MIAMI (AP) - With the retractable roof open and the Milwaukee Brewers in town, pitcher-friendly Marlins Park became a launching pad.
Mark Reynolds hit a pair of two-run homers and the Brewers won a record-setting slugfest at spacious ballpark, beating Miami 9-5 Friday.
Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Jones hit two solo homers apiece for Miami, and Khris Davis homered for Milwaukee. The teams combined for seven home runs, the most since their park opened in 2012.
“I think having the roof open helps,” Reynolds said.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke wasn’t so sure.
“It’s hard to say,” he said. “My gosh, there were some long home runs by both sides. Those balls were crushed. There were a lot of fireworks going on.”
Milwaukee didn’t need slugger Ryan Braun, who sat out after a flare-up of the oblique strain that sent him to the disabled list earlier this season. The Brewers hope he can rejoin the lineup by Sunday.
Reynolds homered in the fourth and again in the fifth, increasing his season total to 11. It was his 20th career multihomer game.
Miami lost despite hitting a season-high four home runs. Stanton’s two tape-measure homers increased his season total to 14, most in the NL, and his 47 RBIs lead the majors. It was his 12th career multihomer game, tying Hanley Ramirez’s franchise record.
Even so, Miami fell to 5-17 against the Brewers since the start of 2011.
The ball was flying from the first inning. Davis’ homer carried more than 430 feet into the beer garden, Stanton’s homers traveled just as far, and Jones reached the upper deck.
It has been nearly three years since three players hit two homers in a major-league game.
Marco Estrada (4-2) didn’t pitch from the stretch until there were two out in the seventh, because all four of Miami’s baserunners to that point hit home runs.
“Real weird game,” Roenicke said.
Roenicke made three pitching changes without a glitch. On Thursday at Atlanta, he summoned a reliever when no one was warming up.
Estrada gave up five runs and departed after 6 2-3 innings. He has an ERA of 3.98 despite allowing 16 homers, the most in the majors.
“I obviously didn’t do the greatest job, but I kept the team in there,” he said. “I know I have given up a lot of home runs, and today was no different. If I keep them to one-run homers, good things will happen. All I can say is we won.”
Along with all of the offense, there were some long outs as well. Two balls hit by Carlos Gomez would likely have been homers in Milwaukee.
Gomez had three doubles and a single for the Brewers, who totaled eight extra-base hits. The NL Central leaders hit for the cycle in the fifth off Tom Koehler when Jean Segura singled, Scooter Gennett tripled, Gomez doubled and Reynolds homered.
“They seemed to hit every mistake that was made pretty hard,” said Koehler (4-4). “That’s why they’re in first place.”
Koehler went five innings and gave up seven runs, including both homers by Reynolds. Koehler came into the game with an ERA of 0.64 at home, best in the majors.
“He made a lot of mistakes over the middle of the plate,” manager Mike Redmond said. “That’s a very aggressive team, and obviously you saw the power that they have. And when you make mistakes against good teams, they make you pay.”
Miami fell to 19-7 at Marlins Park, still the best home record in baseball.
Notes: RHP Jimmy Nelson will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Sunday for the Brewers in place of RHP Yovani Gallardo, who was scratched after he threw a bullpen session before the game and said his sprained left ankle was still sore. Gallardo is not expected to go on the disabled list. … Milwaukee RHP Wily Peralta (4-3, 2.18) is scheduled to start Saturday against Miami RHP Jacob Turner (0-2, 6.59).
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