Jackson Chourio and William Contreras homer early in Brewers’ 5-3 victory over Rangers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio and William Contreras homered in the first inning and the Milwaukee Brewers stayed ahead the rest of the way to defeat the Texas Rangers 5-3 on Saturday night.

The MLB-leading Brewers won their fourth in a row and handed Texas its fourth straight loss. The Rangers remained two games behind AL West leader Houston, which lost 6-2 to the New York Mets earlier Saturday.

Brandon Nimmo hit a two-run homer and Cody Freeman added a solo shot for Texas.

Rangers starter Cal Quantrill gave up homers to two of the first four batters he faced.

Chourio’s 20th homer of the season came on a night when fans received cereal bowls bearing his name as they entered American Family Field. Quantrill was a strike away from getting out of the inning before Contreras connected on a 2-2 pitch and sent a 409-foot shot to left.

Milwaukee’s Luis Lara had RBI singles in the second and seventh innings.

Texas trailed 5-1 before rallying to bring the tying run to the plate in the eighth.

Corey Seager drew a leadoff walk and came home one out later on Nimmo’s 426-foot homer off Chad Patrick. Ezequiel Duran greeted Antonio Senzatela with a single before Jake Burger and Danny Jansen grounded out.

Trevor Megill worked the ninth to earn his 25th save in 27 opportunities.

Quantrill (6-5) ended his six-inning stint by retiring 14 straight batters. He had a season-high eight strikeouts.

Milwaukee’s Shane Drohan (7-5) struck out six in five innings. The only run he allowed came on Freeman’s fifth-inning homer.

The Rangers ran themselves out of a potential rally in the third.

Nimmo’s two-out infield single could have loaded the bases, but Freeman tried scoring from second on the play and Brewers second baseman Brice Turang easily threw him out.

Up next

Kumar Rocker (5-10, 4.41 ERA) pitches for Texas and Dustin May (6-8, 4.58) starts for Milwaukee in the series finale Sunday.

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