Davies shines again, Brewers hold on for 5-4 win over A's

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Zach Davies took a no-hitter into the seventh before allowing a two-out home run to Oakland's Billy Butler, and the Milwaukee Brewers withstood a shaky ninth inning to hold on for a 5-4 win over the Athletics on Tuesday night.

Davies (4-3) allowed two hits and three walks over seven innings while striking out five. Butler turned on an 0-1 fastball from Davies to end the shutout.

The A's mounted their best rally in the ninth against closer Jeremy Jeffress after getting runners on second and third while trailing by three. One run scored on a groundout before another came home on a throwing error by shortstop Jonathan Villar.

With runners on the corners, Jeffress got Marcus Semien swinging on a pitch out of the zone before ending the game by getting Chris Coghlan to fly out to the warning track in left.

Jeffress held on for his 16th save, narrowly preserving Davies' strong outing. The right-handed starter outdueled Oakland rookie Sean Manaea (2-4), who turned in seven solid innings but allowed two home runs to Chris Carter.

The cleanup hitter slugged a two-run shot in the second and a three-run shot four innings later, with both homers going to center.

It was plenty of support for Davies, a 23-year-old rookie coming off a career-best, eight-inning outing in a 3-1 win over St. Louis on June 1, when he allowed three hits.

Davies got a hearty ovation as he returned to the dugout after finishing his outing against Oakland.

Reliever Tyler Thornburg tossed a perfect eighth and extended a franchise record for a reliever with 26 straight batters retired before Jeffress provided some nerve-wracking moments in the ninth for manager Craig Counsell.

For the Brewers, outfielder Ryan Braun got his 1,500th career hit with an infield single in the sixth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Athletics: Third baseman Danny Valencia was scratched from the starting lineup with a stomach bug, replaced by Yonder Alonso. ... OF Khris Davis returned to Miller Park for the first time since being traded by Milwaukee to Oakland for two minor leaguers in February. Davis was not in the starting lineup because of numbness and tingling in his hands and fingers after getting hit in the elbow with a pitch on Saturday against Houston.

Brewers: RP Corey Knebel (left oblique) is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list later this week after wrapping up his rehab assignment. He has yet to pitch this season.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Jesse Hahn (2-3) is 1-2 with an 8.05 ERA in four starts since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on May 17.

Brewers: After an inconsistent start to the season, RHP Chase Anderson (3-6) is 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA in his last four outings.

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Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP