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 The Brewers were flat in all aspects of the game, especially
offensively, and starter Matt Garza got knocked around early as the
team dropped its fourth in a row.
"We did not play a good game," manager Craig Counsell said after it
was finally over. "There wasn't much good in there tonight."
It got ugly early as the Brewers found themselves in a quick 2-0
hole when Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run home run
in the first inning off Garza.
The blast set the tone for the day as Kansas City would go on to
collect 15 hits, including a home run from third baseman Mike
Moustakas and two singles from starting pitcher Chris Young, who
also drove in three runs.
Thirteen of those hits came at the expense of Garza, setting a
career high for the veteran right-hander, who worked into the
seventh and was charged with six earned runs while striking out
three.
"They hit the ball all over the place," Garza said. "That's about
it. It's frustrating, but what are you going to do? First two runs,
threw a fastball down the middle and the guy did what he was
supposed to do. Next two, pitcher got 'em in. Next one, pitcher got
'em in and then the home run. I hurt myself and that's about it.
There's no other way to say it, I sucked tonight and just get ready
for the next one."
As good a Young was offensively, he was even better on the mound.
The right-hander spun seven scoreless innings, allowing five hit
while striking out three.
"My last two starts I felt like fastball command was really good,"
Young said. "For me that's very important. If I can throw my
fastball where I want to, it helps. It's what all major league
pitchers strive to do. You go through periods where you're locked
in, and periods where you're scuffling a little bit. Tonight was
just a good night."
Milwaukee finally got on the board in the eighth thanks to an RBI
single by catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The Brewers added a run in the
ninth when second baseman Scooter Gennett hit a solo home run off
right-hander Luke Hochevar, but their nine nits on the day were
largely a non-factor.
"Young is the kind of guy who gives up fly ball, fly ball, fly ball
... all his outs are going to be fly balls," Counsell said. "Cain
made a couple nice plays to quash some rallies but we didn't play a
good game."
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Moustakas and second baseman Omar Infante finished the day with
three hits each, while catcher Salvador Perez, left fielder Alex
Gordon and Young added two apiece for the Royals, who have won six
of their last eight.
"I tried to make more contact. I have to continue like today and
we'll see," Infante said. "Sometimes you get unlucky, but that's
baseball. Sometimes you hit well and you don't get base hits. And
sometimes you hit bad and get a base hit. I think that's baseball.
That's why you have to work and continue to work and play hard."
The interleague series switches now to Kansas City for two games at
Kauffman Stadium.
NOTES: Royals CF Lorenzo Cain left the game after 7 1/2 innings with
tightness in his back but manager Ned Yost said the move was
strictly precautionary. ... An MRI exam revealed no structural
damage on Milwaukee CF Carlos Gomez's right hip, but he remained
sidelined for a second consecutive game. ... Royals RHP Jason Vargas
played catch Tuesday afternoon at Miller Park and reported
improvement in his sore left hand, which landed him on the 15-day
disabled list June 13. ... Kansas City is 7-4 in interleague play
this season. The Royals set a franchise record in 2014, going 15-5
against National League opponents. ... Brewers radio announcer and
Baseball Hall of Fame member Bob Uecker did not call the game
Tuesday while he recovers from a mild concussion he sustained a day
earlier when he was hit in the head by a ball during batting
practice. Uecker spent the night at a local hospital for
observation.
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