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 So it goes this season for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Kyle Lohse,
who came into his start Monday against the Atlanta Braves looking to
win a third consecutive game for the first time in more than a year.
Instead, the inconsistency and ineffectiveness that plagued the
veteran starter all season returned early in a 5-3 loss at Miller
Park that ended the Brewers' eight-game winning streak.
"It was tough," Lohse said. "They had some different approaches
against me than guys have had in the past. They kept fouling off
pitches that I put where I wanted. They pushed me into deep counts,
and I'd make a mistake or leave one up just enough to hit. It's a
battle when you're trying to keep them off the board after that."
The trouble started early, with a two-run, first-inning home run by
Braves first baseman Kelly Johnson. The homer was the 20th allowed
by Lohse this season, and it immediately put Milwaukee in a 2-0
hole.
Center fielder Gerardo Parra cut the deficit in half with a home run
to lead off the bottom of the inning, the Braves struck Lohse again
in the second, adding two more on an RBI double by Nick Markakis and
a run-scoring Johnson single.
"He got us on the board driving in some runs," Braves manager Fredi
Gonzalez said of Johnson.
Lohse settled down a bit after that and finished his outing with
three scoreless innings. He went five innings and allowed four runs
on 11 hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
"I didn't want to come out and put the team like that," Lohse said.
"I came in feeling pretty strong, hitting spots and then a made a
couple mistakes and gave up four runs quick. It was just gut it out
through the last three innings."
While the Braves' offense clicking against Lohse, right-hander Matt
Wisler had no problem cooling off a Milwaukee offense that produced
99 base hits during the just-concluded, seven-game road swing.
In his fourth major league start, Wisler (3-1) threw 5 2/3 innings
and held Milwaukee to three runs on seven hits and a walk while
striking out six.
"Wisler did a nice job," Gonzalez said. "I could have very easily
taken him out of there (in the sixth) against (third baseman Aramis)
Ramirez, but I thought that was a good development moment there.
Even though he walked him, he didn't give in to him. He still made
some quality pitches, and our bullpen did a nice job closing them
out."
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Milwaukee got a run back in the fifth when shortstop Jean Segura
scored on an double by pinch hitter Shane Peterson. However,
Peterson was thrown out at home on a double by left fielder Gerardo
Parra, ending the inning, and the Braves added an insurance run in
the sixth on an RBI single by third baseman Juan Uribe.
"We swung the bats OK," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, "but
they made some nice plays and they pitched well. (Wisler) made some
nice pitches, and their bullpen did a nice job."
The Braves' bullpen closed it out with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, and
right-hander Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his 23rd save of the
season.
NOTES: The game was delayed for nine minutes in the ninth inning
when a fan was struck in the face by a foul ball hit by Atlanta LF
Eury Perez. ... Brewers RHP Matt Garza was placed on the 15-day
disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis, but thanks to the
All-Star break and two scheduled off days over the next 10 days,
Garza is expected to miss only one start. His next turn was
scheduled for Tuesday, and RHP Tyler Cravy will get the start. ...
Atlanta signed 16-year-old Dominican SS Juan Morales. To avoid going
over their spending allotment, the Braves shipped minor league RHP
Aaron Kurcz to Oakland for a bonus-pool slot worth an estimated
$167,000. ... The Braves also acquired LHP Mitchell Lambson from the
Houston Astros in exchange for cash considerations. Lambson had a
2.60 ERA in 24 relief appearances with the Astros' Double-A and
Triple-A affiliates this season.
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