Brewers beat Yankees 7-6 in 11 innings; Ortiz homers, drives in 4 runs

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 26: Joey Ortiz #3 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to a walk off single during the eleventh inning against the New York Yankees at American Family Field on April 26, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Get

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MILWAUKEE - Joey Ortiz hit a run-scoring single in the 11th inning and finished with a homer and four RBIs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-6 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night, April 26.

Owen Miller, inserted as a pinch runner for former Yankee Gary Sánchez at second to start the 11th inning, advanced to third on a fly ball to right field by Brice Turang. Ortiz then singled through the legs of third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera, driving in the winning run.

"I was just excited to be able to help the team win," Ortiz said. "That’s what really matters."

Ortiz came into the game with three hits in his last 24 at bats, including 0 for 13 in the last 12.

"Hit something hard, put the barrel on the ball," he said. "Put the ball in play and make things happen."

New York's Jose Trevino, on second to start the 10th inning, scored on a double to the wall in left-center by pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Milwaukee tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Willy Adames singled to center, scoring William Contreras and tying it at 6-all.

Jared Koenig (2-0) picked up the win with two innings of relief. Michael Tonkin (1-3), claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Thursday, took the loss.

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"Baseball, in general, is tough," Tonkin said. "Still got to go out and do your job."

Clay Holmes pitched a perfect ninth, but Boone didn't want his closer to come for the 10th.

"I wasn't going two innings with my closer tonight when he's been in essentially half our games," Boone said. "And, especially some of the attrition we had down there in our bullpen, I've got to make sure we keep him in a great spot."

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New York's Juan Soto made his 800th career hit special, sending a 0-1 cutter 103.9 mph over the left-field wall in the first inning off Colin Rea.

The Yankees went ahead 2-0 in the second when Alex Verdugo launched a solo homer.

Ortiz tied it with his first career homer, two-run blast to left in the bottom half of the inning.

The home-run ball was sitting on the top shelf of his locker.

"I guess the ball bounced back," Ortiz said. "I had no idea because I kind of blacked out when I hit it. I guess the ball bounced back on the field and (left fielder Alex) Verdugo was able to throw it into the bullpen."

Blake Perkins gave Milwaukee a 4-2 lead in the third with a two-run homer to right-center, his third of the season.

Trent Grisham put the Yankees ahead in the fourth with his first home run of the season, a three-run shot that traveled 404 feet to right.

Yankees starter Luis Gil was chased in the sixth inning when Sánchez hit a lead-off double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joey Ortiz.

Gil allowed five runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in his first career start against Milwaukee, a no-decision.

Rea allowed five runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.