Willy Adames’ two-homer night powers Milwaukee to win
The Milwaukee Brewers locked up a series win with a resounding 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
It was a well-rounded performance from the Brew Crew apart from a pair of errors. Colin Rea shut down the Rays, Willy Adames hit a pair of home runs, and nearly every starter reached base.
Rea was the focal point for much of the game. He pitched six strong innings, setting the stage for his offense to open a lead. Rea allowed just four hits and two walks as he lowered his season ERA to 2.67.
His approach was especially effective against the Rays the first two times through the orders. He often targeted his glove-side of the strike zone to battle the Rays hitters. He didn’t use a single pitch more than 30% of the time. According to Baseball Savant, his average exit velocity allowed was a meager 82.8 mph. Apart from a few infield singles and errors, the Rays were unable to muster much offense.
Rea’s outing should certainly be celebrated, but the offense did its part to secure the win as well. The Brewers were unable to reach base through the first two innings, but a quick rally helped them jump to an early lead. Brice Turang once again proved to be a catalyst at the bottom of the order with a leadoff single in a two-strike count. Oliver Dunn followed with a base hit himself. Then, arguably the team MVP so far this season, William Contreras delivered with a double into left field to bring the score to 2-0.
Rays starter Zach Eflin rebounded to stifle the Brewers for a short time, but he couldn’t make it through the sixth inning. Adames hit the first of his home runs to make it 3-0, and a double from Tyler Black chased Eflin from the game.
Don’t let him get hot now@willya02 https://t.co/MjOyMcH3j0 pic.twitter.com/VvPcaVo4fQ
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 1, 2024
The floodgates opened in the seventh inning when the Brewers jumped on the Rays bullpen. Dunn led off with a single as part of his 2-for-3 night. He would score on the next pitch when Blake Perkins powered a double off the left field wall. With a 4-0 lead, Adames ensured there was no chance of a Rays comeback when he hit a three-run home run that inning to make it 7-0.
While the offense was busy making a highlight reel, the bullpen was able to continue where Rea left off. Bryan Hudson pitched a scoreless inning, including two impressive strikeouts. Abner Uribe entered for the second night in a row, even after his scuffle last night. His one inning of work was much more chaotic as he allowed two hits and walk. A wild pitch allowed one run to come over the plate, but the damage stopped there as Uribe induced two groundouts.
It was a convincing win for the Brewers as they prepare for a road trip. Adames’ four-RBI day has him second on the team with 21, just four behind Contreras’ 25. The contributions from Dunn and Perkins once again proved the offense can boast a deep and effective lineup. Rea’s performance this season has been valuable for a rotation that looked less threatening than years past, but he has the best ERA among the team’s starters with at least four starts.
Series W in the bag#ThisIsMyCrew X @UWCreditUnion pic.twitter.com/DeMLh36Tlx
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 1, 2024
The Brewers will be off tomorrow before heading to Chicago to face the Cubs. Joe Ross will face Hayden Wesneski in a rivalry series as the teams fight for an early lead in the division. First pitch on Friday is at 1:20 p.m.