Brewers getting it done in close games

The Milwaukee Brewers have the best record in the National League — 12-7 — but have done so without blowing teams out (yet).

The Brewers’ biggest margin of victory on the young season came Tuesday, an 8-4 win over St. Louis. Each of their other 11 wins have come by three or fewer runs.

In fact, Milwaukee has played only four games which were decided by four or more runs. The Brewers are 11-4 in games decided by three runs or less, tied for the best mark in the major leagues. Entering play Thursday, the Padres were also 11-4 (.733) with the Mets next at 8-3 (.727) then the Phillies (5-2, .714), Indians (8-4, .667) and Rays (.667).

Perhaps the Brewers will add some big-margin wins against the Dodgers, who come into Miller Park to open a four-game series.

Milwaukee is averaging 6.50 runs per game at home this season, with a slash line of .296/.368/.571, with a 7-3 record.

Conversely, the Dodgers have not fared well against opponents outside of their division. In 10 games against teams not in the NL West, Los Angeles is 4-6, averaging 3.80 runs/game with a slash line of .245/.320/.424.

When the teams do score, good chance the runs come via a home run. The Dodgers are first in the National League this season with 38 home runs while the Brewers’ 35 longballs ranks second. Since 2017, the Dodgers have hit 494 homers and the Brewers 477. That ranks one and two in the NL over that span.

Other notes:

— It’s no lie to call the Brewers a hard-hitting team. Christian Yelich leads the NL in highest average exit velocity at 96.8 mph. Yasmani Grandal is second, at 96.3 mph. The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger ranks third at 96.2 mph.

— Ryan Braun trails Cecil Cooper by one on the Brewers’ all-time hit list. Cooper had 1,815 hits with Milwaukee from 1977-87.

— Zach Davies has a 2.30 ERA against the Dodgers in five career starts. That’s the third-lowest among active pitchers (min. five starts), behind the Cubs’ Cole Hamels (1.86) and Oakland’s Mike Fiers (2.00).

Statistics courtesy Sportradar and baseball-reference.com