Brewers big third inning too much for Padres, dropping series opener

MILWAUKEE – Tuesday's starting pitching game plan for the San Diego Padres was a big let down, as they start their six game road stand with a series opening loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-4, at American Family Field. 

The Padres' (24-17) idea was to return to what worked for them six days ago during their series finale against the Giants. Right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez (0-2, 1.74 ERA) would get the start and pitch the first inning, and then quickly give the mound to right-hander Matt Waldron (1-2, 9.28 ERA). 

While it worked against a mediocre, struggling San Francisco ball club, it did not against a Brewers (23-16) team that is coming off sweeping the Yankees, have won five consecutive games and are 8-2 in their last 10. 

At first, the plan started off smoothly with Rodriguez pitching a one, two, three opening frame and Waldron tossing a scoreless second inning. Waldron would get the first two batters out in the third inning, leading up to shortstop Joey Ortiz.

Up 1-2 in the count, Waldron was a strike away from retiring Ortiz, but he connected on a sweeper in the middle of the zone for a solo shot to give the Brewers the game's first lead. Waldron was able to get through the inning after giving up a single to Brice Turang immediately after the homer.   

However, Waldron would get himself into a jam with a one-out double by William Contreras, an eight pitch walk to Jake Bauers and a line drive single by Garrett Mitchell to load the bases. Right-fielder Sal Frelick returns the lead back to the Brewers with a two-run ground ball single to left field, and after a miscommunication between Waldron and Manny Machado on who would get the retrieval, David Hamilton reached on base with bunt single to load the bases for a second time in the inning. 

Ortiz earned his second RBI of the game by hitting a sac-fly to center field and Brice Turang, who is one of the hottest players in the National league slashing .306/.427/.949, hit a two-run double down the third baseline to extend Milwaukee's lead to 6-2. And that would end Waldron's day on the mound, getting replaced by reliever Wandy Peralta. 

The right-hander would only go 2 2/3 innings on 59 pitches, giving up six earned runs, eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts. By association of the knuckleball, his specialty pitch was only used just three times tonight. 

Peralta, in relief, would pitch 2 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and striking out a pair. Left-hander Yuki Matsui pitched the final two frames and allowed one hit, struck out three and ended his outing by setting down four in-a-row. 

Offensively, the Padres didn't do enough, but certainly had their moments in this game. In addition to their four runs scored, they finished with eight hits and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position. 

The Padres first pair of runs came during the fourth inning, starting off with Machado lead-off single and a Xander Bogaerts force out at second base. Following a nine pitch walk by Gavin Sheets, both runners would advance into scoring position after Milwaukee's starting right hander Brandon Sproat threw a wild pitch. Sunday's hero Nick Castellanos would give the Padres their only lead of the day by driving in both runners on a line drive single to center field, connecting on a four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate.

Designated hitter Miguel Andújar belted a first pitch curveball out to left field for his third home run of the season, lowering the deficit to 6-3. Later in the eighth inning, Fernando Tatis Jr. would get aboard with a line drive single, and after advancing from first to third on a wild pitch, Andújar brought across his second RBI and the Padres final run with a double to center field to make it 6-4. 

The Padres will have a chance to even the series on Wednesday with right-hander Michael King (3-2, 2.76 ERA) on the mound for the Friars and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.45 ERA) on the bump for the Brew Crew. First pitch will take place at 4:40 p.m. at American Family Field.