METS BATS FALL SILENT IN 2-1 LOSS

Brewers benefit from Anderson gem, odd play in win

NEW YORK » Chase Anderson pitched seven shutout innings and the Brewers benefited — temporarily, anyway — when a Milwaukee bat boy bumped into Mets infielder Wilmer Flores on a foul popup Thursday in a 2-1 victory over New York.

NL Central-leading Milwaukee won the last two at Citi Field to salvage a four-game split.

The kooky play came in the fourth inning with the Brewers ahead 2-0 after they loaded the bases with one out.

Eric Sogard lofted a popup and Flores gave frantic chase along the railing of Milwaukee’s third base dugout. A bat boy carrying a metal stool tried to dodge him and slide past, but nicked Flores’ arm and the ball dropped.

Umpires originally called Sogard out for interference but quickly huddled and reversed their ruling. Mets manager Terry Collins bolted from the bench, argued with crew chief Fieldin Culbreth and was ejected.

In the Official Baseball Rules, it is considered unintentional interference — not an out — if a bat boy or security or someone else permitted on the field accidently gets in the way of a fielder.

As it turned, the Mets came

out OK with Sogard. Given a second chance, the leadoff man who singled his first two times up then grounded into an inningending double play.

Anderson (4-1) gave up three hits, walked one and struck out seven. In his previous start, he took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning to beat Arizona.

Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Flores homered in the eighth on reliever Jacob Barnes’ first pitch.

Anderson’s odd bunt single off Zack Wheeler (3-3) set up the strange sequence. With two on, he popped up a ball and catcher Travis d’Arnaud quickly corralled it. D’Arnaud appeared to have a play at second base, but held on and threw too late to get Anderson.

Brewers left fielder Nick Franklin threw out Lucas Duda at the plate to end the second as he tried to score from second on d’Arnaud’s single. Franklin had an RBI single, right before Anderson’s bunt hit.

Hernan Perez hit an RBI double in the Milwaukee third.

FRANK FRANKLIN II — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Umpire Fieldin Culbreth throws New York Mets manager Terry Collins (10) out of the game during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday in New York.

FRANK FRANKLIN II — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker (20) throws out Milwaukee Brewers' Travis Shaw at first base after forcing out Hernan Perez (14) during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday in New York.