MIAMI — Jake Burger hit a three-run homer, the Marlins scored the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning and Miami beat Milwaukee 5-4 on Saturday to stay within a game of the Cubs for the third NL wild card and prevent the Brewers from clinching the NL Central.
Pinch runner Garrett Hampson scored the winning run on a wild pitch by Brewers reliever Joel Payamps (6-5) in the eighth.
Burger drew a leadoff walk before Bryan De La Cruz’s single to right advanced Hampson to third. Payamps’ slider got past catcher William Contreras as Hampson sprinted home.
Miami’s Luis Arraez went 1-for-5 and his major league-leading batting average dropped to .353, while Carlos Santana hit his career 300th homer for Milwaukee.
Andrew Nardi (8-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and Tanner Scott closed with a perfect ninth for his 10th save.
The Brewers erased a 4-0 deficit with a four-run sixth on William Contreras’ infield single and Santana’s homer over wall in center off reliever A.J. Puk.
PHOTOS: Marlins stay in wild-card hunt, prevent Brewers from clinching NL Central with 5-4 win
Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo allowed three hits, struck out four and walked three in five innings.
Miami struck quickly on Burger’s three-run blast in the first. Burger drove the first pitch from Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff over the wall in left for his 34th homer and ninth since joining the Marlins Aug. 1.
Nick Fortes’ sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 4-0.
Woodruff was lifted after five innings. The right-hander gave up four runs, six hits, struck out six and walked two.
Earlier Saturday, Marlins ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara said he will not pitch again this season after experiencing a setback during a minor league rehab start Thursday. Alcantara, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, went on the injured list Sept. 6 because of a right forearm flexor strain.
SPECIAL REUNION
Arraez’s parents received visas from their native Venezuela and arrived in Miami on Thursday. They had never seen their son play in a major league game until the series against Milwaukee.
ROSTER MOVE
The Marlins selected the contract of RHP Jeff Lindgren from Triple-A Jacksonville and placed RHP Eury Pérez on the 15-day injured list because of left SI joint inflammation.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Huascar Brazoban (left hip impingement) threw one inning in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday and is scheduled to throw two innings on Sunday.
UP NEXT
RHP Freddy Peralta (12-9, 3.71) will start the final game of the series for the Brewers on Sunday while the Marlins will go with RHP Edward Cabrera (6-7, 4.35).
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