Too many runners left stranded, but Roenicke sees signs of improvement
Getting runners on base hasn't been an issue for the Milwaukee Brewers, but driving them in has been.
The all too familiar trend continued Friday night, as the Brewers fell to a major-league worst 2-8 on the season with a 6-3 loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Although Milwaukee's offense went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base against Pirates starter Vance Worley and four relievers, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke felt he saw encouraging signs Friday.
"There were a lot better at-bats from guys," Roenicke said. "(Jean Segura) had a great day. He squared up four balls. The first two were right at people. (Khris Davis) had better at-bats. Brauny just missed two for home runs.
"It is better, but it is the same thing. We get those guys out there and we're not picking them up. They get their guys out there and they are picking them up. That's the ballgame."
The Brewers jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning, as Khris Davis followed an Adam Lind walk with a ground-rule double to right. Lind came in to score on a ground out by Gerardo Parra, but Davis was stranded at third after Pittsburgh intentionally walked Scooter Gennett to face pitcher Jimmy Nelson.
Scooter Gennett struck out with two out and two on in the fourth, while Ryan Braun hit into an inning-ending double play after Jean Segura and Jonathan Lucroy had collected consecutive singles.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh capitalized with runners on in the bottom of the fifth.
Starling Marte led off the frame with an infield single, stole second base and scored on a single from Sean Rodriguez. Josh Harrison later added a two-out RBI single to put the Pirates up 3-1.
"There were a couple curveballs that I left too much middle, and they're big-league hitters and they did what they were supposed to with it," Nelson said. "To Rodriguez and Harrison, those were both curveballs that caught too much plate and just hung. That was what I got hurt on. So, just learn from it and make the adjustment next time."
After a two-out RBI double by Parra cut Pittsburgh's lead to 3-2, Roenicke opted to pinch hit for Nelson with the right-hander at just 73 pitches in order to try and tie the game.
"It is hard taking starters out when Jimmy has a lot of pitches left," Roenicke said. "I'm having to take him out because we are always behind having to catch up. When we get that chance, I'm like, 'Well, we better take it now.' Then you go through a bunch of bullpen guys."
Milwaukee's only hit with a runner in scoring position Friday came with two outs in the ninth inning when Segura singled home Jason Rogers, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
By then the deficit was too large to overcome, as the Pirates added three runs off Jonathan Broxton in the bottom of the eighth.
The Brewers have had scoring chances on their current road trip but are just 6 for 34 (.176) with runners in scoring position. In its eight losses, Milwaukee has averaged 7.5 hits but just 1.9 runs per game.
Carlos Gomez is on the disabled list, while Jonathan Lucroy, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez have combined for just one extra-base hit on the season.
On Friday, the top five hitters in Milwaukee's lineup went 3 for 22.
"I'm seeing some good at-bats from some guys," Roenicke said. "But we need to put this thing together and have them in a row so when you get that opportunity to score you are coming through with another hit and trying to add on and get some more runs.
"Two runs a game, three runs a game -- that's not going to do it."
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