Blank feeling
Crew gets shut out for major league-leading 10th time
PITTSBURGH – It was another of those quiet nights for the Milwaukee Brewers' offense, which have come far too often despite the team's contending status.
One day after scoring nine runs in a home loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Brewers managed but two hits in absorbing a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
It was the third consecutive defeat for the Brewers since a 13-2 romp over Philly on Friday night. In two of those games, they scored one or no runs.
It was the 10th time the Brewers were shut out this season, most in the majors and twice more than in all of 2017.
The game immediately settled into a pitching duel between Pittsburgh’s Trevor Williams and Milwaukee’s Jhoulys Chacín. It wasn’t surprising that the Pirates had trouble with Chacín, who was 6-0 with a 2.66 earned run average in is previous 12 starts.
It was puzzling that the Brewers were dominated so thoroughly by Williams, whose recent past was far from excellent. In his previous five outings, Williams was tagged for 30 hits and 25 runs (20 earned) in only 20 innings.
But the Brewers managed just one hit off Williams in seven innings of work.
Chacin was not having it as easy but still kept putting zeroes on the board. With two on and one down in the second, he induced Jordy Mercer to ground into a double play.
The Pirates did not put another runner in scoring position until they finally snapped the 0-0 tie in the seventh.
Colin Moran led off with a single but was thrown out easily by Kratz trying to steal second.
Cervelli drew a walk and Josh Bell hit a grounder up the middle that got past the diving Villar for a single, putting runners on the corners. Lefty Josh Hader took over and struck out Gregory Polanco, giving the Brewers a chance to escape the jam.
But Mercer, the No. 8 hitter, yanked a fastball from Hader down the thirdbase line for an RBI double, moving Bell to third. Pinch-hitter David Freese drew a walk to load the bases before Hader caught Josh Harrison looking at a 3-2 fastball at the knees.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
ALL-STAR VOTING THIN FOR BREWERS: The latest NL update for allstar balloting was released, with no Brewers close to being elected by fans despite the team’s strong showing. Christian Yelich ranked 10th among outfielders and Lorenzo Cain 13th, not indicative of how they have performed.
PLESAC BACK WITH BREWERS: Former Brewers all-star closer Dan Plesac, who has carved a nice second career at the MLB Network, is serving as guest analyst for the series against Pittsburgh while Bill Schroeder is away.
HOUSER RECOVERS QUICKLY: Reliever Adrian Houser was feeling fine Monday, a day after vomiting twice on the field while pitching in the eighth inning of the 10-9 loss to Philadelphia at Miller Park. After traveling all morning from Colorado Springs and not eating properly or drinking enough fluids, plus pitching in uncustomary heat, Houser said his stomach became upset. But it passed as quickly as it came. “I was good right until it happened,” Houser said. “That was first time ever. It’ll be a funny story for a while.”
GATEWOOD BECOMES SPECTATOR: First base prospect Jake Gatewood was unable to participate as scheduled Monday night in the Southern League home run derby after suffering a bruised left wrist when hit by a pitch Friday, playing for Class AA Biloxi.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW: Polanco appeared to have second base stolen in the fifth inning but the Brewers asked for a review and won the challenge.