Brewers can’t overcome early deficit, lose series finale 8-4

Box Score

Following a disastrous loss last night, the Brewers looked to power themselves to their third series victory in their last four. Instead, two big innings from the Rockies early on created a hole too big to overcome, as the Brewers would lose the rubber match 8-4.

After starting the game with a quick first inning, Eric Lauer ran into major trouble in the second. Brendan Rodgers got the ball rolling with a one-out single to right. Next up, Michael Toglia doubled high off the wall in right, driving in Rodgers and ending up at third after a Renfroe misplay. He wouldn’t be at third for long, as Elias Diaz made it three hits in a row on an RBI single to center. With the score 2-0, Alan Trejo launched a two-run home run to left, extending the Rockies' advantage to 4-0.

An already bad day got worse in the third. After the Brewers could not get any runs across in the top of the inning, the home team went to work in the bottom half. Yonathan Daza hit a single to lead off the inning but it appeared the Brewers would come away unharmed after Lauer got Charlie Blackman and C.J Cron to strikeout on back-to-back at-bats. However, a Rodgers walk put two on for Toglia, who hit a 421-foot moonshot to left, quickly making it 7-0 Colorado.

Lauer would leave the game following the home run to Toglia and a second meeting with the athletic trainer. After the game, it was reported that Lauer suffered elbow tightness and would miss his next start. In a discussion with reporters, Lauer said his arm “felt like jello” and that he was unable to pull down on anything, leaving pitches up.

The Brewers got a run in the fifth after Keston Hiura led off the inning with a triple and Victor Caratini drove him in on a ground out. A few innings later, an infield single and a Christian Yelich double made it a 7-2 game. The offense struggled to get going.

The Rockies made it 8-2 in the seventh as a leadoff double from Daza turned into a run following back-to-back groundouts. In the ninth, following a clean inning in relief from Jace Peterson, Andrew McCutchen and Luis Urias hit solo home runs to make make it 8-4. The little spark in the ninth wouldn’t be enough to overcome the big deficit, as the Brewers would go on to lose 8-4.

They return home to Milwaukee tomorrow, kicking off five games in four days with a doubleheader against the Giants. Corbin Burnes will get the start for game one, while Freddy Peralta gets the game two start. Game one gets started at 3:10 pm, with game two starting 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one.