Woodruff, Williams bookend another 1-run win for Brewers

CHICAGO -- Including Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the White Sox, the Brewers have tallied 24 one-run victories this season. Their run differential might be just +2 on the season, but Milwaukee has been effective at coming out on top in close games all year.

Multiple factors play into sustaining success in tight games this deep into the season, like timely hitting. The Brewers trailed 2-0 going into the seventh inning, stymied to that point by White Sox starter Jesse Scholtens. Mark Canha led off with a walk, Andruw Monasterio singled, and both runners moved into scoring position on a deep fly ball from Brice Turang. That set up Tyrone Taylor’s game-tying double and a go-ahead single from William Contreras.

But although his double tied the game, Taylor has a simple explanation for why the Brewers are so good at winning close games.

“A very good pitching staff,” Taylor said. “To be able to go out there and hold a team to however many runs they have and only win by one run, I think it says a lot for the back end of our bullpen.”

In particular, closer Devin Williams. He notched his 28th save of the season, striking out Andrew Vaughn, Yasmani Grandal, and Trayce Thompson after giving up a leadoff single to Yoán Moncada in the ninth.

Ask Brewers manager Craig Counsell about his team’s propensity to win close games, and he points to his closer and overall run prevention.

“The first thing I think of is Devin Williams,” he said. “Just how good he’s been, how lucky we are to have him. What he’s meant in those games. He’s been a part of 22 of them, or something like that.”

Williams has the third-highest save total in the National League, and he has the second-highest strikeout rate (37.4%) among NL relievers, trailing only San Diego’s Josh Hader. The Milwaukee bullpen as a whole has been one of the most effective in baseball. Going into Saturday, their ERA (3.83) was in the top third of the league. In Saturday’s win, Hoby Milner and Elvis Peguero bridged the innings between starter Brandon Woodruff and Williams’ save.

Woodruff was also key to getting the Brewers to the seventh inning with only a two-run deficit. He made just his second start since returning from the 60-day injured list with shoulder inflammation on Aug. 6.

Woodruff pitched into the seventh inning for the first time since Sept. 17, 2022 against the Yankees. Facing the White Sox in his fourth start of this season, Woodruff limited Chicago to two runs while striking out five.

“To get into the seventh inning on his second start back from a pretty significant injury is important,” Counsell said. “He’s got that ability to take you deep into the game, and that always helps you as well.”

Counsell noted that Woodruff’s offspeed pitches looked a tick better than his last start, and Woodruff said their gameplan of taking advantage of the White Sox lineup’s aggressiveness worked in getting him ahead in counts.

Only Gavin Sheets had more than one hit against Woodruff, and until Moncada’s sixth-inning home run, Woodruff limited the Sox to two singles and a double.

“He’s in a really good place after two starts, and I’m looking forward to handing him the ball the rest of the year,” Counsell said.

Woodruff being healthy and effective will be key to the Brewers maintaining their lead in the National League Central. He was shut down with shoulder inflammation from April 8 to Aug. 6 but getting him back for the last 44 games of the season could prove critical for Milwaukee down the stretch.

“That’s a big, scary guy,” Williams said. “You always feel good when you’ve got him on the mound. You know he’s going to put up some zeroes and give us a chance to win.”