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 Closer Francisco Rodriguez gave up back-to-back ninth-inning home
runs to third baseman Casey McGehee and center fielder Marcell Ozuna
as Milwaukee fell 6-3 to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at
Miller Park.
"Miserable. That's what it is," Rodriguez said. "Disgusting. All the
bad words you can use to describe it. It's extremely disappointing."
Rodriguez (4-5) was a strike away from getting out of the inning
unscathed, rallying back from an 2-0 hole to Giancarlo Stanton but
missed on his next two pitches to walk the right fielder.
His first offering to McGehee missed low, then Rodriguez left a
change-up too high and McGehee clubbed it to left-center for just
his fourth of the season, putting Miami up 5-3.
Rodriguez again was a pitch away but missed on a 3-2 fastball to
Ozuna, who hit his 21st on a high fly to left, to cap off a
three-hit, two-walk day.
"Huge win. Huge win. Huge win," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.
"That was probably as good of a feeling in the dugout as we've had
all year. Our guys were fired up. That was a big hit."
The Brewers' offense blew a chance to break a 3-3 tie in the eighth,
loading the bases with nobody out against right-hander Bryan Morris
(8-1), but failed to score.
"Bases loaded, no outs and we've got Rickie (Weeks), (Carlos) Gomez
and Scooter (Gennett) coming up," manager Ron Roenicke said. "I
think we should score a run."
Weeks, pinch-hitting in the pitcher's spot and Gomez, making his
second start in center after missing a week with a sprained wrist,
each bounced into force plays at home and Gennett let Morris off the
hook with a fly ball to right, ending the inning.
"I should have done more with that pitch," said Gennett, who had two
hits on the day. "Even when we do hit the ball hard, when we need
that knock, it's right at somebody. That's how things have been the
last couple of weeks."
The past couple weeks have been miserable for the Brewers, who have
lost four in a row and 13 of their last 14. Their frustration was
evident after the game, especially from Rodriguez, who threw his
glove to the ground after McGehee's home run.
"That's how everybody feels right now," Gennett said. "Once we get
that opportunity to do something, we want to perform and get out of
this hole that we're in. It's tough when it's your time to do
something and you can't execute, not only on the pitching side and
offensively. Tonight, that was on us (the offense)."
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Milwaukee got another chance in the ninth, putting two on with one
out to bring the tying run to the plate but were stymied for the
second straight night by right-hander Steve Cishek, who recorded his
34th save of the year.
"I'm tired of coming in here and talking about another loss,"
Roenicke said. "We're playing hard, we're working hard. These guys
are putting everything they can into it, and we keep coming up with
the same results. It gets old. They will be at it again tomorrow."
Right-hander Matt Garza made his second start since coming off the
disabled list with a strained oblique and struck out seven while
allowing one earned run over four innings of work while his Miami
counterpart, right-hander Tom Koehler went five innings and held
Milwaukee to two runs on six hits and three walks.
The Brewers remain 1 1/2 games behind the Pirates, who also lost
Tuesday, for the second National League wild-card spot but the
Marlins won their third straight and are just two games behind
Milwaukee and Atlanta.
NOTES: Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez will return to the rotation for
a Friday start against the Philadelphia Phillies. Alvarez left his
Sept. 1 start with a strained oblique. He reported no issues after a
light bullpen session Monday and was given the green light to return
to full action. Alvarez leads the NL with three shutouts this season
and has a 2.88 ERA in 26 starts. ... Milwaukee RF Ryan Braun was
held out of the lineup in order to rest his ailing right hand. The
hand, especially the thumb, has bothered Braun all season and
contributed to his .235 average since the All-Star break, manager
Ron Roenicke said. ... Roenicke said RHP Jimmy Nelson will move from
the rotation to the bullpen for the remainder of the season.
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