WASHINGTON (AP) — William Contreras hit a 439-foot homer, former Nationals prospect Blake Perkins delivered a go-ahead two-run single, and the Milwaukee Brewers cruised to an 8-3 win over Washington on Friday night.
Contreras’ 12th homer of the year left the park at 108 mph, well up the center field berm at Nationals Park. The All-Star’s last homer came against the Nationals on July 14 in Milwaukee.
“The sky’s the limit for this kid, man,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I don’t know if I can help, but gosh darn, I wish he would understand how great he can be, like how great. I mean this kid could be a force, changing teams, because he is a catcher and he’s really good at it, being such an offensive threat.”
Pinch-hitter Perkins, a 2015 second-round selection by the Nationals, connected on a 0-2 fastball off reliever Robert Garcia with two outs in the sixth to break a 3-3 deadlock. Perkins finished 2 for 2 with two RBIs.
“It all comes full circle, I suppose,” Perkins said. “It’s cool to be here. It feels like a long time ago I was drafted by them. It’s always cool to do something fun against your old team.”
Rhys Hoskins and Garrett Mitchell combined for two doubles and three RBIs in support of veteran right-hander Frankie Montas (5-8), who won his debut with the Brewers.
CJ Abrams got the Nationals going with a two-run shot over the right-center field wall in the third inning that traveled 396 feet with a 102.2 mph exit velocity. It was one of few big hits allowed by Montas, who was Milwaukee’s 17th different starter this season, the most in the major leagues and tying a franchise record set by the 1969 Seattle Pilots.
The 31-year-old Montas, acquired a day before the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds, went five innings for the win, allowing three runs on nine hits with no walks and five strikeouts on 89 pitches.
“I have been in that spot so many freaking times,” Montas said of his debut with his new team. “One of the things I told myself going out there today was not trying to do too much. Just be you. Everybody knows who you are. Just go out there and have fun.”
The Nationals have lost eight of their last 10.
Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (8-9) pitched into the sixth inning, throwing a season-high 110 pitches, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
“Command-wise there was a couple of walks, but outside of that, the command was fine,” Irvin said. “I think that was just maybe a lack of, I don’t know the right word, maybe a lack of finishing the pitches, trying to execute them to a certain spot, but not getting the final finish on each pitch.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Murphy said left-hander DL Hall (left knee sprain, 60-day IL) needs one more rehab start of five innings, 70-plus pitches to match his July 31 outing for Triple-A Nashville.
“DL Hall is right at the cusp,” Murphy said. “We need a starter. If we need a starter, that’s a legitimate option. Joe Ross (is) in the pen. But we know we have someone that can go out there, 85-90 (pitches). We got to get that out of DL, knowing how volatile this thing is.”
Nationals manager Dave Martinez wants infielder Joey Gallo (left hamstring strain, 10-day IL) to go on a rehab assignment early next week. “I want him to go out to right field too and try to get some flyballs out there,” Martinez said. “He might end up playing out there.”
UP NEXT
Milwaukee sends right-hander Aaron Civale (2-7, 4.92) to the hill against the Nationals left-hander DJ Herz (1-4, 4.79) in Saturday’s matchup.
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