Brewers Win as Kyle Lohse Dances Around Trouble

Jul 18, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jean Segura (9) looks up while receiving an ovation from the Washington Nationals fans during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Brewers came into Friday night hoping that the All Star break was the cure for what ailed them in the first half of July. The Crew was just 2-10 in July before the break.

Milwaukee sent out Kyle Lohse (9-4, 3.26 ERA) to take on Stephen Strasburg (7-6, 3.46 ERA) to open their three-game set with the Nationals in Washington.

Lohse danced around trouble all night, allowing 10 Nationals hits, but just 1 run en route to a 4-2 Brewers win to start the series.

Scooter Gennett had Milwaukee’s only hit in the first inning off Strasburg, but it was a good one as he popped a home run (8) out to right field to give Milwaukee the lead.

In the bottom of the first, Denard Span led off with a single. He was retired on an Anthony Rendon fielder’s choice ground out to short. Span beat the throw to second, and Gennett fired to first for an apparent out at first on Rendon.

Span was called for interference at second base, and was called out. Rendon was awarded first base even though he was clearly out on the throw. We believe that the play was ruled dead on Span’s interference at second.

It didn’t matter though as Lohse finished the inning with no further damage.

Khris Davis doubled the lead in the top of the second with a solo home run (16) of his own.

Ryan Zimmerman led off the bottom half of the frame with a looping fly ball to center for a single. Bryce Harper followed with a single to right putting runners on the corners with nobody out.

Ian Desmond followed with a pop out to first baseman Mark Reynolds in foul territory and Wilson Ramos bounced a double-play grounder to Jean Segura at short to end the inning.

With one out in the third Gennett picked up a four-pitch walk from Strasburg, who looked like he wanted nothing to do with him. Ryan Braun followed with a double.

Both men came in to score on a Ramirez single to right field to make it 4-0 Brewers.

Span knocked a one-out single in the bottom of the inning and moved to third on a two-out single by Jayson Werth. Gomez bobbled the ball, allowing Span to move to third. Again Lohse got out of the inning with an Adam LaRoche fly ball out to center.

Davis had the Brewers only hit in the top of the fourth, with a single to lead off the frame.

Zimmerman led off the bottom of the frame with a double. He came in to score two batters later on a double by Desmond to put Washington on the board, but still trailing 4-1.

Gomez singled to lead off the top of the fifth for Milwaukee but he was caught stealing with Gennett at the plate for the first out of the inning. That was it for Milwaukee in the inning.

Span picked up his third hit of the game, a single, to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. He stole second after a Rendon strike out. Werth grounded hard to Segura at short and he threw Span out at third. LaRoche flew out to the warning track in left to end the inning.

Strasburg put the Brewers down in order in the top of the sixth. Harper picked up his second hit of the night off Lohse with a one-out single in the bottom half of the frame.

Segura reached on an infield single but was erased when Lohse popped up a bunt into a double play to end the top of the seventh.

Ramos led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left. Nate McClouth came on as a pinch-hitter, ending the night for Strasburg. McClouth grounded out to second, moving Ramos to second.

Ramos moved to third on a Span ground out. Rendon flew out to Braun to end the inning with Ramos stranded at third.

Drew Storen came on to pitch the top of the eighth for the Nationals. Strasburg threw seven innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk. He struck out nine Brewers.

Storen struck out Gomez to open the inning. Gennett followed with a ground out ahead of a Braun walk to give Milwaukee a base runner. Ramirez followed with a very long fly ball to center field but Span ran it down to end the frame.

Rob Wooten came on to pitch for Milwaukee in the bottom half of the frame, ending the night for Lohse. Lohse threw seven innings, and allowed one run on 10 hits and no walks. He struck out three.

Wooten struck out Werth and was promptly replaced by Zach Duke, who got fly outs of LaRoche and Zimmerman to end the inning.

Craig Stammen came on to pitch the top of the ninth for Washington. He promptly gave up a Lucroy single to lead off the inning. Davis followed with a warning track fly out to center.

Reynolds popped out to second for the second out of the inning and Segura grounded out to end the inning.

Francisco Rodriguez came on to pick up the save for Milwaukee in the bottom half of the frame.  He gave up a lead off home run to Harper to make it 4-2.  K-Rod struck out Desmond for the first out. Ramos bounced out to Ramirez for the second and K-Rod struck out Kevin Frandsen to end the game.

Lohse picked up the win for Milwaukee, and Strasburg earned the loss. K-Rod earned his 28th save of the year, despite giving up the home run.