Toronto Blue Jays DH Kendrys Morales hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee, on May 23, 2017.Jeff Hanisch
Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays held off the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Six of the first eight Blue Jays batters reached based against Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson (2-3). Toronto pushed across two runs in the second, but the Brewers cut down a runner at the plate and Nelson struck out Ezequiel Carrera to limit the damage.
Morales homered to straightaway centre in the fifth to make it 4-0.
Nelson gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings.
The Brewers broke through against Toronto starter Joe Biagini in the fifth on Orlando Arcia's run-scoring single. Jonathan Villar drove in a pair with a single later in the inning. Biagini departed after walking Eric Thames but reliever Danny Barnes (1-2) struck out Ryan Braun and Travis Shaw to end the threat.
Biagini allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Toronto's bullpen didn't allow a run the rest of the game. Roberto Osuna earned his seventh save in 10 chances.
The Brewers won both games played in Toronto in April. The teams close out the two-game series in Milwaukee on Wednesday afternoon.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: LHP Fransico Liriano, on the disabled list since May 11 with shoulder soreness, pitched a simulated game at Miller Park on Tuesday. "He'll go out Sunday and make a rehab start somewhere," manager John Gibbons said. .Aaron Sanchez, who is on the 10-day disabled list with a right middle finger laceration, will likely make a rehab start before returning to the rotation. "I think our feeling is that he'll need to test it," Gibbons said. ... 3B Darwin Barney didn't start due to hamstring tightness.
Brewers: 1B Eric Thames returned to the lineup after leaving Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs with leg cramping. Manager Craig Counsell said Thames' recent battle with strep throat may have been a factor. "He was sick and that certainly got him out of his routine," Counsell said. A pitch hit Thames on the left leg in the seventh but he remained in the game. ... RHP Junior Guerra, out since April 3 with a strained right calf, is tentatively scheduled to return to the rotation on Friday.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Marcus Stroman (4-2) pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings and hit his first career home run in on Thursday against at Atlanta. Stroman pitched a complete game and allowed just two runs against the Brewers in Toronto on April 12 but took the loss.
Brewers: Matt Garza (2-0) is 6-6 with a 2.14 ERA in 13 career starts against Toronto but hasn't faced the Blue Jays since 2010 while pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays.