Another quiet night
Losing streak reaches 6 games as offense continues to sputter
PHILADELPHIA - Different city, same result. Aaron Nola became the latest pitcher to stymie a struggling offense, and Carlos Torres’ blowup sixth inning eliminated any mystery as the Milwaukee Brewers fell to the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-1, at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.
Nola struck out nine, including five straight and eight in a nine-batter span midway through the game, as Milwaukee set a season high with its sixth consecutive loss.
“Tonight was a night we didn’t get much going,” manager Craig Counsell. “We didn’t put them under pressure that often. Nola was good tonight. He was tough on our right-handers, for sure.
“I think that was the story tonight. But we’re going to have tough matchups, and you have to produce runs in those tough matchups. You’re not going to win games very often scoring one run.”
The loss also dropped the Brewers to 0-5 on what was pegged as a pivotal 10-game road trip with the trading deadline looming just 10 days away.
If there was any consolation, it was that they held onto their slim onegame lead in the National League Central after the Chicago Cubs lost earlier in the day.
“This thing comes in waves, man,” starter Matt Garza said. “Just keep going, and it’s going to turn for us. We don’t have anybody pointing fingers, anybody fighting, no arguments. Twenty-five guys are pulling on the same end.”
Rookie Brett Phillips homered in the third inning to account for Milwaukee’s lone run.
The Brewers were forced to play from behind from the beginning, as Garza walked the first batter he faced and followed that by giving up a two-run homer to Freddy Galvis.
They got a run back in the second when, with two outs, Phillips went deep to left off Nola. Milwaukee, which entered ranked second in the major leagues with 145 home runs, hit just two in being swept in its fourgame series in Pittsburgh.
Garza led off the third with a single but was quickly doubled up on a Jonathan Villar chopper.
Then, starting with Eric Thames, the Brewers embarked on a span in which they struck out five straight times and eight of nine overall. Only Phillips’ flyout kept Nola from fanning the entire lineup one time through the order.
Nola, whose season high in strikeouts coming into the game was nine, didn’t fan anyone in the opening two innings.
After Keon Broxton and Villar struck out to open the sixth, Thames and Domingo Santana followed with singles to give Milwaukee a shot at putting something together. But Travis Shaw’s groundout to first ended the threat.
Garza (4-5) was lifted for pinch hitter Broxton after a five-inning stint. After getting out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second he faced the minimum the rest of the way in finishing his night at 90 pitches.
He allowed three hits, two runs and three walks to go with four strikeouts.
“First three innings were a little off, locationwise,” Garza said. “I was lucky to just give up the two. I think about the fourth I started settling in and I felt like I had a good rhythm. Too bad it took me 73 pitches to get there.
“I kind of put this on the team today with so many pitches in the first three. It stinks. I kept the team in it, but I’ve got to be better than that and get deeper in ballgames.”
Things quickly went from bad to worse with Torres on the mound.
Five consecutive hitters reached base to open the Phillies’ sixth. Tommy Joseph doubled the deficit with a double off the wall in center, then a bases-loaded walk five batters later made it 5-1, ending Torres’ night.
The Brewers struck out 12 times, giving them 58 on the road trip. They’ve also managed to score a meager 10 runs in the five games. What was different about this one was they really didn’t challenge Nola or the Phillies, whereas they led in every game in Pittsburgh. BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
In the clubhouse before the game the Brewers were watching with particular interest the Cubs’ 11-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Beforehand, Ryan Braun offered his take on the general vibe of the team in the midst of its losing streak.
“It’s just the ebb and flow of the season,” he said. “Obviously, we would love to run away with this thing, but I don’t think anyone realistically thought that would happen.
Eric Sogard, who played two minor-league rehab games at Class A Wisconsin, provided a brief scouting report on the Brewers’ first-round draft pick, Keston Hiura, who also joined the Timber Rattlers earlier in the week.
“He seemed like he had a good approach at the plate,” Sogard said. “Strong kid, swung the bat well. I think he’s going to be a good player.” STAT SHEET
The Brewers entered Friday having held the lead in each of their five losses in their season-high-tying losing streak. The last time the team had a losing streak of the same length in which they led in every game was Aug. 2-6, 1993 (also five games).
Braun, who said he expects to return to the lineup Saturday after a three-game absence caused by a sore right wrist, is a .383 hitter with 10 homers and 29 RBI in 29 career games at Citizens Bank Park. TAKEAWAY
On a night Garza battled to keep the Brewers in it, the offense was a noshow once again. RECORD
This year: 52-47 (28-24 home; 24-23 away)
Last year: 43-56 NEXT GAME
Saturday: Brewers at Phillies, 6:05 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Brent Suter (1-1, 3.09) vs. Philadelphia RHP Jeremy Hellickson (6-5, 4.44). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.