Brewers vs. Nationals – Game Recap – June 11, 2022

WASHINGTON — Juan Soto, Nelson Cruz and Josh Bell hit back-to-back home runs, and the Washington Nationals beat Milwaukee 8-6 on Saturday to inflict the Brewers their eighth straight loss.

Milwaukee is in the midst of its longest losing streak since suffering eight straight losses from September 11-19, 2015.

Washington broke it up in the fifth against Milwaukee starter Eric Lauer (5-2). The left-hander entered the day after giving up just one homer in his last four starts, a 22-inning stretch, but things went sideways as he faced the Nationals order for a third time.

Soto strapped a two-run shot down the middle to put Washington 6-1 up, and Cruz followed up with a blast two pitches later in the same section. Bell then prevailed 3-1 against Lauer before hitting a home run down the left field line for Washington, who won for the fifth time in eight games.

It was the fifth time they hit three straight home runs since the Nationals moved to Washington in 2005 and the first since Howie Kendrick, Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon hit deep in San Diego on June 9, 2019 went in a row.

Patrick Corbin (3-8) gave up four runs in more than six innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since June 15-20 last year.

Christian Yelich started the game with a home run, but the Brewers couldn’t muster anything else against Corbin until Lorenzo Cain’s RBI double in the seventh set. Mark Mathias then hit his first major league homer to make it 8-4. Luis Urías added a two-run homer in the ninth in front of Tanner Rainey.

The Nationals took the lead in the third by Soto’s bases-loaded walk, Cruz’s two-run double and Bell’s sacrificial fly.

Lauer delivered eight runs in five innings while striking out two.

TRAINING ROOM

Brewers: Milwaukee put 2B Kolten Wong (right calf strain) on the 10-day injured list retroactively to Wednesday. Wong hits .228 with five homers and 17 RBI. … The Brewers selected RHP Luke Barker to Triple-A Nashville and recalled Mathias and RHP Peter Strzelecki from Nashville. Barker was 0-0 with an 11.25 ERA in three appearances.

Nationals: RHP Mason Thompson (Biceps Load) has started throwing live batting practice. Thompson last appeared in a game on April 9.

STILL BRITZES

Both Cruz and Bell scored their second straight game and continued hot stretches. Cruz is hitting .423 (30 of 71) in his last 20 games with three homers and 15 RBI, while Bell is hitting .333 (24 of 72) in his last 19 games with three homers and 14 RBI.

NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jason Alexander (0-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his third career start and first against Washington.

Nationals: Washington has yet to name a starter for the finals of the three-game series.

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