Brewers can't solve Lucchesi in 2-0 loss to Padres
SAN DIEGO — Backed by Manny Machado's home run, Joey Lucchesi gave the San Diego Padres' bullpen a chance to catch its collective breath.
The big left-hander threw seven brilliant innings in a combined four-hitter to lead the Padres to a 2-0 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.
Machado homered and doubled a few hours after appealing a one-game suspension handed down by MLB.
Lucchesi (6-4) held Milwaukee to just three hits while striking out five and walking three. His outing helped rest a bullpen that was taxed during a crazy four-game series at Colorado in which the teams combined for 92 runs.
Manager Andy Green said Lucchesi's performance was "really big. Thrilled. We were excited to have him on the mound. Felt really good about it. He knew what we needed from him and gave us everything he had. He was completely out of gas after the seventh inning and to see him do what he did at the time when the bullpen's gassed and we needed a win, was huge."
The only Brewers baserunner to reach second base was Christian Yelich, who doubled with two outs in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games.
"From the start, I was like, I've got to help out the 'pen because I know they were tired from that series in Colorado," Lucchesi said. "That was tough. I'm just glad I could help out the team."
Craig Stammen allowed one hit in the eighth and Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his MLB-leading 25th save.
https://youtu.be/DFtUfdPZ5ug
Machado was suspended one game and fined for "aggressively arguing and making contact" with plate umpire Bill Welke after being ejected for arguing a called third strike at Colorado on Saturday night. Machado said he didn't make contact with Welke. He can continue to play until there's a final decision.
The star third baseman, who signed a $300 million, 10-year contract during spring training, homered off Jhoulys Chacin leading off the third.
Machado doubled in the first when his hard shot bounced off Chacin and then off second base umpire Chris Segal. That advanced Eric Hosmer, who then scored on a wild pitch.
The Brewers' offense had "a quiet night" against Lucchesi, manager Craig Counsell said. "We had one runner in scoring position. He just kept us off balance. The changeup he uses, we didn't have any good swings at that pitch. He used that effectively. He did a nice job. There is some deception from that delivery. He throws from a very high arm slot. It makes that changeup good, it makes his fastball down good. His deception is definitely part of who he is for sure."
Chacin (3-8) allowed two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out seven and walked three.
"I was just trying to make good pitches every time. Just trying to get out of the middle of the plate," he said. "Just a little bit unlucky in the first inning and just trying to recover from that."
Counsell said he thought Chacin "got better as the game went along. Seven strikeouts was good to see. His command kind of wavered early in the game and then I'd say his last maybe 50 pitches I really liked how he threw the ball."
ROSTER MOVES
The Padres made several moves before the game. They selected the contract of RHP Kazuhisa Makita from Double-A Amarillo, optioned LHP starter Nick Margevicius to Triple-A El Paso, recalled C Francisco Mejia from El Paso and optioned C Austin Allen to El Paso.
BACK TO NORMAL
The Padres canceled most on-field work pregame to catch a breather after the split in Colorado in which the teams combined for 92 runs, the most in a four-game series since 1900. They rallied from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning to win 16-12 on Friday night and rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth on Sunday to win 14-13.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: transferred OF Franchy Cordero (sprained right elbow) to the 60-day IL
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff (8-1, 3.87) is scheduled to make his first career start and second appearance against the Padres.
Padres: LHP Logan Allen is scheduled to make his big league debut. He was acquired along with three other players from Boston for closer Craig Kimbrel on Nov. 13, 2015.
