MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich and Omar Narváez hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat Arizona 7-5 Saturday, the Diamondbacks’ team-record 16th straight road loss.
Milwaukee has won 13 of its last 16 against Arizona dating to the start of the 2018 season. The Brewers are 11-3 against NL West opponents this season.
Yelich, slowed by injuries this year, led off the eighth with his third home run, tagging Joakim Soria (0-2) for a 6-5 lead. The former NL MVP connected after he stepped out of the batter’s box and walked toward the dugout after disagreeing with a second strike on an appeal to third base umpire Joe West.
Yelich had little to say about the call afterward.
“It’s part of the game,” he said.
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell credited Yelich for regaining his composure when he got back in the box.
“He laid off the next pitch and the got something he could handle,” Counsell said. “You have to put it behind you and stay in the present as much as you can.”
Narváez followed with his sixth home run of the season.
The Brewers have hit multiple home runs in four consecutive games for the first time since June 2019.
Devin Williams (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Josh Hader retired the side in order in the ninth for his 14th save in as many chances.
Josh Rojas hit two home runs for Arizona.
After failing to get a hit until the eighth inning on Friday night, the Diamondbacks jumped on top right away when Rojas led off the game with a home run to straightaway center off Brandon Woodruff. The Brewers ace hadn’t given up a run in either of his previous two starts covering a total of 14 innings.
In the fourth, Pavin Smith led off with a single and scored on Josh Reddick’s double to give Arizona a 2-0 lead.
“We got out to a lead and everything felt right,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
A day after chastising his team in the dugout for poor play, Lovullo praised his group’s effort on Saturday.
“These guys were very focused and engaged, that’s what makes it hurt,” he said.
The Brewers loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly before Willy Adames struck out and shortstop Nick Ahmed made a diving catch of Travis Shaw’s liner.
Daniel Vogelbach scored the Brewers’ first run on a passed ball and Tyrone Taylor followed with a two-run, bloop single to put Milwaukee in front 3-2.
Adames hit a two-run homer in the sixth as Milwaukee extended its lead to 5-2.
The Diamondbacks tied it in the seventh on a solo home run by Rojas and a two-run blast by Eduardo Escobar, his 14th of the season, off Brent Suter.
“I felt really good about the game today,” Rojas said. “We’re not playing bad every game.”
Woodruff gave up two runs and six hits while walking one and striking out nine. Woodruff threw 99 pitches in the mid-afternoon tilt as temperatures climbed into the low 90s.
“I wish every outing could be a quality start. That’s the goal, to pitch real deep,” Woodruff said. “But today, that’s a tough lineup. They stacked six lefties right off the bat. I didn’t really feel like I had my good stuff today but I was able to battle.”
Kelly retired the first eight Milwaukee batters until surrendering a single to Woodruff, who had been 0-for-20 with 14 strikeouts on the season. Kelly gave up four earned runs and six hits in six innings.
TRAINERS’ ROOM
Diamondbacks: RHP Chris Devenski is out for the season after having ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his elbow. Devenski appeared in eight games this season.
Brewers: OF Avisail Garcia got the day off. Taylor started in his place. … LHP Angel Perdomo, who is on the injured list with lower back tightness, is expected to begin playing catch on Sunday or Monday. Perdomo last appeared in a game on May 24.
HEAT WAVE
For the second consecutive day, temperatures climbed into the 90s in Milwaukee. The gametime temperature on Saturday stood at 93 degrees, one degree off the record for the date. Milwaukee recorded a record-high temperature of 93 degrees on Friday.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Caleb Smith (2-1, 3.32 ERA) will make his third start of the season in the series finale on Sunday. Smith gave up two runs in five innings in his previous start on Tuesday against the Mets.
Brewers: Corbin Burnes (2-4, 2.24) will make his first career start against the Diamondbacks. Burnes has 81 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.
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TOP PHOTO: Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich, right, is congratulated by Omar Narvaez after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, June 5, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)