Late opportunities slip away
Chance to win in ninth fizzles
As losses go, Thursday afternoon’s was about as painful as they come.
The Milwaukee Brewers scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning but couldn’t finish off the San Francisco Giants despite having the potential winning run standing on third with nobody out.
Then they gave back four runs in the top of the 10th and fell, 9-5, at Miller Park.
“It’s just going to make us stronger,” said catcher Jett Bandy, who had a hand in a crazy ninth that also featured a crewchief review.
“It’s a good thing that we’re in a bunch of close games; we’re battling and we’re in a lot of games. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
“We have to just keep plugging away.”
At least give the Brewers credit for plugging away in this one.
After putting up three runs against Giants starter Johnny Cueto, they were held hitless and scoreless by a trio of relievers and headed into the bottom of the ninth trailing, 5-3.
Facing closer Mark Melancon, sparkplug Eric Sogard hit a leadoff homer to right to continue his remarkable personal run. Eric Thames, up next, drew a walk.
Jesús Aguilar then pulled a double to left that seemingly allowed Thames to score from first base to tie the game.
But because the ball wedged itself between two pads running parallel to the warning track at the bottom of the wall, Thames was sent back to third. Aguilar had also advanced to third on the play after the relay throw got past catcher Nick Hundley, but he was ordered back to second.
Manager Craig Counsell asked for clarification and the play was reviewed but ultimately upheld.
“Any umpire who sees a ball gets lodged can kill it,” home plate umpire Ed Hickox explained. “Now that there’s replay – say we didn’t see it or we left it alive. Well, (Giants manager Bruce) Bochy would have challenged it and it would have been flipped then, because the call was confirmed.
“But anytime an umpire sees the ball lodged – even if it’s momentarily – the ball is dead.”
Travis Shaw knotted the score by singling to center with the infield in, but the Brewers couldn’t finish Melancon off despite Aguilar standing on third with nobody out.
Domingo Santana had the first shot at being the hero but struck out. Then Bandy hit a screamer to third base that Eduardo Nuñez made a leaping grab on to ultimately save the game for the Giants. Then pinch-hitter Hernán Pérez grounded out.
“It had just enough top spin and he made a great play,” Bandy said. “It’s part of the game.”
Things quickly turned back in the Giants’ favor in the 10th.
After Gorkys Hernandez singled against Jacob Barnes (1-1) to open the 10th, pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson hit what would have been a double-play ground ball toward shortstop. But because Orlando Arcia was breaking toward the bag with Hernandez running, the ball sneaked through and left runners at the corners.
Pinch-hitter Hunter Pence followed with a single to center to put the Giants back in front. Then San Francisco tacked on three more runs before the Brewers finally registered an out, putting the game out of reach and sending Milwaukee back on the road with a 3-4 homestand.
“We talk about tough games every night,” Counsell said. “It’s part of the DNA of this team. We’ll recover from them. We have recovered from them. It’s not going to be easy. I think we’ve pretty much declared that.
“So, enjoy the ride.” BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
Sogard continues to serve as a sparkplug in the leadoff spot. By singling off Cueto to open the game, he has now reached base safely in the first inning of eight of his 10 starts while hitting first. He improved to 5 for 7 with five runs scored and also has drawn three walks.
Thames generated some cheers when, in the midst of his sixth-inning at-bat against Josh Osich, he unbuckled and threw away the piece of armor he wears on his right arm.
On the next pitch, he was called out on strikes by home-plate umpire Ed Hickox. STAT SHEET
While the Brewers have outscored opponents, 57-17, in the first inning this season — the largest margin in the major leagues at plus-40 — they have been outscored, 66-32, in the eighth and ninth innings. That also is the largest margin in the majors, at minus-34.
Brewers starting pitchers came into Thursday having gone 7-1 with a 1.46 ERA over the previous 13 games. Opponents were batting .214 with 73 strikeouts during that stretch. TAKEAWAY
This was a tough one to swallow. The Brewers couldn’t drive the winning run in from third with nobody out in the ninth and then promptly gave the lead back in the 10th. There were some bad breaks in the 10th, but Milwaukee was in perfect position to walk off in regulation and couldn’t deliver. RECORD
This year: 32-29 (17-19 home; 15-10 away)
Last year: 28-33 ATTENDANCE Thursday: 23,005 2017 total: 1,014,901 (28,192 avg.)
Last year: 993,408 (27,595 avg.) NEXT GAME
Friday: Brewers at Diamondbacks, 8:40 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (6-3, 4.69) vs. Arizona RHP Randall Delgado (1-1, 3.24). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.