Opportunistic approach works

There were several junctures in the game Saturday night at Miller Park when it could have gotten away from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Each time, a pitcher made a pitch or a hitter got a hit.

The result was a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in which the Brewers overcame shaky base-running and the loss of manager Craig Counsell after a wacky video review.

“In the end, we made some plays and we made some pitches in the late innings to win,” said Counsell, whose offense was paced by second baseman Scooter Gennett’s four-hit game.

“We got some big hits. That’s a good night for me.”

The Brewers did nothing for four innings against journeyman right-hander Jerome Williams, managing only one hit. They were fortunate over that span that starter

Jimmy Nelson refused to crack when the opportunity presented itself many times.

Nelson allowed an RBI single by Ryan Howard in the first inning and a home run by soon-to-be-traded Chase Utley in the third but stopped the game from slipping away by making big pitches when absolutely necessary. That included the fifth inning, when the Phillies put a runner on third with one out, only to have Nelson strike out Odubel Herrera and Howard.

“That’s big, making pitches with runners in scoring position,” said Nelson, who allowed five hits and two runs in 62⁄ innings with six strikeouts. “But, at the same time in the first inning, two outs and runner at second, I left the slider up a bit and Howard hit it to right. You take the good with the bad.

“I always say it’s keeping us in games and giving us a chance. Williams threw really well and had a good game, and they put together some tough at-bats, too. I just battled and we came through in the end.”

With Nelson keeping the Brewers in the game, they finally got to Williams for a pair of runs in the fifth to tie it. Khris Davis doubled and scored on a single by Gennett and error by Phillies leftfielder Cody Asche. Jean Segura later scored from first on a single by Elian Herrera and throwing error by rightfielder Jeff Francoeur.

During that rally, Gennett committed the base-running sin of trying to advance from second to third on a grounder to short and was an easy out. Jonathan Lucroy was out in similar fashion in the sixth, but that grounder was a tic behind him and Counsell had no issue with it.

“The one with Scooter, that was a mistake,” said Counsell.

Counsell thought another mistake was made by the umpiring crew and their video cohorts in New York when reliever Will Smith had Utley picked off second base in the seventh. Umpire Fieldin Culbreth called Utley out, but Utley stepped on Segura’s glove and the ball eventually popped out, and when the Phillies challenged it, the call was reversed.

Managers aren’t allowed to debate video reversals, but Counsell came out for a long chat with Culbreth and didn’t leave until ejected.

“I just questioned whether he called him out because he kicked the ball out of the glove,” said Counsell. “Did he hold the ball long enough? He said it doesn’t matter.

“He said it wasn’t overturned, that (Segura) never had possession. I didn’t agree with that, either.”

It turned out to be no harm, no foul when Smith struck out Herrera to strand two runners. Jeremy Jeffress followed suit in the eighth, striking out Freddy Galvis and Carlos Ruiz with two runners aboard.

“(Utley) was out for sure but you’ve just got to buckle down and focus on the hitter,” said Smith, who picked up the victory to boost his record to 6-2 with a 2.22 ERA.

“Jimmy keeps us in games and tonight it was me and J.J. (after him). We just try to do our job. On another night, it could be anybody else.”

Those big outs allowed the Brewers to finally move on top in the seventh when Segura singled in Gennett, who had bunted for a hit and moved up on a wild pitch by reliever Justin De Fratus. Gennett added an insurance run in the eighth by driving in a run with his fourth single of the game.

That left it to Mr. Automatic, closer Francisco Rodriguez, who converted his 28th save in as many chances and 33rd in a row dating to last season.

“When Frankie comes in, we can untie our shoes,” said Smith. “He really is unbelievable.”