By RICH ROVITO
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Victor Caratini and rookie Joey Wiemer homered to back Freddy Peralta, leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the Detroit Tigers 6-2 on Wednesday to avoid a series sweep and stop a three-game losing streak.
Detroit shortstop Javier Báez, who entered with a 10-game hitting streak, left in the first inning after being struck on the left hand by a 93 mph Peralta pitch. The Tigers said Báez’s hand was bruised and X-rays were negative.
Peralta (3-2) allowed a pair of unearned runs and four hits over six innings with a season-high eight strikeouts and no walks. He rebounded from a pair of poor outings in which he gave up nine earned runs in 10 2/3 innings. Bryse Wilson, Hoby Milner, Peter Strzelecki and Devin Williams finished a six-hitter.
“Today, I got some different results and I’m happy about it,” Peralta said. “I went home last night thinking about it, like, I need to do my best tomorrow to bring a win after two losses. And finally, we got it.”
Michael Lorenzen (0-1), making his third start, gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings. He threw 100 pitches, 63 for strikes.
“A hundred pitches in five is pretty embarrassing, to be honest,” Lorenzen said. “I have to figure it out.”
Lorenzen said he tried to convince manager A.J. Hinch to allow him to remain in the game.
“I was hoping to be able to go more,” he said.
Milwaukee took a 3-0 lead in the first when Christian Yelich was hit by a pitch, Jesse Winker walked, Rowdy Tellez hit an RBI double and Brian Anderson added a two-run single. Caratini added a two-run homer in the third for a 5-0 lead.
“Playing with a lead, I think any time you can do that it puts everyone at ease a little bit,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Counsell had high praise for Caratini, the backup to Milwaukee’s normal starting catcher William Contreras, who is hitting .321 as a starter this season.
“You feel like when you put Vic out there, he’s going to take control of the game, and he’s adding something offensively,” he said. “That’s a real luxury.”
After Anderson misplayed Nick Maton’s fly to right for an error in the fourth, Detroit scored a pair of unearned runs on the first of Akil Baddoo’s two doubles and Jake Rogers’ run-scoring single.
Wiemer homered against Tyler Holton in the eighth.
ROSTER MOVE
Milwaukee recalled RHP Tyson Miller from Nashville and optioned LHP Alex Claudio to the Triple-A affiliate.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Gus Varland is to begin a rehab assignment Thursday night with Class A Wisconsin vs. Beloit. Varland has been on the 15-day IL since April 16 with a bruised right hand. … OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow sprain) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday night and went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, including a run-scoring triple, against Omaha.
GUARANTEED GAMES:
The Tigers have played 11 of their first 14 road games in stadiums with permanent or retractable domes. “Guaranteed games are good this time,” Hinch said. “The opponents have been hard because the teams that play in domes are good. But it’s been nice to know that you are coming to the ballpark and playing. We don’t want to kick a game down the road any more times than we have to. I’ve obviously been happy with the lack of disruption, other than the two (postponed) games at home.”
CABRERA CHEESEHEAD
Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, was plans to retire at the end of the season, was presented by the Brewers with a $5,000 check to his charitable foundation. Cabrera donned a foam cheesehead for a brief ceremony before his final scheduled game in Milwaukee.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Joey Wentz (0-3, 7.56 ERA) gets the start in the opener as Detroit hosts Baltimore for a four-game series. RHP Kyle Gibson (4-0, 3.60) will pitch for the Orioles.
Brewers: Milwaukee hosts the Anaheim Angels for a three-game series starting Friday night. LHP Wade Miley (3-1, 1.96) will start the first game for Milwaukee. Miley is 5-1 with a 3.30 ERA in eight starts against the Angels.
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