers clinched a postseason berth, their fifth in the last six years.
The Marlins are back at it on Saturday with Jesús Luzardo taking the mound for Miami. Brandon Woodruff, who threw a complete game against the Marlins the last time he faced them, goes opposite of the Venezuelan. First pitch at 4:10 p.m.
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images
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