Anderson breezes as Brewers stop Mets’ winning streak, 5-1
NEW YORK (AP) After rolling along for nearly two weeks, the New York Mets met their match on the mound.
Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field, and the Milwaukee Brewers stopped New York's nine-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory Saturday.
''Chase was outstanding,'' Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ''He pitched a beautiful game.''
Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey as Milwaukee finally cooled off the Mets (11-2) and improved to 6-2 away from home. Slumping shortstop Orlando Arcia came off the bench and homered in the ninth inning.
The only bad news for the banged-up Brewers: Ryan Braun was removed as a precaution in the fifth with back tightness and said he was unsure if he'll play Sunday.
''It was locked up the whole game,'' Braun explained.
Asked if the cold weather was a factor, the slugger said: ''Everybody deals with it, so it's just part of April baseball.''
The only offense the Mets could muster was a bloop RBI single by Yoenis Cespedes off Anderson (1-1), who allowed just two hits on 87 pitches in 6 1/3 innings. The first was Amed Rosario's single up the middle on an 0-2 delivery with two outs in the fifth.
''I knew I was on a roll and in a good rhythm,'' Anderson said. ''I want to be that guy who can stop it if we're going through a long losing streak, or be the guy to even out a series.''
Anderson made a slight mechanical adjustment between starts, changing the placement of his hand after Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo was picking up pitches in a previous outing.
''I was comfortable,'' Anderson said. ''I feel pretty good with it.''
Jeremy Jeffress and Josh Hader finished the three-hitter. Hader retired all six batters he faced, striking out the first five, for his first major league save . He kept the game ball as a souvenir.
''He was pretty nasty,'' Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. ''They pitched a hell of a game.''
Harvey (0-1) gave up a leadoff double to Travis Shaw in the second and walked Domingo Santana. One out later, Villar curled an opposite-field drive just inside the left-field pole.
''Off the bat I thought it was foul,'' Harvey said. ''It's frustrating.''
Bandy, subbing for injured catcher Manny Pina, homered to left in the fourth.
Harvey was charged with four runs and eight hits in five innings. He threw 95 pitches and has gone 11 consecutive starts without getting an out in the sixth, the longest current streak in the majors.
''Not very good. I just have to be better than that. Obviously, we had a good streak going and tonight I needed to go out and be better, and that loss is on me,'' Harvey said. ''Too many hits, too many runs.''
The former ace gave up homers to the No. 7 and No. 8 batters in Milwaukee's lineup. Both connected for the first time this season - Bandy's long ball was his first in the majors since May 26 last year.
''I think I just have to do a better job of mixing things up throughout the whole start,'' Harvey said with a sigh. ''I think I got fastball and slider happy the first couple innings and it just put myself behind, got me in trouble.''
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: After stealing second base in the fifth, Braun was replaced in left field by Hernan Perez. ''It was sore before I stole the base,'' Braun said. ... OF Christian Yelich (right oblique) took 70 swings indoors and played catch, but there's no target date yet for his return from the disabled list. Yelich had hoped to be activated Sunday, the first day he becomes eligible, but that won't happen. ''We want to get a little closer to 100 percent,'' Counsell said. ''We've got to have a couple good days in a row.'' ... Pina planned to run the bases during batting practice. He sat out his third consecutive game with right calf tightness and probably won't play Sunday. ... Eric Sogard started at shortstop instead of Arcia because Counsell wanted his left-handed hitters in the lineup against Harvey. Arcia entered in the eighth as part of a double switch.
SEEN IT BEFORE
Anderson threw seven shutout innings of three-hit ball in a June 1 win at Citi Field last year.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Fans in the crowd of 40,965 groaned when a message on the video board in the middle of the eighth indicated the postgame fireworks might be postponed due to high winds. In the end, the event went on as scheduled.
UP NEXT
Brewers: With rain in the chilly forecast Sunday afternoon, RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 6.59 ERA) is scheduled to make his fourth start for Milwaukee in the series finale. Opponents are hitting .333 with three homers against Chacin, who signed a $15.5 million, two-year contract after going 13-10 with a 3.89 ERA for San Diego last season. He is 2-5 with a 6.10 ERA against the Mets, including an 8.38 mark in five outings at Citi Field. New York tagged him for nine earned runs in six innings last year.
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 3.94) is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two career outings against Milwaukee, both at home. He has struck out 16 and walked one in 13 innings this season. Rookie catcher Tomas Nido will get his third major league start and first this season, Callaway said.
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