MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after hitting in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field on September 17, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Get …
MILWAUKEE - Joey Meneses hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Washington Nationals defeated the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Sunday to prevent a three-game sweep.
Luis García homered early for the Nationals, who are last in the NL East.
With right-hander Thyago Vieira (0-1) on for his second inning of relief in the 11th, automatic runner CJ Abrams advanced to third base on Lane Thomas’ flyout and scored on Meneses’ third sacrifice fly of the season.
With runners at the corners in the bottom half, Robert Garcia (1-2) got pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez to ground into a game-ending double play to secure his first major league win.
Garcia also pitched out of trouble in the 10th, holding the Brewers scoreless after they loaded the bases with one out.
Milwaukee had runners at second and third with two outs in the ninth before Kyle Finnegan struck out Andruw Monasterio.
The Nationals had a chance to take the lead in the eighth. But with runners at the corners, Andrew Chafin entered and got Abrams to ground into an inning-ending double play.
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Hunter Harvey took over for Nationals starter Patrick Corbin and retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth.
Corbin allowed three hits over five scoreless innings before the Brewers manufactured a run in the sixth to tie the game. Mark Canha singled, stole second, advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Carlos Santana’s sacrifice fly.
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García homered in the second to snap a shutout streak of 22 2/3 innings for Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff.
García contributed a nice running catch with his back to the infield in the first. He singled and stole second in the fifth.
Woodruff allowed three hits — two by García — over six innings and struck out six.