Brewers beat Pirates, 7-4, even though Chase Anderson gives up 2 homers.
Anderson gets rocked by HRs
Chase Anderson was able to avoid the early-inning blowup that has dogged him for much of the season.
But the home run ball remains a problem for the right-hander.
Anderson sailed through five innings at Miller Park on Sunday afternoon before consecutive homers by Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco brought an abrupt end to his outing.
The Milwaukee Brewers did hold on to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-4, with Anderson earning his ninth victory. The homers made the game a little more interesting than it should have been, however.
"He was brilliant for five innings," manager Craig Counsell said. "His changeup was outstanding, curveball outstanding. It’s funny to see a game turn like that, or at-bats turn like that, after how good he was.
"They got on some of his soft stuff and obviously took some good swings."
Making his 26th start of the season – two fewer than team leader Jhoulys Chacín – Anderson faced the minimum through three innings and then took the mound in the fourth with a 6-0 lead thanks to a two-homer third by the offense against counterpart Chris Archer.
"It was nice," Anderson said of the breathing room. "Keeping it close, I knew we were going to break out eventually, and we broke out. So the goal was keep that lead because I know at times this year it’s been tough holding leads.
"I just wanted to keep that lead regardless of what the situation was."
He was able to do so, allowing a run on a couple hits in the fifth before things quickly got iffy in the
sixth.
Starling Marte opened by pulling a double down the third-base line, and Frazier continued his season-long torment of the Brewers with a two-run homer.
That brought up Polanco, who like Frazier homered to right-center to suddenly turn what had been a 6-1 laugher into a 6-4 ballgame.
The homers were the 27th and 28th of the season allowed by Anderson – most in the National League and third-most in the major leagues behind Baltimore's Dylan Bundy (33) and Texas's Bartolo Colon (29).
It was the second consecutive outing Anderson had allowed homers to consecutive batters, and the 10th time this season he's allowed multiple homers in a game. He has allowed nine total in August.
"Chase is going to give up home runs. That’s always been a part of it," Counsell said. "You can’t change that, really. That’s what his stuff does. The multi-run home runs hurt you, and it was a two-run shot today that hurt us. The solo shots to me don’t hurt.
"He’s good at not giving up hits. That’s what’s different about Chase – there’s going to be some home runs but not a lot of hits. He knows that mistakes are what he’s going to get hurt on. There’s a lot of really good pitchers who have given up home runs.
"You can be very successful and still give up home runs."
After Polanco's homer, Anderson allowed a single to Francisco Cervelli and then was pulled in favor of Josh Hader. Anderson allowed seven hits and struck out three in an 87-pitch day.
"I think the biggest thing was my delivery got quick," he said. "I went and watched some tape and I got quick. When I take a deep breath and focus in on the glove I make good pitches.
"That’s really the biggest thing I think why that sixth inning went the way it went – the ball was staying up and wasn’t where I wanted it. I couldn’t get my hands to the spot I wanted to make a quality pitch."
Anderson says he's been fighting his delivery all season. The 28 homers tie his career high set in 2016, and come a year after he was arguably the Brewers' most consistent starter with a 12-4 record and 2.74 ERA.
He allowed a career-low 14 homers last year in 1411⁄3 innings, and he's now doubled that total in one fewer inning in 2018.
"Obviously it’s not something you want to do," he said. "I think the biggest thing this year is I’ve kind of been fighting my delivery and it’s been more inconsistent than I’ve wanted it. Last year I was pretty consistent outing to outing.
"I kind of got on the pace this year of going too fast or two slow, and I feel like the tempo is better when I kind of focus on the glove, take a little time and take a deep breath and make a pitch.
"Trying to get to that and hopefully I can keep that consistent down the stretch."