SANF FRANCISCO, Calif. - The San Francisco Giants came home from a nine-game road stretch to some bad fortunes. We knew one misfortune was coming; they had to host the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers with ace Corbin Burnes on the mound to start a three-game series. However, the positive COVID-19 diagnosis for pitcher Alex Wood and the cold that put Johnny Cueto on the Injured List could not have been foreseen.

With Cueto out, the Giants (84-47) had to scrape together a night with their bullpen, giving left-hander Jose Alvarez his first start as a Giant. The Brewers (80-52) pounced on the veteran, scoring two runs on RBI singles in the 1st and 2nd innings. That was enough of a cushion for Burnes (9-4), who allowed just 1 earned run in his 6 innings of work as the Brewers claimed a 3-1 victory.

Former NL MVP Christian Yelich got things going as he doubled in his first at-bat of the game. After a groundout, an Omar Navarez single brought Yelich in from third for the first Brewers' run.

A leadoff walk in the 2nd to Jace Peterson came back to bite Alvarez as Burnes helped his cause with an RBI single. With Burnes on the mound, the Brewers felt comfortable with the lead. Burnes racked up 9 strikeouts and allowed just 4 hits in his ninth win of the year.

The Brewers bullpen continues to dominate as three relievers combined to allow no earned runs and just 2 hits. Josh Hader picked up his 29th save of the year, tied for 2nd most in the MLB.

The loss hurts the Giants as the Dodgers continue to gain ground. LA's win over the Braves cut San Francisco's NL West lead to 1.5 games.

Yelich is Back

Things have been rough for outfielder Christian Yelich the past two seasons. After his MVP campaign in 2018 and his runner-up season in 2019, he has failed to produce at that level again. In a shortened 2020 season, Yelich put up career-lows in batting average (.205), on-base percentage (.356), and home runs (12).

The low home run numbers may be expected with the shortened season, but Yelich does not get that excuse this year. In 2021, he has failed to eclipse his HR total from last year (8 HR to this point), while his averages have not gotten much better.

However, it seems Yelich has found himself in the past few weeks. His 1st inning double gives him 9 straight games with a hit, his longest streak this year. In his last 18 games, Yelich has a .347 BA (24-69) with 2 HR and 9 RBI.

Yelich returning to his former self could be huge for this Milwaukee team as the postseason looms. The bulk of the success of 2021 can be credited to their elite pitching staff, both the starters and the bullpen. But having Yelich back in his groove could make their lineup just that much more dangerous.

Dodgers Chasing Down the Giants

Many experts left the San Francisco Giants out of the NL West conversation at the beginning of the season. It is not hard to see why; the LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres had built two of the most formidable rosters in the MLB. Many thought those two teams were the best in all of baseball, not just the NL West.

However, the Giants have proved everyone wrong all season. Monday was the 106th consecutive day the Giants have held the best record in the NL, the longest such streak for the franchise since moving to San Francisco. A resurgent season from catcher Buster Posey and a breakout year for starter Kevin Gausman has made the Giants one of the best teams in the league.

However, the Dodgers are still right on the Giants' tail as August comes to a close. Their 5-3 win over the Braves on Monday trimmed the Giants' NL West lead to 1.5 games, the lowest it has been in weeks. The Giants have dropped 3 of their last 4 games, while the Dodgers have won 5 of their last 7.

It is all setting up for a wild race for the NL West down the stretch. Both teams will be in the postseason; the NL West runner-up will almost certainly claim the first Wild Card spot. However, that will be the difference between an automatic NLDS birth and a win-or-go-home Wild Card matchup.

Up Next

Giants vs. Brewers, Tuesday, August 31, Oracle Park, San Francisco, Calif.