Brewers fall to White Sox in series finale, 6-1

WP: Chris Volstad (1-3); LP: Brent Suter (5-4); Save: none; Home runs: Mil - none; CWS - Daniel Palka (6), Adam Engel (2)

Brent Suter pitched well enough to win today, but the Milwaukee Brewers’ (37-23) offense could only manage one (unearned) run and the Chicago White Sox (18-38) beat the Crew 6-1 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

After four scoreless innings Milwaukee broke through against Chisox starter Dylan Covey to take a lead in the top of the fifth, but as with the rest of the series, it could have been so much more. The Brewers loaded the bases with one out and the fat part of the lineup due. An error by Chicago third baseman Yolner Sanchez on a slow roller from Christian Yelich put the Brewers up 1-0, but Jesus Aguilar popped out (infield fly rule) and Travis Shaw struck out to end the inning.

Chicago had just one hit through four innings against Suter, but they scratched the tying run out in the bottom of the fifth. With two out and a runner on first, Suter walked lefty Charlie Tilman after a long at bat. Rookie catcher Alfredo Gonzalez drove in the run with a line single to left, his first major league hit.

The Brewer got singles from two of their three batters in the top of the sixth, but Ryan Braun lined into a double play and Jonathan Villar was thrown out attempting to steal, a call upheld on appeal. That was it for the offense, as the White Sox bullpen shut down the Milwaukee offense for the second time in three games. Chicago retired eight straight before Villar had a two out infield single in the ninth, and Manny Pina popped out to end the game.

Suter allowed a bloop hit leading off the sixth and was replaced by Matt Albers. Sanchez stole second and took third on a throwing error by Pina, and Albers continued his recent struggles, allowing back to back homeruns to Daniel Palka and Adam Engel to put Chicago up 4-1.

Jeremy Jeffress needed an inning, and had a perfect seventh with a strikeout. Another member of the pen who has been hit lately, Dan Jennings, gave up two runs on a walk and two doubles in the eighth for the White Sox final two runs.

Notes: The Brewers executed a very nice hit and run in their run scoring inning. After Pina singled with one down, he ran on the first pitch and Arcia grounded a single through the spot vacated by the second baseman.

Both teams had unassisted put-outs on groundballs by their pitchers.

Between the fifth and the sixth innings combined, the Brewers had six hitters in nine reach base. It resulted on one run.

Chris Volstad got the win without retiring a batter - he relieved with the game tied in the sixth, Villar on, and two out. Villar was caught stealing, and Volstad came out after Chicago took their 4-1 lead.

Milwaukee gets a day off to ruminate on losing two of three to the lowly White Sox, and then get a two game series against the highly(?) Cleveland Indians Tuesday and Wednesday. The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals both won today, reducing the Crew’s NL Central lead to two over the Cubbies and 3 ¹⁄₂ over the Cards.