:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13418835/169140814.0.jpg)
W: Clayton Kershaw (5-2)
L: Yovani Gallardo (3-4)
HR: Andre Ethier (4), Matt Kemp (2)
MVP: John Axford (+.040 WPA)
LVP: Aramis Ramirez (-.154)
The Brewers have 15 losses in 18 games in May, but this one was perhaps the most predictable.
Facing Clayton Kershaw, who leads both leagues in ERA, the Brewers managed just a single run on three hits tonight, all singles. The 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner only struck out four but issued just one walk while pitching his second complete game of the season. I have no idea how he's managed to lose two games this year.
Ryan Braun had two of the Brewers' three hits, and Yuniesky Betancourt had the only other one. Rickie Weeks scored the Brewers' only run in the third when he led off the inning with a walk, went to second on Yuni's single, was bunted over to third by Yovani Gallardo and came home on Norichika Aoki's groundout.
Speaking of Gallardo, he pitched reasonably well tonight but not well enough to win. He pitched six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out a season-high seven. He also allowed a pair of solo home runs. He's allowed multiple home runs in three of his ten appearances this season, and none in the seven others.
The lone bright side in this game for the Brewers might have been the bullpen: John Axford pitched a perfect seventh on just six pitches, Michael Gonzalez struck out the side in order in the eighth and Burke Badenhop recorded two more strikeouts while pitching a blemish-free ninth.
Sadly, things don't look much better for the Brewers tomorrow when Hiram Burgos takes on Zack Greinke at 7:10.