Last call

• With Jonathan Lucroy due a day off and Aramis Ramirez day-to-day with a bruised left wrist, the Brewers' starting lineup featured two rookies in new batting order positions -- second baseman Scooter Gennett hit third and Khris Davis, back in action after missing seven starts with a sore left wrist, hit cleanup.

When it was remarked to the diminutive Gennett that he has now batted everywhere but cleanup in his 42 Major League starts, he quipped, "I think there's a weight minimum in the four-hole."

• Heading into Saturday, Lucroy had started every game since Aug. 19 at catcher or first base, and had played in every game since the All-Star break. Did he look like he needed a break?

"I don't see it, but I hear it's getting to that point," Roenicke said.

• Yuniesky Betancourt's .236 on-base percentage was the lowest in the Major Leagues entering Saturday for hitters with at least 300 plate appearances, and his -1.8 WAR (via Baseball-Reference.com's measure) was third-worst. Roenicke explained the decision to start Betancourt at first base like this:

"[Johnny] Hellweg pitching has a lot to do with it," Roenicke said, referring to the Brewers rookie with a knack for inducing ground balls. "I want our best defense out there. Yuni is in there some because [Ramirez] isn't in there, so we have to cover both spots. And you know, he's played really good defense all year, and lately he's been swinging the bat well again. He was so good early, then we had that long stretch when he didn't do much, and now he's swinging the bat pretty good, I think.

"He's in like 125 games or something. When we signed him, we didn't think he'd be in 125 games. He's done a nice job for us for what we needed. I think the defense is important. I talk about it all the time, the value that players have is not just offensively. For those numbers, you subtract or you add because of his defense and what they mean to a team. For Yuni, you add to his offense. With some other guys, you subtract, and with some guys, you subtract a lot."

• Gomez was the first player to drive in five or more runs and account for all of the Brewers' runs since Richie Sexson drove in seven in a 7-5 win over the Cardinals on April 18, 2002.