MILWAUKEE – Gary Sánchez was a late and somewhat pricey addition to the Milwaukee Brewers’ roster but boy, has he been a good one.

The veteran slugger has been swinging a hot bat for the Brewers of late, batting .316 (6-for-19), and he has also been coming up big when the team needs it most, no more so than Thursday afternoon when he broke a 4-4 tie with a two-run home run in the eighth inning that proved to be the difference in Milwaukee’s 6-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field.

Gary Sánchez for the lead! pic.twitter.com/sBYS8ObcrG

— MLB (@MLB) May 30, 2024

 It was the second time this season that the Brewers won a game on a late Sánchez homer. It was also the second time he did so on a two-strike, two-out pitch that was outside of the zone. 

“Anytime you’re on the field you have the opportunity to help the team win,” Sánchez said. “If that’s not today, the opportunity can be tomorrow. I’ve been able to get some opportunities of late and hopefully that can continue to get there.”

Gary Sánchez Coming Up Huge for Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee signed Sánchez to a one-year, $7 million contract at the start of spring training, in large part to help rectify a longstanding issue with hitting left-handed pitching. But his late signing, combined with a wrist injury suffered while working out prior to signing, left him playing catch-up when Cactus League play got underway.

Regular season starter William Contreras’ scorching-hot bat and iron man durability behind the plate, as well as a steady dose of right-handed opposing starters, initially limited Sanchez’s playing time.

Opportunity presented itself, though, when first baseman Rhys Hoskins landed on the injured list. Sánchez started making more frequent appearances in manager Pat Murphy’s lineup, both at first base and designated hitter, with the occasional start behind the plate on days when Murphy moved Contreras into the DH role.

As Sánchez’s playing time has increased, so has his production and in turn, Murphy’s confidence in giving him more opportunities against right-handers.

“He’s proven time and time again he’s very very capable against lefties, for sure, but also he’s capable as he proved against righties,” Murphy said. “He can hit in the clutch and gives you a good at-bat. He’s gonna have some strikeouts but the guy is dangerous and everybody in the league knows it. I’m happy for him. He’s kind of shoved it in our faces a little bit like, ‘Hey, I can hit more than lefties.’”

Hoskins Getting Close

Speaking of Hoskins, Murphy said there’s a good chance he’ll be back on the active roster next week when the Brewers travel to Philadelphia, where Hoskins played six seasons before signing with Milwaukee in January.

In fact, there’s an outside chance that Hoskins could return as early as this weekend for Milwaukee’s interleague series against the Chicago White Sox. 

“No decisions have been made but he’s been trending in the right direction,” Murphy said. 

Roster Moves

The Brewers added a fresh arm to their bullpen before the game by recalling right-hander Kevin Herget from Nashville. Herget appeared in two games for Milwaukee earlier this season and allowed two runs over 3 ⅔ innings of work.

To clear a roster spot for Herget, Milwaukee designated right-handed reliever Mitch White for assignment. 

On the Farm

Right-hander Craig Yoho earned a promotion to Double-A Biloxi after an impressive showing at High-A Wisconsin, where he posted a 0.44 ERA in 16 appearances this season. The former Indiana University standout was Milwaukee’s eighth-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft and went on to post a 10.13 ERA in three appearances for the Brewers’ Arizona Complex League squad after signing.

In Biloxi, Yoho will join a pitching staff headlined by Milwaukee’s top overall prospect, right-hander Jacob Misiorowski who allowed two runs (one earned) while striking out seven in four innings against Pensacola Thursday night. Misiorowski, the Brewers’ second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, has a 2.52 ERA and has struck out 54 batters over 39 ⅓ innings this season. 

Up Next

The Brewers welcome another rival from just down I-94 when they open a three-game interleague series against the Chicago White Sox Friday night at American Family Field. Tobias Myers (1-2, 4.43 ERA) gets the start for Milwaukee (32-23, 1st NL Central) with right-hander Erick Fedde (4-1, 2.80) getting the nod for Chicago (15-42, 5th AL Central).

Photo Credit: © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

A Milwaukee man was charged earlier this week in the shooting death of his wife outside a salon in downtown Milwaukee after manicure and pedicure appointments he had made for her 60th birthday.

On Tuesday, Timothy Darnell Lewis, 59, was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and use of a dangerous weapon in the death of Jacqueline Beason. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.

Lewis told Milwaukee detectives on Sunday that “he is the one who did it. No one else did it,” according to the criminal complaint. His initial court appearance in Milwaukee County was Thursday morning.

According to the criminal complaint, Beason was on the phone with one of her daughters Saturday, just before she was shot and killed inside her car, parked on North Cass Street. Beason’s daughter told police she could hear her mother arguing with Lewis. Beason’s daughter heard her mother tell Lewis that he had been “disrespectful to her and her daughters,” and then to “put that gun away.”

When Beason’s daughter asked about Lewis having a gun, Beason responded, “It’s a fake.” The last thing the daughter heard was Lewis telling her mom, “There you go.” Then the call ended. She did not hear the gunshot, according to the complaint.

The daughter didn’t immediately respond Thursday to an interview request.

A neighbor who witnessed the shooting called 911. Beason was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lewis said he went to the salon, knowing she would be there, according to the complaint.

Lewis said Beason and her daughter were yelling at him and “he got tired and took out his gun.”

Beason is the 15th person in Milwaukee County to die due to a domestic violence-related homicide this year, according to the Sojourner Family Peace Center, the largest service provider for survivors of domestic abuse in the state.

Milwaukee’s domestic violence prevention centers

Sojourner Family Peace Center, 619 W. Walnut St., 414-933-2722

Serving the Black community: The Asha Project, 3719 W. Center St., Milwaukee, 414-252-0075.

Serving the LGBTQ+ community: Diverse & Resilient’s Room to be Safe program, 2439 N. Holton St., Milwaukee, 414-390-0444.

Serving the Native American community: Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 930 W. Historic Mitchell St., Milwaukee, 414-383-9526; and the HIR Wellness Institute, 3136 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, 414-763-5815.

Serving the Muslim community: Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, 5235 S. 27th St., Greenfield, 414-727-4900.

Serving the Hmong community: Hmong American Women’s Association, 3727 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, 414-930-9352.

Serving the Latin American community: UMOS Latina Resource Center, 2701 S. Chase Ave., Suite D, Milwaukee, 414-389-6500.

Jessica Van Egeren is a reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at jvanegeren@gannett.com.