Max Scherzer moved into 11th place on the career strikeout list just before an erratic stretch when he forced in a pair of runs, and the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers beat the Texas Rangers 6-2 on Sunday for a three-game series sweep.
Corey Seager hit his 23rd homer for the AL West-leading Rangers (72-52), who matched a season high with their fourth consecutive loss.
No. 9 batter Tyrone Taylor had a two-run triple and scored three times for Milwaukee (68-57), which maintained its three-game division lead over the second-place Chicago Cubs.
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (5-4) struck out seven and allowed one run over five innings. Closer Devin Williams got his 30th save in 33 chances after coming in to get the final out with two on and an unearned run already in.
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Scherzer (12-5) had won his first three starts for Texas since his trade from the New York Mets. He got his 3,343rd strikeout when Brice Turang whiffed opening the third inning, the third of four strikeouts for the three-time Cy Young Award winner. Scherzer, the active strikeouts leader, passed Hall of Fame knuckleballer Phil Niekro for 11th place.
That also was the start of 42-pitch inning for Scherzer, who finished with a season-high four walks in 3 2/3 innings. Milwaukee, which has won three games started by Scherzer this year, scored its first run when Scherzer hit Willy Adames on the helmet with a fastball. Five pitches later, Scherzer walked Rowdy Tellez on a 3-1 fastball that just missed low and outside.
Consecutive two-out doubles by Taylor and Christian Yelich in the fourth made it 3-1, and chased Scherzer after 99 pitches.
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Texas has lost six of 10 games but remained 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston in the AL West. The defending champions were swept at home by Seattle this weekend.
Each team stranded 10 runners.
NEAR MISS
Seager hit a liner into the in the fifth inning that was caught by right fielder Mark Canha while center fielder Taylor crossed in front him while both were on the run for the ball. They avoided contact.
SHORT HOPS
Texas 3B Ezequiel Duran had three errors, only the third time in the past 100 games that one of the Rangers had multiple errors. Duran is responsible for the only five errors by Texas infielders in 33 games since the All-Star break.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: Adames waved off an athletic trainer when he got up after the pitch ricocheted off his helmet. He was briefly checked though when he got to first base and stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Another wrapping up their 6-3 trip, the Brewers get a day off before hosting AL Central leader Minnesota on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Rangers: LHP Jordan Montgomery, the other starter Texas acquired at the deadline, makes his fourth start for the Rangers when they are at Arizona on Monday to open a three-city, nine-game trip.
