Brewers on wrong end of 1-0 pitchers’ duel against Dodgers

Box Score

With Corbin Burnes on the mound, the Brewers had their best chance to take a win off the Dodgers on Thursday night. Unfortunately, it didn’t go their way. While Corbin Burnes was excellent, the Brewers offense was not and they lost 1-0 to the Dodgers.

The only trouble Burnes got into the entire game came in the first inning. He allowed a single to Mookie Betts and a walk to Freddie Freeman, and both moved up on a wild pitch. However, Burnes kept them there, striking out two and finishing the first scoreless.

Sal Frelick gave the Brewers their first scoring chance in the second after leading off with a single and then stealing second when Willy Adames struck out. Frelick moved up to third on a fly out from Andruw Monasterio but was stranded there. Frelick pulled off a similar move in the fourth, as he drew a two-out walk and then stole second. However, Adames ended that inning with another strikeout.

The Brewers had another chance to score in the sixth. Tyrone Taylor singled to start the inning, and Christian Yelich singled to put runners at first and third. William Contreras hit a ground ball back to Lance Lynn that Taylor tried to score on, but was out at home. Carlos Santana and Frelick followed that up with outs to keep the game scoreless.

Meanwhile, Corbin Burnes was pitching a gem. In total, he pitched seven scoreless innings, with just two hits and two walks allowed. He also finished with nine strikeouts. However, Lynn matched him. Lynn also went seven scoreless, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out three.

The game went to the bullpens in the eighth. Caleb Ferguson came in to pitch the eighth and Brice Turang led off with a single. Unfortunately, Taylor grounded into a double play and Yelich lined out to end the inning.

Joel Payamps took the eighth for the Brewers. After getting a groundout to start the inning, Austin Barnes provided the only run of the day on a solo home run that put the Dodgers up 1-0. Betts followed that up with a single, but Payamps didn’t allow anything else after that.

The Brewers were down to their last chance in the ninth, and it ended up being a repeat of the fourth inning. Contreras struck out and Santana flew out before Frelick drew a walk with two outs. Just like in the fourth inning, he stole second. Also, in a repeat of the fourth inning, Adames struck out. This time, it ended the game.

Sal Frelick easily led the offense with a 1-for-2 day with two walks and three steals. Tyrone Taylor also added two hits in the game. However, there were two big problems on offense. The first was the team’s 0-for-7 performance with runners in scoring position. The second was Willy Adames, who not only went 0-for-4, but all four at-bats were strikeouts.

With the Cubs and Reds off on Thursday, the Brewers lost a half-game in the standings and 1 ¹⁄₂ games overall in this series. They now hold a two-game lead in the division and wild card standings. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Brewers play the AL West-leading Rangers next. Brandon Woodruff starts the series off facing Andrew Heaney of the Rangers. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.