The Brewers hit enough to win the series opener against the Braves, but one bad inning through six by starter Chase Anderson and three bad innings from the bullpen saw a promising start frittered away.
The Brewers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second against Braves starter Bartolo Colon on an RBI double to right center from Keon Broxton and a three run homer from Orlando Arcia. Anderson immediately gave the lead up as the Braves roughed him up for four in the top of the third, with a bases clearing double from Matt Kemp the big blow.
Colon gave up a single, double, and walk in the bottom half of the third but Travis Shaw’s double play ball back to the mound erased Ryan Braun’s lead-off single. Hernan Perez’ double was followed by a walk to Jett Bandy, but it all came to naught when Broxton fanned to end the inning.
The Brewers took a 6-4 lead on Braun’s two run homer deep to left center in the fifth. He drove home Eric Thames who had singled. In the bottom of the sixth, Jason Motte was greeted by a double to the gap in left-center from Arcia and a first pitch, line drive pinch homer from Domingo Santana, and the Brewers were up 8-4 with the “A” bullpen rested and ready to come in. Braun added a two out single in that sixth, but that was the Brewers’ last hit. The Brewers had thirteen hits through those six innings, with eight for extra bases.
Jacob Barnes gave up his first runs of the season in the top of the seventh. He allowed a two run double to Ender Inciarte and an RBI single to Adonis Garcia before being replaced by Corey Knebel, who got the last two outs in the inning.
Carlos Torres allowed the tying run in the top of the eighth on three hits, with Kurt Suzuki driving in pinch runner Julio Teheran.
Neftali Feliz lost his third game of the young season in the top of the ninth, allowing a double to Garcia and a two run homer to center to Freddie Freeman. Jim Johnson retired the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth, fanning Thames and Braun before Shaw ground out to end the ball game.
Milwaukee will try and recover from this disappointing loss tomorrow when they send Jimmy Nelson against Atlanta’s Jaime Garcia. Gametime is 6:10 pm, with coverage on the Brewers’ radio network and FS Wisconsin.