Corbin Burnes recorded his career-best 12th win of the season after tossing eight scoreless innings to lift the host Milwaukee Brewers to a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday.
Burnes (12-8) scattered four hits and struck out seven without walking a batter before exiting after 103 pitches. His win total eclipsed that of last season, when he went 11-5 en route to being named the National League Cy Young Award recipient.
Milwaukee’s Devin Williams recorded his third strikeout to work out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning and secure his 15th save.
Garrett Mitchell scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and had two of the five hits for the Brewers (84-73), who reside a half game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the third wild-card spot in the NL. The Phillies posted a 5-1 win in the opener of their doubleheader against the Washington Nationals before the nightcap was postponed due to rain.
Burnes got the better of Sandy Alcantara (14-9) in a pitcher’s duel. Alcantara sustained the hard-luck setback despite allowing just one run on five hits with eight strikeouts for the Marlins (65-92).
Mitchell opened the sixth inning with a single to center field before stealing second and advancing to third on Willy Adames’ one-out single. Mitchell trotted home on a sacrifice fly to deep center field by Rowdy Tellez.
Burnes made the slim offense stand up by striking out two batters in both the seventh and eighth innings. His bid for his first career complete game was denied by manager Craig Counsell, who summoned Williams to start the ninth.
Williams issued two walks en route to loading the bases with two outs before striking out Jesus Sanchez to end the game.
Milwaukee nearly opened the scoring in the third after Jace Peterson led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Alcantara ended the threat by striking out Mitchell and inducing former Marlin Christian Yelich to ground out.
Hunter Renfroe ripped a double to right field with two outs in the fourth inning, but Alcantara responded by inducing Kolten Wong to ground out and end the threat.
–Field Level Media
