NEW YORK -- A scoring rally that began with six straight singles. Three hits for Sal Frelick in his return from a shoulder injury. Brice Turang's first home run of August. Two infield hits and a stolen base for Cooper Pratt on the day after his hustle came into question.
Plus, a stray squirrel.
Milwaukee’s 8-1 win over the Mets on Wednesday night at Citi Field featured a little bit of everything.
But it started with a serious scare.
Starter Dustin May's very first pitch came screaming back at him at 106 mph off the bat of Mets leadoff hitter A.J. Ewing, leading to May’s exit on a day Milwaukee’s bullpen had multiple arms down. On Day 2 of 16 games in 16 days, it had the potential to be the kind of game that impacts a pitching staff for days.
“Our guys respond pretty well, just in general,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
And that’s precisely what they did. Left-hander Robert Gasser provided parts of six innings of emergency relief, and the Brewers started the second inning with six successive singles -- their first inning with six consecutive singles since 1998 -- for a four-run lead before adding three more in the fourth on Turang’s first home run since July 31 -- a particularly satisfying clout, considering it followed a late-night hitting session with Christian Yelich that had stretched into the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
There was even comic relief courtesy of a visiting squirrel, who spent most of the night perched atop the stadium’s protective netting but briefly descended in the third inning and interrupted play.
“I have seen that it happens here more than other places. It was funny seeing him run across the field,” Gasser said. “He did lead to a walk, so I was a little disappointed with him.”
The start of the game, however, was no laughing matter. Ewing’s line drive struck May on the right side of his upper back before caroming to third baseman David Hamilton, who threw to first for an out. May doubled over in discomfort and remained on the mound for some time with head athletic trainer Brad Epstein and Brewers coaches in an effort to stay in the game.
But after attempting three warmup pitches, he ultimately departed in favor of Gasser.
“In the moment, it didn’t feel great. It took my breath away,” May said. “I probably could have finished that inning, but better safe than sorry not trying to push through it. Right now, I feel OK. It’s just a bruise. No damage or anything structurally, so that’s good.”
That diagnosis came via X-rays at the stadium, which were negative. The Brewers announced May's injury as a right scapula contusion -- otherwise known as a bruised shoulder blade.
Gasser last started for the Brewers on Thursday and made his first appearance out of the bullpen this season, coming up big by delivering 5 1/3 innings while allowing one run and six hits with two walks on his 82 pitches. He was scheduled to make his next start on Sunday against the Rangers at home, so the Brewers will have to juggle their pitching plans.
Gasser expected to make a short appearance on Wednesday one way or another. He didn’t know it would be for 16 outs, and he didn’t know he would be on the mound before he’d even had a chance to sit down on the bench in the bullpen.
“That was unbelievable,” Frelick said. “He’s been a starter most of the year and they have their routines that they do. It starts an hour, hour and a half before the game. He didn’t do it, and he’s walking out to the ‘pen and next thing you know, they’re like, ‘Get hot.’ Don’t underplay what ‘Gas’ did and how huge that was.”
“It definitely wasn’t the initial game plan to have him come in the first like that and cover,” May said, “but we’re very lucky and blessed to have him out there.”
Said Gasser: "Circumstances changed and we had to adjust. It happens fast.”
While Gasser settled in, the more immediate concern was May, the 28-year-old right-hander acquired by the Brewers at the Trade Deadline from the Cardinals along with lefty reliever JoJo Romero. May was 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in his first three Milwaukee starts, though the numbers were inflated by a two-inning, seven-run dud against the Mariners his last time out.
Was it too early for May to have a feeling about making his next start?
“I think it all just depends on how I come into [Thursday] feeling,” May said. “Right now, motions and movements and stuff feel better. Now that I know nothing’s structurally wrong, it’s just more about me being soft or me being OK with it.”