WATCH: Brewers fans celebrate special pet-dog friendly 'Bark at the Park' night
The Milwaukee Brewers overcame the St. Louis Cardinals on a very special Thursday night, 7-1. The game marked the beginning of a four-game series between the National League Central squads.
The night was notable, especially for the fans of the Brewers, as the team celebrated 'Bark at the Park' night. In accordance with the theme of the event, fans were encouraged to bring their pets to the ballpark. This, in turn, produced light moments between fans and players alike.
"B̶a̶r̶k̶ Roar at the park." -@mlbcut4
During a specific moment of the event, fans were seen raising their pet dogs as part of the 'Simba Cam,' a nod to the famous Disney original "The Lion King." Players were also obliged to participate in the event. Rhys Hoskins' dog was present at the ballpark.
"RHYS HOSKINS' PUP IS AT BARK AT THE PARK" -@SlangsOnSports
This proved to be a lucky charm for Hoskins as he hit a home run off of the scorching-hot Sonny Gray.
Brewers dominate the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals paraded the clinical Sonny Gray to start their four-game series against the Brewers on the road. However, not even the Cy Young runner-up's momentum was enough to halt the firepower of the NL Central leaders.
Gray carried a 0.89 in five starts heading into Milwaukee. This didn't faze the Brewers as they racked up three runs in the opening canto against the Cardinals.
The bats came alive for the Brew Crew as Hoskins, Jake Bauers, and Joey Ortiz all homered to end the game at 7-1. The sole score of the Cardinals was through the bat of 2023 World Baseball Classic champion Lars Nootbaar.
Sonny Gray finished the game having given up six earned runs and seven hits scattered across five innings, easily his most unsatisfactory output of the year. He has remained a beacon of hope for the struggling Cardinals but with the defeat, they further plunge in the NL Central standings at 15-22.
On the other hand, the Brew Crew continues to roll to the top of the division with a record of 22-15. The two teams will face again today with former All-Star Lance Lynn slated to start for St. Louis while MLB Pipeline's No.8 prospect Robert Gasser is scheduled to make his major league debut for Milwaukee.