Surprise! MLB homer leader Yelich goes yard

MILWAUKEE -- If we have learned anything this season from Christian Yelich, it’s that the man does not like to waste time.

Yelich delivered another early home run for the Brewers in Wednesday’s 7-3 win against the Nationals at Miller Park, his Major League-leading 16th this season, for an early lead against Washington right-hander Jeremy Hellickson. Of Yelich’s homers this year, five have cleared the fence in the first inning. Eleven have come within the first two pitches of an at-bat, including Wednesday’s off a 1-0 breaking ball.

The secret to doing damage early?

“Swing at good pitches,” Yelich said. “Whether it’s the first pitch, the last pitch, somewhere in-between. I’m just trying to pick one out and put a good swing on it.”

After sitting out most of last week because of back tightness, Yelich has been hitting the ball as hard as ever. Wednesday's first-inning shot left his bat at 111.9 mph, according to Statcast, three days after his 110.5 mph blast off Mets left-hander Jason Vargas. Those are his second- and third-hardest-hit home runs this season, and Wednesday’s was the fourth-hardest homer he’s hit since Statcast began tracking in 2015.

The Brewers went on to make it a four-run opening inning, as they sought a sixth straight victory and a three-game sweep of the Nationals. Three of those runs were unearned, following Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon's error on a Mike Moustakas grounder and left fielder Adam Eaton's misplay of Eric Thames' fly ball down the left-field line for a ground-rule double.

An inning later, with Yelich on base following another of his three hits, Moustakas hit a towering, two-run home run that barely eluded a leaping Victor Robles in right for a 6-0 lead. Robles didn’t initially react either way, so a few seconds passed before Moustakas and the Miller Park faithful knew for sure that it wasn’t a catch.

“I think everybody was trying to figure out what was happening, starting with me and Yeli and the umpire,” said Moustakas. “It ended up being a home run, and that was nice, for sure.”

In the fifth, with Hellickson out of the game, Manny Piña homered off reliever Matt Grace for a 7-0 lead.

As is often the case, it started with Yelich.

“There's really not much to say about him anymore. It's just incredible,” said Moustakas. “Every time he comes up to the plate, you know he's going to put together a good at-bat. You know he's going to hit the ball hard. It's just fun.

“I have the best seat in the house right now, hitting behind him. It's pretty cool to watch the way he goes about his business before games, then the way he executes his game plan. It's pretty cool.”