ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Willy Adames was 4 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
The NL Central-leading Brewers (67-57) have won the first two games of the series behind 29 combined hits.
Carlos Santana homered for the second consecutive day and the fourth time in his past six games. His two-out homer in the first inning, his 18th, gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead.
The Rangers (72-51) lost their third consecutive game for the first time since July 30. Texas batters struck out a season-high 18 times.
After striking out five consecutive Rangers in the first two innings, Brewers starter Freddy Peralta threw 40 pitches during a hectic third in which he allowed a run on two singles and two walks. The bases were loaded when he got Adolis Garcia to foul out near first base to preserve a 2-1 lead.
Adames led off the sixth with a homer to put Milwaukee’s lead to 3-1.
That was it for Rangers starter Dane Dunning, who was at 99 pitches.
Dunning (9-5) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out four.
Martin Perez replaced Dunning and the Brewers greeted him with a double and RBI single by Andruw Monasterio to build a 4-1 lead. Santana added an RBI double in the seventh to give Milwaukee a four-run lead. Perez allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks over four innings of relief.
It’s Adames’s second four-hit game of the season. The Brewers had 15 hits, including five players with two or more.
“We’ve been working all year trying to figure it out. I’m just happy this series has been good, I’ve been taking good at-bats, trying to help the team,” said Adames, who has seven hits in the first two games of the series. “We’re just trying to get a good pitch to hit.”
Meanwhile, Peralta (10-8) struck out 11 while holding the Rangers to a run on four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He left with two outs and one on in the sixth. Hoby Milner came in to face pinch-hitter Robbie Grossman, who grounded out to end the inning. Peralta recorded his fifth 10-plus strikeout game this season and the 11th of his career.
"(Peralta) had really good stuff. We do have some guys, to be honest, their timing is not quite there,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “We just didn’t do much offensively. A lot of swings and misses today. We had 18 strikeouts, that’s probably not going to work. You have to find a way to beat good pitching.”
Peralta nearly collected his fifth consecutive quality start. He’s allowed five earned runs in his past 30 2/3 innings. Peralta is 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his past five starts and has an MLB-best 50 strikeouts since July 26.
“He was battling, he never gave up. That’s the best Freddy, when he’s competing and making pitches and attacking the zone, that’s when he’s going to be successful,” Adames said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez was activated and started as the designated hitter after being on the injured list for the past six weeks, first with a right forearm injury and then a left ring finger injury.
Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Monday or Tuesday at the club’s spring training complex in Surprise, Ariz. Eovaldi has been on the injured list with a right forearm strain since July 30.
UP NEXT
Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (12-4, 3.67) faces Brewers right-hander Adrian Houser (4-4, 4.43) in the series finale Sunday.
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