Brewers Walk Off in Extra Innings on Gallardo Double

May 27, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo (center) gets dunked by center fielder Carlos Gomez (left) after hitting a pinch hit double to drive in the winning run in the tenth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Miller Park. The Brewers beat the Orioles 7-6 in 10 innings. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Once again the Brewers built a big early lead against the Orioles, only to squander it as the game moved on. This time it was the Brewers winning in extra innings on a walk-off, pinch-hit double by pitcher Yovani Gallardo.

Matt Garza opened up the game strong for the Brewers with a one-two-three first inning on just nine pitches.  The Brewers offense opened strong against Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen (5-2, 4.08 ERA) with singles by Jean Segura and Ryan Braun before a Carlos Gomez home run (11) two-batters later to give the crew an early three-run lead.

Garza cruised through the second inning, with strikeouts of Chris Davis and Nelson Cruz before a JJ Hardy ground out. Mark Reynolds led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run (12) for the crew to extend the lead to four.

Yesterday’s Oriole hero Jonathan Schoop singled in the third for the Orioles, but otherwise Garza made it through the inning unscathed. Braun led off the Brewer half of the inning with a double, but Chen got through the inning with no further damage.

After another three-up, three-down inning for Garza in the top half of the fourth, Khris Davis popped a solo home run (8) to give Milwaukee a five run lead.

Nelson Cruz answered back leading off the top of the fifth with a solo home run (17) of his own to get the Orioles on the board. That was the only damage in the fifth as Garza retired the next three Orioles and the Brewers went down in order.

Delmon Young pinch hit for Chen to lead off the sixth inning, and picked up the Orioles first walk of the day. Nick Markakis followed with a double to drive in Young and cut the lead to three. Markakis moved to third on a Machado bunt, and scored on an Adam Jones fly ball to center. Gomez made a nice throw home on the play but Markakis beat it to cut the lead to two runs. The Brewers went down quietly in their half of the sixth against reliever Preston Guilmet.

Cruz walked to lead off the Oriole seventh and advanced to second on an error by Segura on a Nick Hundley double-play grounder to put two men on. Segura fielded the ball cleanly and attempted to flip it from his glove to Rickie Weeks at second, but the throw was off line and everybody was safe.

After a Jonathan Schoop  ground out Steve Pearce hit his fourth home run of the year to put the Orioles up 6-5. Garza had a chance to get out of the inning, but dropped a throw at first on a ball fielded by Weeks, it was ruled a single. Will Smith replaced Garza and ended the inning with a Manny Machado ground out.

The Brewers could only manage one hit in the seventh off reliever Ryan Webb, Segura singled with one out, but Braun hit a double play grounder to end the inning.

After Smith recorded two quick fly ball outs in the seventh, Nelson Cruz smacked a double to center to put another Oriole in scoring position. Cruz advanced to third on a wild pitch, but JJ Hardy grounded out to Lyle Overbay at first to end the threat.

Jonathan Lucroy doubled (21) off Darren O’Day to lead off the eighth inning for the crew. After a Gomez ground out back to the mound, O’Day intentionally walked pinch-hitter Scooter Gennett to face Davis, who also walked to load the bases for Reynolds. Reynolds hit a bullet to third but Machado speared it for the second out. Brian Matusz replaced O’Day to face Irving Falu who bounced out to end the threat with the bases loaded.

Tyler Thornburg replaced Smith to pitch the ninth for the Brewers. Hundley singled to center to open the frame, but that was the only damage as Thornburg struck out Schoop, pinch-hitter Bud Norris was out on a sac bunt, and Markakis flew out to center.

Overbay led off the ninth inning with a single off Orioles closer Zach Britton. Segura followed by bunting pinch-runner Elian Herrera over to second.  After Braun grounded out to second, Lucroy knocked home Herrera to tie the game on a tough grounder to Manny Machado and a wide throw to first. Gomez flew out to center to send the game to extra innings.

Francisco Rodríguez allowed only a walk to Davis in the 10th. Gennett and Davis grounded out to open the 10th for the Brewers before an intentional walk of Reynolds to get to Gallardo, who hit for K-Rod as the crew was out of position players. Gallardo knocked a walk-off RBI double off the wall in left center to score Reynolds and give the Brewers the ball game.

Neither starter factored in the decision. For Baltimore Chen threw five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts, he gave up three home runs.

Garza finished with 6 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed six runs, three earned, on five hits with two walks and nine strike outs.

K-Rod picked up the win for Milwaukee, T.J. McFarland picked up the loss for the Orioles.  The two will meet again tomorrow at 7:10pm when Bud Norris (3-4) takes on Gallardo (2-3).

Milwaukee’s Three Stars

1. Yovani Gallardo – 1-for-1, 2B, RBI
2. Jonathan Lucroy – 2-for-5, RBI
3. Carlos Gomez – 1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI