The Milwaukee Brewers turned Tuesday night at American Family Field into a place they’ll remember for a long time, hammering the Seattle Mariners 22-0 in a game that landed in the record books.
The final score matched the largest margin of victory in a shutout since 1888, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Milwaukee became only the third team in that stretch to win 22-0, joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1975 and the Cleveland Indians in 2004. It also stood as the biggest home shutout in the majors since the New York Giants beat the Buffalo Bisons 24-0 at the Polo Grounds on May 27, 1885, per Langs.
The Brewers also matched a piece of their own history. Their 22 runs tied the franchise single-game record set on Aug. 28, 1992, in Toronto.
What started as a modest lead turned into an avalanche. Milwaukee was up just 1-0 through the first four-and-a-half innings before breaking things open with five runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth. The game officially moved into rarefied air when Mariners position player Leo Rivas gave up nine runs, eight earned, on nine hits in the bottom of the eighth.
By then, the Brewers had long since put the outcome away. Every Milwaukee hitter, starters and reserves alike, reached base at least once and scored at least one run.
Brice Turang was the only Brewer without a hit. Garrett Mitchell finished 4-for-6, David Hamilton and Luis Lara each had three hits, Hamilton launched two homers, and Lara added his first big-league blast in the eighth.
Christian Yelich and Jake Bauers also homered.
Seattle’s night went sideways early and never really recovered. Milwaukee got the first run of the game in the opening inning when Bauers knocked the ball out of catcher Cal Raleigh’s glove and then circled around to score after briefly not realizing Raleigh had dropped it.
The Mariners finished with just five hits against four Brewers pitchers and committed four errors, including two charged to Raleigh. Starter Bryce Miller was tagged for six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Josh Simpson followed and allowed five earned runs in only two-thirds of an inning.
Milwaukee’s biggest burst came late, too. The Brewers scored their 20th and 21st runs after Julio Rodríguez lost track of the outs and threw the ball into the stands following a flyout.
In Other News...
Mariners Suddenly Have A Tough Call As Key Bats Near Return
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The bigger picture is what comes next, especially with J.P. Crawford also moving toward a rehab assignment after left wrist inflammation. Seattle has spent enough time piecing together its everyday group that the return of multiple bats could force some tricky decisions in the days ahead. Even when good health is the headline, the Mariners still have to figure out how to fit everyone back in once those absences finally start to clear. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Look Smarter By The Day For Avoiding This Ketel Marte Risk
Ketel Martes status in Arizona has become another reminder of how quickly a front office can be tested by one players availability. The Diamondbacks placed Marte on the restricted list, and his absence came with enough concern that he was reportedly headed for an MRI on his knee, a development that only added to the frustration around a situation that has surfaced before.
For the Mariners, the parallel is hard to miss. Seattle kept Cole Young out of the discussion when Marte trade talks came up, and that decision is looking better by the day as Young has settled into a key role at second base and played well for the Mariners. In a deal where the immediate temptation was to chase the bigger name, Seattle may have ended up valuing the steadier long view. [Read more 🡒]
