Brewers: 3-game win streak ended by Marlins
By Phil Watson
Right-hander Matt Garza had been pitching well of late, but the Miami Marlins ended that Monday night, lighting up the veteran for five runs in five innings in a 6-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Garza (6-13) had a 2.56 ERA in his previous five starts, but was hit hard by Miami (48-70), allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings while striking out two.
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The Brewers (51-69) were coming off a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Marlins took the lead in the top of the third on a two-run single by Dee Gordon—their third hit of the inning—and never looked back.
Milwaukee got a run in the bottom of the second against rookie left-hander Justin Nicolino (2-1) thanks to some shoddy defense by the Marlins.
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Khris Davis led off the inning with a single and one out later moved up to third when Hernan Perez lashed a double to center.
Shane Peterson hit a grounder to short that Adeiny Hechavarria booted, picking up an RBI in the process as Davis scored.
In the fourth, Derek Dietrich belted a two-run homer off Garza to center field to give Miami a 4-1 lead.
“It was just one of those days where I left balls up,” Garza told MLB.com. “I haven’t been getting away with anything this year, so I didn’t expect to get away with much.”
Martin Prado gave the Marlins a 5-1 lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Garza’s night ended when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning.
The Brewers got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when pinch-hitter Jason Rogers walked, Jean Segura singled and Ryan Braun lined a single to left with two outs.
But that was all they would get off Nicolino, who worked into the seventh and allowed only six hits.
Miami picked up an insurance run in the eighth off reliever Kyle Lohse on an RBI single by former Brewer Casey McGehee.
Scooter Gennett gave Milwaukee some hope with a one-out double in the ninth, but the game ended on a groundout by Jonathan Lucroy that manager Craig Counsell challenged, to no avail.
“It was a close play, but I think any close play that’s the last out of the game you are going to challenge,” Counsell told MLB.com. “I think it was close enough. Obviously you use a little more discretion if it is earlier in the game, but last play of the game you are going to just roll the dice.”
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Segura was 2-for-5 batting in the leadoff spot, while Braun went 1-for-3 with a walk. The Brewers finished with seven hits on the night.
Tyler Thornburg gave Milwaukee two innings of scoreless relief in the sixth and seventh, allowing two hits and striking out two. Lohse was charged with a run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in two innings of work.
It will be young pitchers on display Tuesday at 7:10 p.m., with right-hander Tyler Cravy (0-4, 5.92 ERA) scheduled to start for the Brewers. Miami has rookie left-hander Adam Conley (1-0, 5.00) scheduled.
Cravy will be making his fifth start for Milwaukee and will face the Marlins for the first time. His last time out on Thursday, he was rocked for four runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 4.1 innings of a 9-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Conley is making his third major-league start and will face the Brewers for the first time in his career. He worked 4.2 innings on Wednesday, getting a no-decision in a 14-6 win over the Boston Red Sox at Marlins Park, allowing four runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
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