Brewers blank Phillies, 4-0; Burnes stays hot
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 20: Corbin Burnes #39 of the Milwaukee Brewers delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on July 20, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich
PHILADELPHIA - Corbin Burnes continued his torrid July, allowing two hits while striking out 10 in eight innings Thursday as the Milwaukee Brewers concluded their six-game road trip with a 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Christian Yelich connected on a three-run homer off Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker in the third inning that would give Burnes the cushion he would need for the afternoon. Yelich finished 3-for-4.
Milwaukee went 5-1 on the trip through Cincinnati and Philadelphia- two teams that were hot heading into the All-Star Break. The Brewers began the unofficial second half of the season one-half game behind the Reds for the lead in the National League Central. They now have a 2 1/2 game lead over the Reds.
After struggling through June with a 1-1 record and a 4.99 ERA in five starts, Burnes has reverted to the form that saw him win the 2021 National League Cy Young Award. Burnes is 4-0 for the month with a 1.33 ERA and has allowed eight hits combined while striking out 36.
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The Phillies lineup didn’t get a runner to second base until Nick Castellanos advanced on a Bryce Harper groundout with one out in the seventh. Burnes stayed in the strike zone, throwing 70 strikes out of 100 pitches while leaving Philadelphia hitters often off-balance with strikeouts and weak contact.
Andruw Monasterio had two hits for the Brewers while William Contreras singled in an insurance run in the seventh inning.
Walker (11-4) went six innings, allowing six hits and four runs in his first loss since June 1 against the New York Mets. Castellanos and Bryson Stott were the only two Phillies to get a hit.