Masataka Yoshida celebrates after hitting an RBI double in the seventh inning Friday night during Boston’s 5-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron Gash/Associated Press
MILWAUKEE — Alex Verdugo homered for the second straight game and doubled to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 on Friday night.
Verdugo also went deep Thursday in Boston’s 11-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins. He hit a two-run shot in the third inning Friday against Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (2-2).
Rowdy Tellez hit a solo shot for the Brewers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Boston came from behind, thanks in part to its patience. Each of the last three Red Sox players who scored had reached base on a two-out walk.
The Brewers led 3-2 in the sixth when Peralta issued consecutive walks to Kiké Hernández and Triston Casas, who worked his way back from an 0-2 count.
Hoby Milner replaced Peralta and promptly allowed a tying bloop single to pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder. Jarren Duran followed with a liner that went off the glove of diving third baseman Owen Miller, resulting in a single that brought home Casas with the go-ahead run.
The Red Sox added an insurance run in the seventh, as Bryse Wilson came out of the bullpen with two outs and walked Justin Turner before allowing Masataka Yoshida’s RBI double to left-center.
The Brewers threatened to tie it with a two-out rally in the eighth. But after walking Tellez and allowing a single to William Contreras, Josh Winckowski struck out Brian Anderson to end the threat.
Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his fifth save in as many opportunities.
The Brewers took a 3-2 lead by scoring a pair of runs in the fourth.
Tellez tied the game with a screaming liner – it had a launch angle of just 17 degrees – into the right-field stands. Tellez, who played for Toronto from 2018-21, has 13 homers in 36 career games against Boston. He entered Friday with a 1.164 OPS against the Red Sox.
Contreras followed Tellez’s homer with a double into the right-fielder corner before using some aggressive baserunning to score the go-ahead run. When Brice Turang hit a two-out single into shallow right, Contreras headed for home. Verdugo’s throw was up the line and McGuire was well behind the plate by the time he caught it, enabling Contreras to slide around the tag.
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (1-1) struck out seven and allowed seven hits, three runs and one walk in 5 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell is at risk of missing the rest of the season after an MRI revealed significant damage to his left shoulder.
Mitchell hurt the shoulder while sliding into third base in the top of the 10th inning of the Brewers’ 6-5, 11-inning victory at Seattle on Wednesday. He is heading to Los Angeles for a consultation on Monday.
Another center fielder, Tyrone Taylor, will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday as he recovers from an elbow injury.
UNUSUAL HOMESTAND
Friday marked the start of the Brewers’ season-long, nine-game homestand, all featuring American League opponents. The Brewers are playing 12 straight games overall against AL teams, as they completed a three-game sweep in Seattle on Wednesday.
This marked the first time the Red Sox had visited Milwaukee since 2017. Their last trip to Milwaukee before then was in 2003.
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