Brent Suter does it all for the Brewers in blowout victory

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Friday night classified as a breakthrough of sorts for Brent Suter.

After failing to get out of the sixth inning in any of his previous 12 starts, the left-hander made it through seven in what qualified as his best all-around performance of the season for the Milwaukee Brewers in a 13-2 drubbing of the Philadelphia Phillies at Miller Park.

Suter (7-4) scattered six hits, a run and a walk and struck out three and also picked off a runner as he beat Jake Arrieta for the second time in as many starts.

Additionally, Suter continued his standout season with the bat as he reached all three times he came to the plate, drove in two runs and also scored a pair for a Brewers offense that has now scored 40 runs in four games against the Phillies.

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It was Suter who actually drove in the first run of the game when Arrieta plunked him on the toe with a pitch with the bases loaded in the second. The play paved the way for what would be a five-run inning -- a cushion Suter appreciated.

On the mound, Suter erased a leadoff single in the first with a 6-4-3 double play a few pitches later and got out of a two-on, two-out situation in the third by getting Rhys Hoskins to fly out to Lorenzo Cain in center in the third.

He then nipped another potential rally in the bud by picking Odubel Herrera off first after he singled to lead off the top of fourth.

Suter got back into the act with his bat in the bottom of the fourth, leading off by slicing a liner to left that Hoskins got a glove on but couldn't corral. He was charged with an error, and one batter later Cain singled Suter in.

On the next pitch, Christian Yelich homered to make it 8-0.

Suter breezed through a 1-2-3 fifth. Then three batters after a Hernán Pérez homer, Suter swatted a single to left that scored Manny Piña and gave the Brewers a double-digit lead at 10-0.

"We had seven hits from the bottom of the lineup, which is huge to begin with," manager Craig Counsell said. "What Brent's done, to me, is very similar to what Zach Davies did last year. Brent's getting a little more offensive with hits and stuff, but in terms of moving the line and being productive with your at-bats, it makes a big difference.

"It keeps you in the game, it extends leads. Brent's done a heck of a job of it this year. To me, one of the biggest ways a pitcher can put a win behind his name is when they contribute offensively."

Through 14 games and 18 at-bats, Suter is hitting .222 a homer, three RBI and three walks with a .325 on-base percentage and .410 slugging percentage.

"It feels good," Suter said. "I feel locked in at the plate. I'm a little late on fastballs but I'm seeing the ball well, I'm seeing off-speed down. Any way you can help your team win is a good way to help your team win -- whether it's pitching, hitting or defense, I'm going out there and competing just like I am on the mound.

"It feels good to finally getting some hits. I didn't do that much offensively last year. Getting timely hits -- or hit by pitches -- it feels good."

Suter, who hit .167 with one RBI in 18 at-bats last season, was asked what the difference has been.

"My swing feels stronger," he said. "I'm not missing the pitches I can hit as much. I have a better two-strike approach. I'm choking up a little bit more, trying not to give away at-bats and not trying to do too much.

"There's a confidence there. Kind of just a competing confidence that just kind of keeps rolling on itself in this game. I don't know. It feels good."

Suter, whose unquestioned career highlight as a hitter was the 433-foot homer he hit off reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber on May 8, said he's always looking forward to his next at-bat -- a far cry from the approach most pitchers take to the plate with them.

"Hitting is one of my favorite parts," he said. "I love hitting. I've loved it my whole life. Even when I'm struggling, I still like going up there and trying to whack it. It's one of my favorite parts besides pitching in the game."

The Phillies broke the Brewers' streak of 23 consecutive shutout innings with a run-scoring double in the sixth, but Suter was able to finish the inning out with no more damage.

He started the seventh off shakily when Scott Kingery led off with a single and then plunked Nick Williams. But Suter got two more ground balls to get out of the jam and the inning, with a 6-4 double-play ball off the bat of Aaron Altherr finishing it out.

Suter pumped his fist and screamed as he walked off the mound, having tied a career high with his seven innings and set a career high having thrown 105 pitches -- a total that has been topped by only one other Brewers pitcher this season (Chase Anderson, 107 on Tuesday).

"I was appreciative that Craig and (pitching coach Derek Johnson) let me go a little deeper," Suter said. "I was able to work through some fatigue and was able to make pitches when I had to and so I definitely showed a little emotion there.

"I kind of felt like I got off the schnide. I've been leaving the bullpen hanging a little bit because I haven't been able to get through six yet, so that felt good."