Late rally comes up short as Brewers fall to Nationals
MILWAUKEE -- Jimmy Nelson kept the Washington Nationals from making solid contact on Sunday.
But walks led to an early exit for the Milwaukee Brewers starter, who is winless in his past five starts.
"It was just command," Nelson said.
The Nationals ended a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Brewers.
Nelson gave up one hit through five innings but walked three consecutive batters with two outs in the fifth, before retiring Bryce Harper on a warning-track drive to center.
"It was that one inning where I had three walks," Nelson said. "That right there in itself is 12 pitches. That's a whole inning of work."
Nelson, who thought he still had a no-hitter intact, was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the fifth.
The official scorer originally charged Milwaukee second baseman Scooter Gennett with an error on a sharp grounder hit by Ben Revere with two outs in the third. The play later was ruled a hit.
Nelson said he wasn't surprised by the move to pinch-hit for him, especially in a scoreless tie and after having thrown 91 pitches.
"I just kind of shot myself in the foot that (fifth) inning," Nelson said. "(Aaron Hill) had a leadoff double that inning, it put us in a pretty good chance to score right there."
Nelson walked five batters, including opposing pitcher Tanner Roark twice.
"His stuff was really good," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "He ran into some places where he just started to fight himself and got out of whack. But at the same time, he did come back and wiggle out of those innings. It had a chance to be a really good outing."
Roark pitched seven shutout innings in place of injured ace Stephen Strasburg.
Jose Lobaton hit his first homer of the season in the seventh off Milwaukee reliever Jacob Barnes (0-1). Clint Robinson hit a two-run shot in the eighth.
Roark (7-5) held the Brewers to seven hits and struck out seven while walking just one. Strasburg was placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to the game with an upper back strain.
Shawn Kelley retired four batters for his third save. He gave up a solo home run to pinch-hitter Martin Maldonado with two outs in the ninth. Jonathan Villar then lofted a fly to left that Jayson Werth lost in the sun. Villar ended up on third with a triple.
Scooter Gennett flied out to shallow left to end it, with Werth again fighting the sun but making the catch this time.
Hill had two doubles for the Brewers, who scored their first run on Jonathan Lucroy's RBI groundout in the eighth.
VAUGHN RETURNS
Former outfielder Greg Vaughn, who spent eight seasons with the Brewers, threw out a ceremonial first pitch. All fans in attendance received a bobblehead of Vaughn, who ranks eighth on the Brewers' home run list.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: Hot-hitting catcher Wilson Ramos got the day off. Manager Dusty Baker said he wanted to rest Ramos, who had six hits in 10 at-bats in the first two games of the series.
Brewers: Ryan Braun, who was hit on the left foot by a pitch on Saturday, legged out an infield hit and a triple on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Washington begins a 10-game homestand on Monday with a three-game series against the New York Mets. Washington announced after the game that Joe Ross (6-4, 3.11 ERA) will start the series opener.
Brewers: Chase Anderson (4-7, 5.13 ERA) will take the mound as the Brewers open a three-game series at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Anderson is 1-2 with a 5.05 ERA in seven starts against the Dodgers.
