Homers sink Diamondbacks in loss to Milwaukee Brewers

Associated Press

Milwaukee Brewers' Andy Wilkins rounds third after hitting a solo home run off of Arizona Diamondbacks' Dominic Leone during the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 25, 2016, in Milwaukee.

MILWAUKEE - For a team that leads the major leagues in stolen bases, the Milwaukee Brewers looked pretty powerful at the plate Monday night.

“I think we were kind of due for a night like that,” manager Craig Counsell said.

Martin Maldonado hit a three-run homer and Milwaukee went deep four times, spoiling the major league debut of Arizona pitching prospect Braden Shipley in a 7-2 victory over the Diamondbacks.

“Maldy’s home run was the play of the game, for sure. That’s the spot where we got some breathing room,” Counsell said. “It was a back-breaker for them.”

BOX SCORE: Brewers 7, Diamondbacks 2

Maldonado’s drive chased Shipley. The backup catcher said he saw multiple curveballs in his first two at-bats and was sitting on a first-pitch curve in the sixth, which he hammered over the left-field fence.

“Hitting’s about timing,” Maldonado said.

Scooter Gennett, Jonathan Villar and pinch-hitter Andy Wilkins also connected for the Brewers in the opener of a four-game series. Chase Anderson went five innings to beat his former team for his first win since June 8.

Acquired from the Diamondbacks in the offseason, Anderson (5-10) hadn’t made it through five innings in any of his previous five starts. This time, he gave up two runs and seven hits.

“I had more conviction behind the pitches. I think my focus was where it needed to be,” Anderson said.

Gennett hit a 437-foot homer to straightaway center field off Shipley (0-1) with one out in the first to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. The right-hander was selected 15th overall by Arizona in the 2013 amateur draft.

Shipley helped his cause when he led off the third with a stand-up double, narrowly missing a home run. He later scored on a single by Jean Segura.

Villar put the Brewers back in front with a home run leading off the third. The Diamondbacks pulled even in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Yasmany Tomas.

In the fifth, Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a run-scoring single, putting Milwaukee ahead 3-2.

Wilkins followed Maldonado’s three-run shot in the sixth with his first career home run — he had been 0 for 9 since getting called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs this month.

Tuesday’s game

Diamondbacks at Brewers

When: 5:10 p.m.

Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-9, 5.23) vs. Brewers RHP Matt Garza (1-4, 5.94).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-FM (620), KSUN-AM (1400).

Corbin is winless in his last five starts, a span in which he carries a 7.50 ERA; amid this slide, he’s changed up his routine in between starts by skipping his bullpen session but Corbin continues to play catch every day. … Poor defense has also been a trend in Corbin’s recent starts with nine unearned runs in his last four outings. … Against the Brewers in his career, Corbin is 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA. … Garza is also stuck in a rut, going 1-4 with a 9.08 ERA in his last five games. … Opponents are hitting .333 against him, and the Brewers are 1-6 in his starts. … However, Garza has had success against the Diamondbacks with a 5-2 showing (2.70 ERA) in eight career games; six of his seven starts against Arizona have been quality starts.

Coming up

Wednesday: At Milwaukee, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley (3-6, 4.44) vs. Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-8, 3.40).

Thursday: At Milwaukee, 11:10 a.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (5-9, 4.53) vs. Brewers RHP Zach Davies (7-4, 3.64).

Friday: At Los Angeles, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (3-1, 5.88) vs. Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda (9-7, 3.25).