MILWAUKEE — Scooter Gennett broke a tie game with an RBI double in the eighth innings and Francisco Rodriguez earned his 13th save of the season as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night at Miller Park.
Right-hander Matt Garza struck out seven in a six-inning start. He gave up eight hits and allowed five runs but only two of them earned thanks to a sloppy effort by the Brewers’ defense, which committed three errors.
Milwaukee’s first error of the day put the Nationals on the board in the first inning. Shortstop Jean Segura overthrew first baseman Adam Lind on right fielder Bryce Harper’s single, scoring center fielder Denard Span.
The Brewers got the run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Ryan Braun but the Nationals went back ahead in the second on Robinson’s home run.
Two more Milwaukee errors led to three Washington runs in the fourth.
Braun and Lind both scored on groundouts in the fourth to get the Brewers within two and Lind’s RBI single in the fifth made it a one-run game.
Milwaukee tied it up in the seventh on a solo home run by center fielder Gerardo Parra. All five Brewers runs came at the expense of right-hander Tanner Roark, who went 6 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits while striking out four.
Right-hander Aaron Barrett (3-2) took over in the eighth and was bit by all kinds of bad luck. Ramirez opened the inning by striking out but reached on a wild pitch.
Left fielder Shane Peterson followed, reaching on a fielder’s choice but moved to second on an error by second baseman Anthony Rendon and ultimately scored when Gennett, who was recalled from Triple-A Clorado Springs earlier in the day, singled down the line in left to put Milwaukee ahead.
Barrett threw two pitches to pitch hitter Hernan Perez before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury.
Left-hander Will Smith (2-0) earned the victory for Milwaukee in his first game back from suspension.
NOTES: Milwaukee recalled 2B Scooter Gennett from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned RHP David Goforth on Thursday. Gennett was batting .154 with a home run and three RBIs when he was sent down on May 18. He appeared in 17 games for the Sky Sox and went 23-for-79 in 17 games. … Goforth made four appearances for the Brewers and allowed a hit with a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings of work. … Washington acquired RHP David Carpenter on Thursday from the New York Yankees in exchange for INF Tony Renda, who was designated for assignment last week. … The Nationals also placed 1B Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with left foot plantar fasciitis and recalled OF Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Syracuse. The move is retroactive to June 10. … Brewers LHP Will Smith rejoined the team after serving a six-game suspension for having an illegal substance on his arm during a May 21 appearance at Atlanta.
