Christian Yelich knocks home go-ahead run in 8th inning as Brewers defeat Twins 4-3

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Minnesota Twins 4-3 on Saturday night.

William Contreras led off the eighth with a bloop single to center off Jeff Hoffman (6-8). Brandon Lockridge pinch-ran for Contreras and stole second.

After Hoffman retired Garrett Mitchell on a fly to center, Yelich singled to right. Lockridge made a head-first slide across the plate as the throw from Austin Martin was off line.

The American Family Field sellout crowd responded by chanting “Yeli” to encourage the 2018 NL MVP, whose struggles this season caused him to get moved down in the lineup this week. Yelich, who batted seventh Saturday, is hitting .232 with a .684 OPS.

Brice Turang went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs for Milwaukee.

Trevor Megill retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his 21st save in 23 opportunities. Trevor Larnach led off the ninth with a fly ball that right fielder Luis Lara caught at the warning track.

Aaron Ashby (13-2) worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning to earn the win. Abner Uribe worked the seventh inning in his 20th straight scoreless appearance.

Milwaukee took an early 1-0 lead when Contreras was hit by a Taj Bradley pitch with the bases loaded and nobody out in the first inning. Bradley responded by retiring the next three batters.

The Twins then capitalized on Robert Gasser’s wildness to score three runs in the second.

Gasser hit two batters in that inning and issued a bases-loaded, two-out walk to Ryan Jeffers on a 3-2 pitch inside. Royce Lewis followed with a two-run double to left, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

The Brewers tied the game when Turang drove in two runs with a bases-loaded, two-out single in the fourth.

Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz left in the fourth inning due to neck tightness.

Minnesota's Kaelen Culpepper was hit by a pitch twice in his second career major league appearance.

Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.63 ERA) pitches for Milwaukee and Connor Prielipp (3-5, 4.75) starts for Minnesota in the series finale Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb