Brewers fall to Mets in series opener, 7-2

Box Score

The Brewers dropped the first of a three-game set with the New York Mets on Monday night, losing 7-2.

In a battle of two of the best pitchers in the league, Corbin Burnes was outdueled by Max Scherzer. Scherzer, who came off the IL, threw six perfect innings, while Burnes got roughed up after three strong innings to start the game.

Scherzer, making his first start since Sept. 3, finished with nine strikeouts, two groundouts, and four flyouts, totaling just 68 pitches.

Both pitchers got off to a strong start, as Burnes allowed a single to Eduardo Escobar in the third for the first baserunner of the night but managed to induce a double play to face the minimum through three.

Burnes got into trouble in the fourth, allowing back-to-back singles to Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil, putting runners at the corners with one out. Pete Alonso drove both in with a long homer to left, making it 3-0 in a hurry. Burnes got through the rest of the inning unscathed, but the Brewers continued to struggle against Scherzer, striking out twice in the bottom of the inning.

After another perfect fifth, Burnes gave up back-to-back triples to Brandon Nimmo and Lindor to start the sixth, making it 4-0. He managed to get the next two batters out, but former Brewer Daniel Vogelbach drilled a double into the left-center gap to make it 5-0. A Mark Canha walk forced Burnes out, and Jake Cousins made his return from the IL with a four-pitch strikeout of Tyler Naquin.

Burnes lasted 5 ²⁄₃ innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four.

After Scherzer’s exit, the Mets turned to Tylor Megill out of the bullpen in the seventh. Megill immediately gave up a double to Christian Yelich, ending the perfect game and no-hitter. After Willy Adames struck out for the third time, Rowdy Tellez mashed his 32nd homer of the season into right center to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Mets answered right back in the top of the eighth against Justin Topa, however, as Alonso walked and stole second before coming in to score on a Naquin single with two outs. Naquin advanced to second on an errant throw by Garrett Mitchell and then scored on a single by Tomas Nido, making it 7-2 after eight.

Milwaukee tried to put up one final rally in the bottom of the ninth, as Yelich led off the inning against Adam Ottavino with another double. After Adames flew out to center, Yelich moved to third on defensive indifference before Tellez and Hunter Renfroe both struck out to end the game.

Yelich was the only player to have multiple hits for Milwaukee, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Tellez and Andrew McCutchen had the only other hits for the Brewers.

Game two of the series is Tuesday at 6:40 p.m., when Aaron Ashby makes his return from the injured list to face off against Carlos Carrasco for the Mets.