Crew can't pick up Davies in first start off DL

MILWAUKEE -- In his first start back from the disabled list, Zach Davies couldn't get past Brandon Nimmo.
Davies, activated earlier in the day, gave up two doubles and a triple to the Mets' leadoff hitter and New York went on to a 5-0 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park on Thursday night.
"It wasn't crisp, but he was all right," manager Craig Counsell said. "He struggled with Nimmo. Nimmo's the guy that really just gave him all the problems. Other than that, I thought he pitched the rest of the lineup pretty darn good. He left some pitches in the middle of the plate to him. He really accounted for all the scoring, or contributed to it big time. It was really just one hitter that gave him a problem."

The Brewers, who were 8-2 in their last 10 games and entered a National League-best 31-19 overall, were shut out for the ninth time, most in the Majors. The last time they were shut out more times was 16 in 2015, a team that went 68-94
Milwaukee had eight runners on base in six innings against Steven Matz, who won for the first time in six starts. The Brewers stranded six in the first three innings, including the bases loaded in the third.
"We had a couple opportunities early in the game, in the second inning and the third inning we had some rallies going," Counsell said. "The third inning was probably our best shot."
Davies, who had been sidelined with right rotator cuff inflammation, allowed four runs on six hits, striking out two and walking two in his first start since April 29. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in a 24-pitch first inning when he knocked down a scorching comebacker from Devin Mesoraco and recovered for the inning-ending out at first.

"The command wasn't there pretty much all night," said Davies, who was 17-9 last season. "I got away with it the first four innings, but in the fifth inning I gave up three straight hits, and it turned my night into a not-so-good night. Something to work on, but now it's no excuses. You're back in game action, and it'll change going forward."
Nimmo set up the Mets' first run when he led off the third with a triple into the right-field corner and then came home on Wilmer Flores' one-out sacrifice fly to right.
In the Mets' three-run fifth, Amed Rosario opened with a single to left and Nimmo followed with a line double to right. Asdrúbal Cabrera doubled home both runners to make it 3-0, ending Davies' outing after 81 pitches. Flores greeted reliever Dan Jennings with an RBI single to left.
Nimmo also doubled to open the first, but was forced out at third. The Mets eventually loaded the bases, but Davies escaped when he knocked down Mesoraco's shot back through the box.
The Brewers' bullpen fared a little better against Nimmo, but still couldn't keep him off the bases. Nimmo walked in the sixth and reached on an infield single in the eighth.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Brewers loaded the bases in the third when Lorenzo Cain singled and Christian Yelich was hit by a pitch. Cain was forced out at third as Ryan Braun reached on a fielder's choice. Jesús Aguilar walked to load the bases, but Matz escaped when Hernán Pérez popped to first and Manny Piña flied to right.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Yelich prevented an even bigger inning in the Mets' three-run fifth when he hauled in Jay Bruce's drive to right-center with one runner on base for the first out. Yelich had to cover 52 feet in 3.7 seconds, with a 24 percent probability of making the catch, according to Statcast™.

HE SAID IT
"It saved the inning. Not sure how the defense was behind me or if it would have gotten through with the shift, but once I knew where I gloved the ball I hoped I wasn't too far that I could make a play, and I was close enough and the runner wasn't fast enough that I had a chance." -- Davies, on the first-inning stop
UP NEXT
Junior Guerra will look to continue to be one of the Brewers' more consistently dominant starters when he starts Friday's 7:10 p.m. CT game against the Mets in the second game of the four-game series. Guerra (3-3, 2.98 ERA) started off his May with two starts in which he allowed at least four earned runs, but he has settled in and allowed three runs over his last 10 1/3 innings of work. Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 2.91) will get the nod for the Mets.