PHOENIX (AP) — Willy Adames hit a grand slam as part of a two-homer night, Garrett Mitchell added a two-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 15-8 on Saturday.
Milwaukee’s magic number to win the NL Central is down to 3. The Brewers will go for the three-game sweep Sunday.
Adames has 32 homers this season, which breaks his previous career high of 31 in 2022.
“It’s been amazing,” Adames said. “It’s been a special year for me and the team.”
Arizona (82-66) still has sole possession of the second NL wild-card spot, but is just one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves (81-67) and the New York Mets (81-67) with 14 games to play.
“We’ve got to be better on the mound,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “Tonight was a total lack of pitch execution, missed pitches in the middle of the zone, lack of command with our secondary stuff.”
Milwaukee’s Tobias Myers (8-5) gave up four runs on nine hits over six innings. He struck out three.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first on William Contreras’ sacrifice fly that score Brice Turang, who reached on a leadoff walk. They kept their advantage when Sal Frelick robbed Corbin Carroll of a solo homer, leaping to reach over the fence and make the catch.
Milwaukee scored seven runs in the second inning, all with two outs.
D-backs right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (9-9) retired the first two batters of the second before the next seven batters reached base. Turang and Jackson Chourio hit back-to-back RBI singles, Contreras walked to load the bases, Mitchell walked to force in a run and then Adames launched a sweeper into the left field seats for an 8-0 lead.
“You go to the body, you go to the body, you go to the body and — boom — it opens up a shot to the head,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “It’s all part of pecking away and being relentless. We did it from the first hitter of the game.”
The homer ended Pfaadt’s outing after 1 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and walked three. The 25-year-old has struggled over his past four outings, giving up 28 runs, including 24 earned, over 15 2/3 innings.
The Brewers had a 13-0 lead in the sixth inning.
“We know how important these games are and to let the team down with a game like that is unacceptable,” Pfaadt said. “We’ve got to do better.”
Adames had five RBIs, pushing his NL leading total to 107. Mitchell reached base five times, including three walks. Contreras hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 15-8.
Arizona’s Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer and had three RBIs. Geraldo Perdomo had a two-run double and Josh Bell added a two-run single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: RHP Ryne Nelson (right shoulder inflammation) was put on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 11. LHP Brandon Hughes was called up to take his roster spot.
UP NEXT
The D-backs send RHP Zac Gallen (12-6, 3.55 ERA) to the mound Sunday against LHP DL Hall (1-1, 4.01 ERA)
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