Brewers’ bats silent, lose 4-1 to Pirates

WP: Chad Kuhl (5-3); LP: Jimmy Nelson (8-15); Save: Tony Watson (15); Home Runs: Pitt, Andrew McCutchen (24); Sean Rodriguez (18); Mil, none

Two disappointing aspects to tonight’s game (besides the obvious):

• Once again, the Brewers’ starter put them in a hole right off the bat.
• The Brewers didn’t have Jonathan Villar’s back on a challenge on a steal attempt.

I mean, really. What the heck were they holding that challenge back for? It would have put Villar in scoring position with two down, down 3 in the 5th. Not only that, it looked like a 50/50 proposition as to safe or out. It was a good challenge even if it didn’t involve Villar’s opportunity to tie for the league lead in steals. Bad decision.

If Villar weren’t chasing the stolen base title he would be getting some days off; his bat has been slumping big time.

Oh yeah, the game. Jimmy Nelson got the first two Pirates out tonight, and had two strikes on Andrew McCutchen before allowing a homer to Andrew, and then two more runs on a two run bases loaded single by Sean Rodriguez. I’ve been wondering if the Brewers aren’t warming up their starting pitchers any more. 3-0 Bucs.

Rodriguez added a solo homer in the fourth to make it 4-0 before Villar’s single off of Pirates’ starter Chad Kuhl plated Michael Reed in the bottom half of the fifth. Reed had reached on a fielder’s choice and stolen second for his first major league stolen base. Villar endured about fifty throws to first (who didn’t know he was going?) before taking off on the first pitch to Scooter Gennett, only to have Scoot foul the pitch off (apparently Scoot didn’t know he might be going). Scoot took a called strike two before Villar was called out when he went on the 0-2 pitch.

Jacob Barnes threw two very good innings in relief of Nelson and Blaine Boyer, allowing a hit and striking out two. Brent Suter pitched a ten second top of the ninth, even with allowing a hit.

The Brewers had a hit (Hernan Perez) in the ninth against Pirate closer Tony Watson, but produced no late magic and must look to tomorrow night to break their six game losing streak to the Pirates at Miller Park. The Pirates (76-75) have Ryan Vogelsong (3-5, 4.87) trying to keep their faint play-off pulse alive against Milwaukee’s (68-84) Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.47).