SAN DIEGO -- Freddy Peralta already was important to the Brewers’ hopes of reversing their recent postseason heartbreaks and playing deep into October. Now, with everything happening around him in Milwaukee’s uncertain starting rotation, he’s even more important.

Making his first start since the Brewers lost Brandon Woodruff to a lat injury and decided to move slumping rookie Jacob Misiorowski to relief -- not to mention his first start since the Brewers clinched their third consecutive NL Central title and a first-round bye in the postseason -- Peralta held the Padres to two runs over five innings Monday night in the series opener at Petco Park and reached the 200th strikeout plateau for the third straight season.

Though Brewers ultimately fell, 5-4, in 11 innings as San Diego

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