MILWAUKEE — Nicky Lopez hit a bases-loaded, tiebreaking double, Brad Keller earned his first win in over six weeks and the Kansas City Royals completed a season sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 6-3 win on Wednesday.
On an afternoon when the Brewers made a pair of errors that caused Kansas City’s first five runs to be unearned, two of the loudest ovations at the stadium came when the scoreboard showed video clips of Milwaukee Bucks players asking fans to get loud.
The Bucks won their first NBA championship since 1971 on Tuesday night, beating the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 in the downtown arena about three miles away.
Jorge Soler added a towering homer in the eighth inning as the Royals continued their improbable season-long mastery of the Brewers.
The Brewers lead the NL Central and the Royals are last in the AL Cen tral, yet Kansas City won all four meetings this year. The Royals swept a two-game series in Kansas City on May 18-19 and won 5-2 at Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Keller (7-9) struck out six and allowed three runs and two walks in 6 2/3 innings to pick up a win for the first time since June 4. Keller had gone 0-5 with two no-decisions over his last seven starts, though he’s pitched well in his three July appearances.
Scott Barlow retired the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save in eight opportunities.
The Royals boosted Keller by capitalizing on some shaky Brewers defense.
Kansas City couldn’t get a single runner on base against Eric Lauer in the first three innings, but a wild throw to first by Brewers third baseman Luis Urías allowed Whit Merrifield to reach second to lead off the fourth. Andrew Benintendi hit an RBI double with two outs and scored on Hunter Dozier’s bloop hit.
The Brewers pulled ahead with a three-run rally in the fifth that included an RBI double from Christian Yelich.
Kansas City regained the lead for good by scoring three runs off Brent Suter (9-5) in the sixth.
The Royals had a runner at first with one out when first baseman Jace Peterson couldn’t handle a grounder from Benintendi. Dozier followed Peterson’s error by delivering a single that made it 3-all.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Lopez hit a two-run double to right that put the Royals back in front.
Soler capped the scoring by homering to left-center off Ángel Perdomo in the eighth. Soler’s drive traveled an estimated 438 feet.
CELEBRATING BUCKS
About a dozen Brewers players had attended the Bucks’ title-clinching 105-98 victory over the Suns in the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. The Brewers’ loss to the Royals on Tuesday ended less than two hours before the Bucks game started.
“They all had the time of their lives,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “I’m glad they all got to go. It’s great to be in that environment. It’s great for them to see that. It’s what we’re trying to do. We hope to put ourselves in that environment someday. They, as players, hope to someday reach that, so it’s great for them to be a part of it.”
Counsell didn’t attend Game 6 but was in the stands for the Bucks’ Game 4 triumph last week.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals OF Michael A. Taylor left the game in the sixth inning due to discomfort in his left wrist.
UP NEXT
Royals: Take Thursday off before hosting Detroit on Friday to start a three-game series. LHP Kris Bubic (2-4, 5.03 ERA) will start for the Royals on Friday.
Brewers: Have Thursday off before beginning a three-game home series with the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Friday. Probable starters are RHP Lucas Giolito (8-6, 3.90) for the White Sox and RHP Freddy Peralta (7-3, 2.39) for the Brewers.
Follow Steve Megargee at https://twitter.com/stevemegargee
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports