Bauers' contributions 'a great complement' to Brewers

OAKLAND -- Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers, who had a big hand in Saturday’s 9-5 victory against the A’s at the Coliseum, had three excellent plate appearances before one tough one in the ninth. With two runners in scoring position, he struck out on three pitches, two of them well out of the zone.

Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy lamented the missed opportunity, which said volumes about his approach to a season. Bauers walked twice and scored. In between, he hit a two-run homer on a 98 mph fastball from A’s starter Joe Boyle in the fifth inning that pushed the Brewers’ lead to four runs. But that did not absolve him when he batted in the ninth with the team wanting more.

“We have a lot of guys in here who are committed to playing the right way,” Bauers said. “When you do that, you put yourself in situations to score extra runs, to get insurance runs when you need them. I think that’s what we’re doing, and I think that’s the mindset all year.”

Bauers embodies that and has contributed a lot to the Brewers’ surprising dominance of the National League Central, even though he has started fewer than half of their games.

Nothing about Bauers screams “great hitter.” His stats across the board over a five-season career with five teams are below average. But another number paints a brighter picture for 2024.

The Brewers, now 21 games above .500 (75-54), are 28 over (44-16) in the 60 games Bauers has started.

Moreover, his ball-strike recognition at the plate and defense at first base have benefited Rhys Hoskins, the Brewers’ top offseason offensive acquisition, by allowing Hoskins to DH and get off his legs more. Entering Saturday’s game, Hoskins’ OPS was 76 points higher as a DH than a first baseman (.782 vs. 706).

Asked if Bauers’ presence makes it easier to DH Hoskins, Murphy said, “For sure. He’s been a great complement.”

The Brewers are 34-14 in Bauers’ starts at first base, 5-2 in left field, 3-0 as DH and 2-0 in right.

Bauers even contributed scoreless innings on the mound during three losses to the Yankees, Tigers and Pirates.

After Bauers struck out in the ninth, Milwaukee scored its eighth and ninth runs on a passed ball and Hoskins single.

Turns out, the Brewers had a good reason to want to tack on, as closer Devin Williams was unavailable for the second straight game. He was held out Friday night because the staff wanted him to get two consecutive days off. On Saturday, Murphy said Williams came to the park with a “pinch” in his left (non-throwing) shoulder from sleeping on it awkwardly.

It bothered Williams enough to warrant another day of rest to ensure he does not sustain a compensation injury. Murphy said this does not seem serious.

Colin Rea (12-4) pitched into the seventh and allowed four runs, three on homers, including Brent Rooker’s 30th of the season. Rea has allowed 22 homers this year.

“It was kind of frustrating,” Rea said. “I felt good. I felt like we were making good pitches, but a couple of times, ahead in the count, I just caught too much of the plate.”

The homers he allowed to Rooker and JJ Bleday came on cutters that were supposed to be outside.

Jared Koenig got the last out of the seventh after allowing one of Rea’s inherited runners to score. Joel Payamps pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. Bryse Wilson allowed a run in a hairy ninth inning, with the A’s scoring once and threatening more.

But Wilson induced a grounder to short from Bleday with two on and two out to seal the Brewers’ second win in the series. They will try for the sweep Sunday behind starter Frankie Montas, the one-time Oakland ace.