Gallardo's strong start is wasted for Brewers

[April 23, 2012]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Yovani Gallardo is not going to let a wasted strong start get him down.

Michael Cuddyer lined a two-run double in the eighth and Jeremy Guthrie pitched seven strong innings Sunday, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 4-1 victory over the Brewers.

"It's a tough loss, but you've got to keep moving forward and keep battling and keep working hard, and hopefully we'll be able to turn this around," the Brewers right-hander said.

The loss also put a damper on the celebration of Ryan Braun's NL MVP and Silver Slugger awards. The Brewers slugger received his trophies in a pregame ceremony.

Gallardo went seven innings, giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out eight and walking one. Gallardo was 0-4 with a 6.69 ERA in six starts against the Rockies entering play.

"He was mixing and throwing strikes and doing things he usually does well," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said.

Said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke: I thought (Gallardo) threw a real nice ballgame. His fastball that he threw inside is probably about as good as I've seen him throw it. He moved the ball around well."

The Brewers offense managed only four hits against four Colorado pitchers, a day after beating the Rockies 9-4.

Jeremy Guthrie (2-1) gave up one run and three hits in seven innings. Rafael Betancourt pitched the ninth for his fifth straight save to open the season.

Francisco Rodriguez (0-2) took the loss. The closer-turned-setup-man who accepted an arbitration offer of $8 million in the offseason rather than leave as a free agent, has struggled in 2012. The two runs he allowed Sunday pushed his ERA to 6.75.

Guthrie allowed only one runner past second base. Braun walked in the fourth and scored on Mat Gamel's two-out single to make it 1-all. Colorado had opened the scoring with an RBI single by Jason Giambi in the first.

The Rockies went ahead in the eighth. With one out, Troy Tulowitzki singled and Giambi walked. Cuddyer, who had the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth off Brewers closer John Axford in Friday's 4-3 win, followed with a line-drive double to the gap in left-center.

Braun had a chance to be the star in the eighth. Rickie Weeks walked and Carlos Gomez singled to open the inning off Rex Brothers, but Matt Belisle got Braun to pop out, Aramis Ramirez to fly out to right and Corey Hart to strike out to end the threat.

"We had the opportunities, and we had the guys coming up in our lineup that we count on to drive in runs," Roenicke said. "It's always tough when you don't have opportunities during the game and then you have that one shot at it. You feel like everything is on the line in that one inning."

Roenicke said he has no plans to tinker with the lineup.

"This lineup will hit, eventually," he said.

Before the game, Hall of Famer Robin Yount presented Braun the MVP trophy during a brief ceremony.

"I actually received the award in the offseason," Braun said afterwards. "They actually brought it from my house to give it to me, but it was special to have an opportunity to share it with the fans."

Braun described Yount as "the greatest player ever to play for this franchise."

"His presence means a lot to us still," Braun said.

Braun also received the 2011 Silver Slugger trophy from team owner Mark Attanasio. That honor is given to the top offensive player at each position in each league.

Shortly after he won the MVP award, it was first reported by ESPN that Braun tested positive in October for elevated testosterone. But his 50-game suspension was overturned on appeal right at the start of spring training.

Braun is off to a slow start this year. He has the fewest home runs (two) and RBIs (seven) through 15 games in his six-year career. His .255 average is his second worst this early in the season. Braun hit .250 in his first 15 games in 2008. He is 2 for 20 on the homestand.

"I'm having a little bit better at-bats the last couple of days," Braun said. " I hope that continues."

NOTES: Tulowitzki's .402 career average against the Brewers before Sunday was the second-highest for a player with at least 20 games against Milwaukee in franchise history. ... Sunday was bobblehead day at Miller Park for Brewers' catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.