AP

Yelich’s slam sparks Brewers to 6-1 triumph over Pirates

Apr 18, 2022, 7:48 AM | Updated: 8:45 pm

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game a...

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)


              Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Zach Thompson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Kolten Wong scores past Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Zach Thompson during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. Wo0ng scored on a wild pitch. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Omar Narvaez slides safely past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Roberto Perez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. Narvaez scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Kolten Wong.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Pittsburgh Pirates' Diego Castillo is congratulated after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich is congratulated after hiitting a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich is congratulated after hiitting a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich is congratulated by Andrew McCutchen and Lorenzo Cain after hiitting a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Brewers’ hopes of making the playoffs for a fifth straight season depend at least in part on whether Christian Yelich can return to form.

Yelich took a step toward that goal on Monday night. The 2018 NL MVP belted a grand slam for his first homer of the season in Milwaukee’s 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“You’re just trying to have good at-bats and hit the ball hard,” said Yelich, who also doubled and walked. “You feel like that’s what you can kind of control up there. Once you hit it, it’s kind of out of your control, you know? There’s been good days, bad days and in-between days. You just try to string as many good ones as you can.”

This was a really good one.

Yelich’s two-out slam capped a five-run rally off Pirates starter Zach Thompson (0-1) in the fourth inning. The 429-foot blast was Yelich’s fourth career grand slam.

“That’s a fun thing to see, isn’t it?” Brewers pitcher Eric Lauer said. “It’s fun to watch him kind of see him in that zone again and watch Yeli be Yeli. That’s what everybody’s used to seeing and that’s what we expect out of him. I think there’s only more to come.”

Yelich has struggled the last two seasons after leading the league in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS during each of his first two years in Milwaukee.

He batted .248 and homered nine times in 475 plate appearances last year after hitting .205 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

“There’s no question we need him to reach our goals,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s doing everything he can every day to try to get there and try to be that productive hitter he knows he’s capable of.”

Yelich’s slam was enough support for Lauer (1-0), who gave up one run and five hits in six innings while striking out five and walking one.

Pittsburgh got its only run in the fourth on rookie Diego Castillo’s first career homer, which came one pitch after Castillo swung at a slider from Lauer that hit him in the knee.

Milwaukee’s Jandel Gustave, Hoby Milner and José Ureña each pitched one inning of scoreless relief.

The game was tied 1-1 when Milwaukee’s Omar Narváez singled to center and Lorenzo Cain hit a deep fly that bounced off the glove of right fielder Cole Tucker for a double.

“I was playing in and it got me back by the wall,” Tucker said. “I just did everything I could to try to get it and it, like, bounced up off the end of my glove.”

Kolten Wong’s sacrifice fly brought home Narváez. After Willy Adames walked, the left-handed Yelich sent an 86 mph changeup off the right-handed Thompson into the second deck of the right-field stands.

“In hindsight, we should have brought in (left-hander Dillon) Peters there,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We tried to get (Thompson) through. He got in a little bit of a groove, lost his arm slot a little bit and it just didn’t work out.”

Thompson struck out five but allowed six runs, six hits and four walks in four innings.

HAINES’ RETURN

Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines, who had the same job with the Brewers from 2019-21, was back in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers fired him.

Milwaukee scored six runs during its four-game NL Division Series loss to the Atlanta Braves. The team then became one of 17 in the majors to change hitting coaches.

“It’s a lot to process because you’re so invested,” Haines said before the game. “I just know how much of a responsibility I felt to the players, to the organization. To all of a sudden not be a part of it, there’s emotions that you have to process.”

Haines said he was surprised by the decision but still respects Counsell and Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns.

“I also told them I accept it,” Haines said. “I don’t agree with it. I’m not going to concede that. I wouldn’t have a chance to be good at this job if I did, to be honest. That’s the reality of it, too. It doesn’t change how much I respect them. It actually probably would have made it easier if I didn’t respect them so much, their decision-making ability, to be honest.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates RHP Luis Oviedo (sprained right ankle) was reinstated from the injured list and optioned to Double-A Altoona after completing his rehabilitation assignment.

UP NEXT

JT Brubaker (0-1, 9.82 ERA) starts for the Pirates and Corbin Burnes (0-0, 2.25) pitches for the Brewers on Tuesday night.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Yelich’s slam sparks Brewers to 6-1 triumph over Pirates