EditorsNote: Edit 1: Recast throughout
Mike Moustakas, replacing Christian Yelich in the batting order, homered twice and drove in five runs, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-5 win over the host Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.
The Brewers, who have won six straight contests, will go for a four-game sweep of the Marlins on Thursday.
Yelich, who was bidding for his second straight National League MVP award, was lost for the season on Tuesday when he went out with a fractured right kneecap.
Moustakas took his spot in the three-hole and blasted a go-ahead, three-run homer in the third inning. Then, after the Marlins had tied the score at 5, Moustakas drilled a two-run homer in the top of the ninth.
Among active Brewers players, Moustakas leads the club with 33 homers and 81 RBIs. He went 3-for-4 on Wednesday.
Milwaukee Starter Zach Davies left after 4 1/3, and gave way to Alex Claudio with a runner on second, leading 5-2. Claudio gave up a blast to Isan Diaz, and then the Brewers brought in Jay Jackson. He gave up a solo homer to Garrett Cooper, but then settled down to get the final two outs of the inning.
Those homers tied it up at 5-5, but set it up for Moustakas' final heroics in the ninth.
Brewers reliever Brent Suter (2-0) came on in the sixth and pitched three scoreless innings -- allowing just one hit and no walks -- to earn the win. Josh Hader pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his 30th save.
Marlins reliever Jose Urena (4-9) took the loss, giving up Moustakas' two-run homer.
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead on the seventh pitch of the game as leadoff batter Trent Grisham slugged an opposite-field homer to left.
Miami tied the score in the bottom of the first. Diaz drew a one-out walk, went to third on Cooper's single and scored on Starlin Castro's sacrifice fly to the warning track in left.
The Marlins took a 2-1 lead in the second. Harold Ramirez hit a leadoff triple off the wall in center and scored on Magneuris Sierra's soft single over second base.
Milwaukee surged ahead 4-2 in the third on Moustakas' 412-foot blast that included an exit velocity of 111 mph. Davies' RBI single in the fourth extended Milwaukee's lead to 5-2.
--Field Level Media
