Brewers rally in 8th to beat Dodgers 6-4 and earn a series split in matchup of division leaders

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio and Wiliam Contreras homered in the first inning and scored again in an eighth-inning comeback as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

Devin Williams earned his third save in as many opportunities and ended the game by striking out Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani. That save came one day after Williams preserved a 5-4 triumph by retiring Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman in order.

By winning both games, the Brewers earned a split of the four-game series between division leaders.

“We know we have a really good team here and we know we can compete with anybody," Chourio said through a translator. “Our job is to go out there and show it on the field.”

The Brewers trailed 4-3 when they loaded the bases to start the eighth as Chourio doubled, Garrett Mitchell walked and Contreras beat out an infield single that went off the left leg of reliever Daniel Hudson (6-2).

Willy Adames’ single to left brought home Chourio with the tying run. Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández then dove to his left to field a ground ball from Tyler Black, but didn’t have enough time to throwing to the plate.

Hernández threw to first instead as Mitchell scored the go-ahead run on the fielder’s choice. Contreras scored an insurance run from third when Rhys Hoskins grounded out with a batted ball that also hit Hudson’s leg.

“He gets a double-play groundball that unfortunately hit him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It was right at (seond baseman) Gavin (Lus). It was a double-play ball."

After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Dodgers had rallied to take a 4-3 lead when Hernández greeted Elvis Peguero with a tiebreaking two-out single in the sixth inning.

Milwaukee built the early lead when Los Angeles' Jack Flaherty gave up homers to two of the first four batters he faced.

After Brice Turang doubled to lead off the first, Chourio hit a 421-foot blast to left center for his 15th homer of the season. The 20-year-old rookie also has 16 steals.

According to MLB.com, the only players that young ever to have seasons with at least 15 homers and 15 steals are Andruw Jones, Adrian Beltre, Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey Jr. and Phil Cavaretta.

One out later, Contreras sent a 417-foot drive into the second deck of the left-field seats for his third homer of this series.

“Everyone knows the Dodgers are a good team,” Contreras said through a translator. “We know we are as well.”

But after the Contreras homer, Flaherty didn't allow another hit until Turang delivered a two-out single in the fifth. The Brewers didn't score again until their eighth-inning comeback.

“I've got to get deeper into the game just to make it easier on everybody else,” said Flaherty, who lasted five innings.

Brewers starter Tobias Myers allowed four runs, two earned, and gave up eight hits and one walk while striking out one in 5 2/3 innings. That ended a string of three straight starts in which the rookie right-hander allowed no more than one run.

Bryan Hudson (5-1) earned the win by pitching two innings of scoreless relief.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (triceps) will meet the Dodgers in St. Louis to pitch a two-inning simulated game on Friday. Yamamoto had thrown 41 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday. He last pitched for the Dodgers on June 15.

Brewers: RHP Trevor Megill (lower back strain) went to Single-A Wisconsin to begin a rehabilitation assignment.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Begin a three-game series at St. Louis. The Dodgers haven't named a starting pitcher for Friday's opener. RHP Miles Mikolas (8-9, 5.30 ERA) will pitch for the Cardinals.

Brewers: Open a three-game home series with the Cleveland Guardians. The scheduled starting pitchers Friday are RHP Aaron Civale (3-8, 5.02) for the Brewers and RHP Gavin Williams (2-4, 4.38) for the Guardians.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) grounds out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Miguel Rojas (11) scores on an RBI hit by Andy Pages during the second inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Tobias Myers (36) makes the out at first base on a ground out by Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Tobias Myers (36) throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames (27) forces out Los Angeles Dodgers' Jason Heyward (23) at second as he turns a double play on a ground out hit by Dodgers' Enrique Hernández during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman (5) hits a single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Gavin Lux (9) hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman (5) hits a single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras (24) celebrates hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras (24) runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Seattle Kraken 6-2 on Saturday night.

After falling behind 1-0 less than three minutes into the game, the Golden Knights scored three unanswered goals in the first period and never relinquished the lead.

After Keegan Kolesar tied the game at 1-all, Brett Howden took Jack Eichel’s pass from behind the net and beat Philipp Grubauer at the doorstep to give Vegas a one-goal edge. Nic Hague's goal later in the period put Vegas up, 3-1.

William Karlsson and Noah Hanifin also added goals in the third and Ilya Samsonov stopped 21 shots to improve to 8-3-1. Eichel finished with two assists.

Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle while Grubauer made 29 saves and fell to 3-10-0.

Kraken: Center Chandler Stephenson made his first return to Vegas since signing with Seattle as a free agent during the offseason. Stephenson is the only NHL player to hoist the Stanley Cup twice in Vegas, winning inside T-Mobile Arena with Washington in 2018, and again with the Knights in 2023.

Golden Knights: Vegas has won three straight and seven of eight in December. With the win, the Knights (47) are now four points in front of Los Angeles (43) in the Pacific Division and two points shy of Western Conference-leading Winnipeg (49).

Trailing 1-0, Kolesar took a cross-ice pass from Victor Olofsson that led him perfectly on a breakaway. Kolesar’s snipe over Grubauer’s glove gave him his career-high eighth goal of the season.

Seattle is now 1-17-1 when trailing after two periods while Vegas improved to 12-1-0 when leading after the first 40 minutes.

The Knights host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. The Kraken visit the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Vegas Golden Knights centers Brett Howden (21) and Jack Eichel (9) celebrate after Howden's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (37) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) and right wing Cole Schwindt (22) celebrate after Kolesar's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde shoots against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson (9) shoots against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)