Aguilar's 2-run double helps Brewers beat Giants 4-2

MILWAUKEE -- Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.

Aguilar sent a low, 0-1 pitch from Tony Watson into the gap in right-center field to score Curtis Granderson and Eric Thames. Hunter Strickland (3-5) started the seventh and walked the pinch-hitters. Watson took over one out later.



The Brewers pushed their wild-card lead to 1½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals, who lost 5-3 to the Detroit Tigers.

Josh Hader (5-1) worked two innings of scoreless relief and picked up the win. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect eighth, and Jeremy Jeffress handled the ninth, earning his ninth save.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy was ejected in the ninth by home plate umpire Adam Hamari after arguing about the strike zone. Nick Hundley had just been called out and had words with Hamari. Bochy came out and added his own comments before getting tossed.

Giants starter Derek Holland worked out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning. He caught Hernan Perez looking at a called third strike. Holland matched his season high with eight strikeouts for the fourth time this season. He walked five and allowed just two hits in six innings. Both hits came in the first: Lorenzo Cain had a base hit and, two outs later, Ryan Braun hit his 15th home run.



Alen Hanson tied it for the Giants, leading off the fifth with his eighth home run of the season.

Brewers starter Chase Anderson leads the National League with 29 home runs allowed. He scattered five hits in five innings, walked one and struck out five.

Anderson was in trouble in the fourth. He allowed consecutive singles to Evan Longoria and Brandon Belt, and the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Longoria scored on Chris Shaw's grounder to first.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: INF Brandon Crawford was available to pinch hit, but not much more. He returned to the lineup Monday against the Colorado Rockies after missing the previous three games with a sore left knee. He played Tuesday, but then sat out Wednesday's game. Thursday was an off day. Manager Bruce Bochy listed him as day-to-day.

Brewers: C Manny Piña was back behind the plate after missing the three-game series with the Chicago Cubs. . RF Christian Yelich returned to the starting lineup after a scheduled day off Wednesday against the Cubs. He had a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning of the Brewers' 6-4 loss to Chicago.

UP NEXT

Giants: RHP Chris Stratton (9-8, 4.90 ERA) makes his third start since being recalled Aug. 21. He is (1-1, 1.77 ERA) since returning from Double-A Richmond. It's his second career outing against the Brewers.

Brewers: LHP Gio Gonzalez (7-11, 4.57 ERA) makes his 28th start of the season, third against the Giants and first for the Brewers who acquired him Aug. 31. He replaces RHP Junior Guerra (6-9, 4.27 ERA), who pitched himself out of the rotation.