Brewers drub Dodgers 7-0

Adrian Gonzalez reached base his first six at bats in this series, and in his seventh at bat - and second tonight - he tried to check his swing on an 0-1 pitch. It was borderline, and third base umpire Dan Belino said he swung. Gonzalez disagreed.

Gonzalez swung and missed at the next pitch = a splitter from Junior Guerra in the dirt - and immediately gestured to Belino that that was a swing. He continued to jaw at Belino as he headed back to the dugout, getting himself tossed for his efforts.

With Joc Peterson unavailable after last night’s full speed collision with the centerfield wall, the Dodgers could ill afford such a lack of self control. I guess Gonzalez is so used to success at Miller Park that he couldn’t take responsibility for making an out.

Anyways, the Brewers jumped on rookie Brock Stewart in the second inning for 5 runs on 6 hits. It started innocently enough after one out with Chris Carter having his bat broken on an up and in fastball, but Chris fisted a slow roller through the shift and barely onto the outfield grass for the Brewers first hit. Aaron Hill had a bloop hit to right, and when Yasiel Puig tried and failed to barehand the ball to go for a force at second Carter went all the way to third. Kirk Nieuwenhuis lined an outside fastball over the wall in left, and it was 3-0. Guerra singled to right with two down, Jonathan Villar singled up the middle to break a personal string of five strikeouts, Scooter Gennett walked, and Ryan Braun doubled to right center to plate the final two runs of the inning.

Stewart settled down nicely and ended up going through five innings, but the damage was done. Guerra was absolutely dominant tonight in winning his fifth game in six decisions. In eight shutout innings he allowed just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7. He also had 10 groundball outs. He retired the last 11 he faced, and could have come out for the shutout, but with 105 pitches thrown Craig Counsell went to Michael Blazek to finish the game. LA had two warning track fly outs and a strikeout, and Blazek finished the two hit shutout.

Milwaukee added two Badger Mutual Insurance Runs in the bottom of the seventh when Braun took a Chris Hatcher outside fastball into the beer pen in right for a two run homer. Ryan now has six RBI in the series. On the play, rightfielder Puig hit the wall hard and came out after his next at bat.

Tomorrow afternoon’s game has no TV on FSW. The Brewers (35-42) will send Zach Davies (5-3, 3.74) out to face the Dodger’s (43-37) Kenta Maeda (6-5, 2.91). A win before heading out to St. Louis for the weekend would get the Brewers to 3-4 against the Dodgers for the season series.