Brewers capitalize on three straight bunts to score go-ahead run in 2-1 win over Blue Jays

Milwaukee Brewers' Brice Turang, right, reacts after hitting a double during the fourth inning of a baseball game as Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Lenyn Sosa, left, look on, Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Garrett Mitchell scored the go-ahead run as the Milwaukee Brewers bunted three straight times in the seventh inning to break a tie and beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Aaron Ashby (5-0) faced only two batters and got the final out in the seventh to take over the major league lead in wins.

Toronto stranded the potential tying run at third when Kazuma Okamoto grounded out against Angel Zerpa, who earned his second save. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had hit a leadoff single and reached third on a pair of grounders to the right side.

Milwaukee snapped a six-game skid Wednesday by scoring twice in the eighth inning while hitting just one ball out of the infield. The Brewers didn’t hit any balls out of the infield during their seventh-inning rally Thursday.

Mitchell drew a leadoff walk from Tommy Nance (0-1) and Greg Jones bunted him over to second. David Hamilton beat out a bunt hit to put runners on the corners. Joey Ortiz delivered a safety squeeze that brought home Mitchell.

Toronto also scored on a safety squeeze.

Andrés Giménez hit a leadoff double, reached third on Ernie Clement’s single and came home on Tyler Heineman’s bunt in the third inning.

The Brewers tied it in the fourth. Brice Turang led off with a double, moved to third on William Contreras’ single and slid home safely on Luis Rengifo’s sacrifice fly to left.

Milwaukee starter Brandon Sproat struck out six and gave up one run, one walk and four hits in a career-high 6 2/3 innings.

Trevor Megill retired the side in the order with two strikeouts in the eighth inning before Zerpa worked the ninth. Megill, a 2025 All-Star, was pitching two days after allowing three runs in the ninth inning of a 9-7, 10-inning loss to Toronto.

Up next

Blue Jays: Head to Arizona for a three-game series. Eric Lauer (1-2, 7.82 ERA) starts for Toronto and Michael Soroka (3-0, 2.87) pitches for Arizona on Friday.

Brewers: Go to Miami for a three-game series. The Brewers haven’t named a starting pitcher for Friday. Janson Junk (0-2, 4.32) will start for Miami.

___

Steve Megargee, The Associated Press