PHOENIX — Jody Gerut has made only four starts for the Milwaukee Brewers this season. After his offensive outburst Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks he has earned himself at least one more.
“It’s going to be tough not to put him in the lineup (Sunday),” manager Ken Macha said after Gerut hit for the cycle and drove in four runs in Milwaukee’s 17-3 victory.
The cycle was the 32-year-old outfielder’s first and the sixth in Brewers history. Gerut hit a solo home run in the second inning, singled in the third, drove in a run with a triple in the fifth and added a two-run double in the ninth.
Despite his performance Gerut didn’t use the opportunity to lobby for more playing time.
“I’m anxious for nothing. I’m thankful for everything I get in the game,” Gerut said. “I’ve been to the precipice and looked over the edge. I was out for two years, so I’ve got perspective probably better than most other players.”
Gerut missed all the 2006 and ‘07 seasons due to injury and has been mostly a bench player since then.
He had one hit in his last 18 at-bats coming into the game and only four hits on the season. Gerut said he had to work to contain his joy after his fourth hit Saturday.
“It’s unbelievable. … It was unlike anything I’ve experienced in the game,” he said.
Ryan Braun also had four RBIs, Rickie Weeks and Casey McGehee each added three hits and Randy Wolf (3-2) settled down after a rocky first inning to improve to 7-1 at Chase Field.
Milwaukee has scored at least 11 runs in three of its last five games and reached double digits in runs for the sixth time this season.
“The momentum that is created when things start going, it’s amazing,” Wolf said. “I’ve never seen a team that when they start scoring runs, you really can’t stop the bleeding. I’ve never really seen anything like that this often.”
Mark Reynolds hit his 10th home run and had two RBIs for Arizona, which allowed a season high in runs.
Cesar Valdez (1-1) gave up seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in four-plus innings in his second major league start.
“They were just relentless and never gave in, so he couldn’t find ways to end the at-bats in our favor,” Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said.
Gerut cut Arizona’s lead in half with a solo home run in the second. His RBI triple sparked a six-run fifth that put the Brewers up 11-2 and his two-run double pushed the lead to 16-3.
Braun had the biggest hit of the fifth inning, a towering 3-run home run which hit the bottom of the video board in center. He added an RBI double in the ninth. Braun, who led the National League with 203 hits last season, now has 44 hits in 30 games this year.
After surrendering four hits in the first inning, Wolf allowed only four baserunners over the next five innings. He got out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the first when Tony Abreu hit a comebacker that turned into a double play.
“That was really big,” Wolf said. “I got ahead of guys (after the first) and didn’t expand (at-bats) with two strikes.”
Wolf helped his cause with an RBI single in the sixth that gave Milwaukee a 10-run cushion.
The Brewers took the lead for good with four runs in the third. Prince Fielder and McGehee had RBI singles, George Kottaras walked with the bases loaded and McGehee scored when Wolf reached on a fielding error by first basemen Adam LaRoche for a 5-2 lead.
Reynolds’ solo homer in the sixth was the 99th of his career, tying him with Matt Williams for third most in Diamondbacks’ history.
Arizona scored two runs in the first on RBI singles by Conor Jackson and Reynolds but couldn’t ever get the momentum back.
“It went away in a hurry,” Hinch said.
Chad Moeller was the last Brewer to hit for the cycle on April 27, 2004 against Cincinnati.
NOTES: The Brewers announced after the game that RHP LaTroy Hawkins will be placed on the 15-day disabled list due to right shoulder weakness. The move is retroactive to Friday. LHP Mitch Stetter will be called up from Triple-A Nashville on Sunday to take his place. … Jackson (right hamstring strain) was activated from the 15-day DL prior to the game. Arizona optioned OF Gerardo Parra to Triple-A Reno to make room for Jackson on the active roster. … Arizona entered the day first in the National League in home runs (42) and home runs allowed (45). … Milwaukee is now 3-15 when the opponent scores first. … The Brewers have won six straight against the Diamondbacks.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
