Brewers: Jimmy Nelson outdueled by Braves rookie to close 4-6 trip
By Phil Watson
Jimmy Nelson was good for the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, but on a day when their lineup was down Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez, good wasn’t good enough.
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That’s because Atlanta Braves rookie right-hander Mike Foltynewicz was better, working a career-best 7.2 innings and allowing the Brewers just three hits as the Braves took the series finale at Turner Field 2-1.
The Brewers (16-29) dropped three of four in Atlanta and finished their 10-game road trip with a 4-6 record.
The Braves (22-21) got all the offense they needed as they broke through for their only runs of the game in the sixth against Nelson (2-5).
Nelson allowed five hits in 5.2 innings, but was hurt by five walks—two of which came back-to-back in the sixth, loading the bases with no one out.
The young right-hander got Todd Cunningham to line out to shortstop Luis Sardinas for the first out, but the Crew couldn’t turn over a double play on A.J. Pierzynski’s liner.
Hector Gomez, playing second base, dove for Pierzynski’s hard-hit shot, but it deflected off his glove. Sardinas picked up the ball and stepped on second for one out, but his throw to first was far too late to get even the slow-footed Pierzynski and Cameron Maybin scored to make it a 1-0 game.
Andrelton Simmons followed by lining a single to left field to plate Freddie Freeman to make it a 2-0 game.
Gomez’s near-miss was huge. Had he been able to squeeze Pierzynski’s liner, it would have been an inning-ending double play.
Milwaukee’s lone run came in the top of the seventh. Carlos Gomez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, advanced to third on Khris Davis’ single to left and scored on a sacrifice fly by Elian Herrera.
But Foltynewicz (3-1) held up from there, striking out seven and walking just one. Jason Grilli came on to record his 13th save for the Braves, striking out the side in the ninth.
Jeremy Jeffress worked 1.1 scoreless innings for the Brewers, surrendering a walk and striking out two, and Will Smith had a scoreless eighth, allowing a hit and fanning two.
May 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Luis Sardinas (10) tries to turn a double play over Atlanta Braves right fielder Nick Markakis (22) during the sixth inning at Turner Field. The Braves defeated the Brewers 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell knew he was rolling the dice by resting Braun and Ramirez—two of the hottest hitters on the club, but he wouldn’t accept any excuses.
“That’s not good enough,” Counsell told MLB.com. “We’ve got to find ways against some of these guyts. We’ve got to find ways to get men on base or if we’re going to be a slugging lineup, we have to get our pitch and can’t miss it.”
Still, he gave Foltynewicz a lot of credit for his work.
“He’s got a good fastball and we were kind of having quick at-bats,” Counsell said. “He was just good. He was pounding the strike zone with his fastball and kind of sprinkled in the curveball.”
Foltynewicz threw 98 pitches, 71 for strikes.
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That compared to Nelson, who needed 108 to get through 5.2 innings, with only 60 of his pitches strikes.
Besides Davis’ single in the seventh, the Brewers only other hits were a single by Nelson in the third inning and a single by Sardinas in the eighth that finally chased the rookie.
The Brewers return home Monday at 1:10 p.m. to host the defending champion San Francisco Giants (25-20) at Miller Park.
Right-hander Kyle Lohse (3-4, 5.53 ERA) takes on right-hander Tim Lincecum (4-2, 2.08) in the Memorial Day matinee.
Lohse is 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA in seven career starts against San Francisco. Lincecum, meanwhile, is 4-3 with a 4.16 ERA in 12 appearances, 11 of them starts, against Milwaukee.
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