Brewers give up 10 runs to Phillies in third straight loss
MILWAUKEE -- Brewers starters haven't found their way past the fifth inning during most games this season. Chase Anderson didn't even make the fifth Saturday night.
The Philadelphia Phillies tagged Anderson (1-2) for six runs and eight hits in four innings on their way to a 10-6 victory. For the season, Milwaukee's starting pitchers are averaging less than five innings per outing.
"I can't really put my finger on it. I just know my command the last two games has not been very good with the fastball," Anderson said. "I know I've got to attack hitters but if you look up and you have 80-some pitches in three or four innings, then you can't pitch deep into the ball game."
The starters, with the exception of Jimmy Nelson, haven't consistently kept Milwaukee in games.
"If you're going to win games, your starters have to pitch," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I think our pitching, in general, we're in a rut right now."
Maikel Franco hit his third homer in two days, Odubel Herrera homered and reached base five times for the Phillies.
Franco hit his fifth homer and drove in four runs after hitting two homers in a 5-2 win over Milwaukee on Friday night.
Phillies right-hander Charlie Morton exited in the second inning after straining his left hamstring running to first on a sacrifice attempt. Brett Oberholtzer (1-0) replaced Morton.
Franco hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fourth inning off Anderson.
Ryan Braun had a two-run homer and Chris Carter hit a solo shot for Milwaukee, which pulled within a run in the eighth.
Herrera had three hits, including a two-run homer during a three-run ninth. The Phillies' leadoff hitter walked twice and now has 17 free passes this season after getting just 28 walks in 147 games as a rookie last year. His on-base percentage is up to .442 and he's reached safely in 15 straight games. He also stole two bases Saturday.
The Phillies sent eight batters to the plate in the third and pushed across three runs. The Brewers regained the lead with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, sparked by Braun's homer.
DOUBLE TAKE
Milwaukee relief pitcher Carlos Torres shares his name with umpire Carlos Torres, who was behind the plate for Saturday night's game. Torres, the pitcher, struck out the side in the fifth. "We think that there has to be some kind of bias there even if Carlos Torres the umpire might not know it. He has to be more likely to call strikes for Carlos Torres," manager Craig Counsell said, jokingly, before the game.
FLASHING LEATHER
With a runner on second and no outs in the fifth, Franco made a diving stop of Braun's hard ground ball. He fired a dead-on throw to first base to get Braun while on his backside and with his legs fully extended. "That was the first time I've done that," Franco said. "Most of the time I throw from my knee. Never like that."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: David Lough was struck in the right forearm by a pitch from Michael Blazek in the seventh. He remained in the game but his arm was considerably swollen afterward. "Lough got smoked on his forearm. It is huge," Mackanin said. "He couldn't even swing. We'll put ice on it." . . . Rookie Tyler Goeddel started in right field despite having just one hit in 16 at-bats entering the game. "I'm hoping he can get a few hits to get him going so I can use him more often," Mackanin said before the game. Goeddel had a pair of hits in his first two at-bats and his first career RBI.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Jerad Eickhoff (1-2, 1.89 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season. He has allowed just two runs over 14 innings and has 18 strikeouts in his last two starts. Eickhoff, who made his major league debut last August, has never faced Milwaukee.
Brewers: Wily Peralta (0-3, 8.35) last started on Tuesday and received a no decision. Opponents are batting .352 against Peralta this season. He is 2-2 with a 6.17 ERA in four career starts against Philadelphia.
