On Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2 in a highly anticipated matchup between the leaders of the American and National Leagues. This victory marked an important win for the Brewers, improving their record to 84 wins and 52 losses this season.

The game-changing moment occurred in the sixth inning, initiated by Andruw Monasterio’s solo home run which ignited a five-run rally for Milwaukee. This inning saw the Brewers go through their entire batting order, showcasing their offensive strength. Isaac Collins contributed significantly by hitting a two-run double, while Andrew Vaughn and Caleb Durbin each added an RBI single during the inning, highlighting the collective effort of the team.

In the following inning, Christian Yelich expanded Milwaukee's lead with a ground out that brought home another run. Vaughn continued his impressive performance with yet another RBI single, further solidifying the Brewers’ dominance in the game.

Freddy Peralta was instrumental on the mound for Milwaukee, delivering a stellar performance that consisted of six innings of one-hit ball. He struck out eight batters while only issuing one walk, demonstrating his control and skill. The Brewers' bullpen, featuring Aaron Ashby, Shelby Miller, and Abner Uribe, managed to maintain the lead and secure Peralta’s victory.

Despite the decisive win for the Brewers, the Blue Jays mounted a small comeback effort in the seventh inning. Davis Schneider hit a two-run single, giving Toronto some hope as they sought to close the gap. However, this effort was not enough to change the outcome of the game.

Shane Bieber, who was making his second start for Toronto after a successful debut, faced some challenges during the game. He allowed two runs on five hits across 5 1/3 innings, striking out six batters. However, the performance of Toronto's bullpen fell short, as they collectively allowed five runs over 1 2/3 innings, exacerbating the team’s ongoing struggles which have seen them with a 5.60 earned-run average since the All-Star break, the second worst in the league.

Notably, Daulton Varsho, a star outfielder for the Blue Jays, faced an injury scare after being struck on the hand by a 96.9 m.p.h. sinker from Ashby in the seventh inning. Although he was replaced by Myles Straw and the subsequent X-rays came back negative, the area around Varsho’s pinky finger remained sore, though he displayed no visible signs of bruising as he exited the clubhouse post-game.

TAKEAWAYS

For the Brewers, Peralta outperformed Bieber in what was anticipated to be a pitching duel between two top starters in Major League Baseball. Toronto struggled to position runners for scoring against Peralta, managing only two instances of getting runners into scoring position during his time on the mound. The only hit allowed by Peralta was a two-out double from Alejandro Kirk in the second inning.

For the Blue Jays, Bieber had initially made a strong impression in his Toronto debut, collecting nine strikeouts while conceding only one run from two hits in a victory over the Miami Marlins. Although he began the game well, striking out the first three batters he faced, he ultimately allowed Monasterio's pivotal homer in the sixth which tilted the game in the Brewers' favor.

KEY MOMENT

A critical moment in the game occurred during the sixth inning when Brendon Little faced Vaughn with one out and two runners on base. After having an 86.7 m.p.h. knuckle curve called a strike, Little couldn't find the zone, forcing him to throw a sinker which Vaughn managed to connect on, driving in a key run and extending the inning for the Brewers.

UP NEXT

As the series moves forward, the Blue Jays are set to start Kevin Gausman (8-10) in the second game, while the Brewers will counter with Quinn Priester (11-2).