Miami, FL – Rickie Weeks blasted a pair of two-run homers and scored three runs to help lead the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-5 win over the Miami Marlins in the third contest of a four-game series.
Corey Hart went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBI.
The Brewers have won 13 of their last 16 games, catapulting them back into contention for the final wild card spot. They trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 6 1/2 games with 27 left to play.
"We know what is at stake right now and we feel good about ourselves," Weeks said.
Wily Peralta (1-0) made his first career start Wednesday night and gave the Brewers a quality outing. He pitched six-plus solid innings, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out three.
Brewers closer John Axford recorded his 25th save of the season and his second save in as many days after tossing a scoreless ninth.
Nathan Eovaldi (4-11) gave up two runs on six hits and struck out four over five frames.
"I felt like I attacked the zone pretty well. Later on I struggled finishing the curveball and I left it up in counts that I needed to bury it, but other than that I thought I threw the ball pretty well." Eovaldi said.
Milwaukee never trailed in the game, but the Marlins produced a threat in the bottom of the seventh.
After walking Justin Ruggiano to start the inning and allowing him to advance to third on a base hit by John Buck, Peralta was replaced by Kameron Loe. On Loe's second pitch, he plunked Donnie Murphy to load the bases. Greg Dobbs and Bryan Peterson came through with RBI singles to plate Ruggiano and Buck.
Donovan Solano followed with a single to score Murphy and advance Dobbs to third. Peterson, however, was tagged out after getting caught in a rundown between second and third. Dobbs scored on a Jose Reyes sacrifice fly to cut Miami's deficit to 6-5.
Weeks homered in the third and seventh innings and scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth when he reached first and advanced to second on a throwing error. After Ryan Webb intentionally walked Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy grounded into a force out at second, putting runners on the corners for Hart. Hart doubled to left scoring Weeks and Lucroy to put the Brewers up 8-5.
Game Notes
The Brewers improved to 40-24 when scoring first ... Marco Estrada will start for Milwaukee and Josh Johnson for Miami Thursday in the conclusion of the four-game set ... The Brewers were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base ... The Marlins were 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.