Brandon Woodruff pitched six sharp innings as the Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to 11 games with a 6-0 victory over the host Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
Jackson Chourio went 2-for-4 with a double and drove in two runs for the Brewers, who moved into sole possession of first place in the National League Central. The Chicago Cubs, who lost 12-4 to the visiting Kansas City Royals on Monday, are one game back of Milwaukee.
Woodruff (2-0), making just his third start since missing a season and a half following right shoulder surgery, allowed just two hits — leadoff singles by Ben Williamson in the third inning and Luke Raley in the fifth. Woodruff didn’t walk a batter and struck out five while throwing just 62 pitches.
The Brewers’ winning streak began with Woodruff’s first game back, on July 6.
Aaron Ashby tossed two-plus innings for Milwaukee, and Grant Anderson got the last three outs.
Milwaukee didn’t have a hit through the opening 5 1/3 innings against Mariners starter George Kirby (4-5) before five of the next six batters reached safely in a four-run sixth.
Joey Ortiz, the No. 9 batter in the Brewers’ lineup, lined a single to left field to break up the no-hit bid. Brice Turang doubled to the gap in left-center, sending Ortiz to third. William Contreras then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to open the scoring.
Christian Yelich grounded a single to right to plate Turang. Chourio hit a drive high off the wall in straightaway center, with Yelich racing home from first. Isaac Collins capped the rally with an RBI single to right to make it 4-0.
Kirby went six innings and allowed four runs on five hits, with one walk and three strikeouts.
The Brewers added two runs (one earned) in the eighth off Seattle’s Brandyn Garcia, who was making his major league debut.
Turang led off with a single before he was caught stealing. Contreras doubled to right and Yelich reached on a throwing error by Garcia on a chopper to the left side of the infield, with Contreras scoring on the play. Yelich stole third before Chourio grounded a single to center to cap the scoring.
Brandon Woodruff, Brewers blank M’s for 11th straight win
