Keon Broxton and Eric Thames keep hitting for the Milwaukee Brewers, helping to power a productive offense that might need to withstand another injury to Ryan Braun.
On Wednesday night, the Brewers found some relief on the mound, too, to shut down the Boston Red Sox.
Top of the order hitters Broxton and Thames had two hits each and set the tone in a four-run fifth inning, while right-handers Rob Scahill and Jared Hughes provided key innings out of the bullpen to preserve a 7-4 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday night.
After beating Boston 11-7 in the series opener on Tuesday, the Brewers took another interleague slugfest. The teams combined for 24 hits, 13 for Milwaukee. The Brewers also scored two runs on throwing errors by catcher Christian Vazquez, one each in the fifth and sixth.
“We just did a nice job keeping the pressure on them offensively and scored seven runs without a home run, so it was a good night for us offensively,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Broxton started rallies in the fifth and sixth with hits. Second-place hitter Thames’ ground-rule double drove home Broxton in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie.
Thames stole second in the sixth on a play that ended with Broxton scoring from third on one of Vazquez’s errors to make it a five-run lead. Broxton and Thames also played key roles in the opener.
“It’s beautiful and it’s a lot of fun … every guy in that lineup is going to give a tough at-bat, and come up with some good results,” Broxton said.
Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for the Red Sox, while Vazquez was one of four Boston hitters with two hits.
Red Sox starter Kyle Kendrick (0-2) was shelled for six runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Kendrick’s spot in the rotation seems tenuous after his ERA ballooned to 12.96.
“We’ll see what happens,” Kendrick said when asked about his future. “You guys can ask (management) though. I’m sure they will tell you something.”
Manager John Farrell said he might rearrange the rotation with a day off coming up Monday and his bullpen overworked of late.
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