SAN FRANCISCO – The Brewers entered Wednesday’s finale against the Giants knowing they were in for a battle.
For one, they were facing a nemesis in Logan Webb, who entered the matchup 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA in eight career starts against them. Additionally, Milwaukee took the field behind left-hander Thomas Pannone, who was called up from Triple-A Nashville prior to the game for his first Major League start since 2019 – and just his second big league appearance since one outing with the Brewers in ‘23.
This wasn’t your ordinary spot starter called up from the Minors, as Pannone’s journey back to a Major League mound has also included stints in the KBO with the Kia Tigers and time in the respective Minor League systems of the Cubs and Tigers – as well as extended rehab from a flexor tendon tear that cost him all of 2025.
Despite the context of Pannone’s spot start and the tough matchup against Webb, the game was a one-run affair in the sixth … until things unraveled in a hurry, en route to a 16-3 defeat and a series loss, Milwaukee’s first since it was swept by the Pirates before the All-Star break.
“We didn't play defense,” said manager Pat Murphy. “We gave up too many free bases. You could probably say that on a lot of our losses, but we were taking a chance on a kid getting his first start of the year. We dropped a routine fly ball in center. That doesn't normally happen. But credit the Giants, they did a great job of putting the ball in play the right way. And then we started to give up free bases, and then free bases led to more runs. We made three errors. Not typical of us.”
Indeed, those three errors were a season high for the Brewers, and they contributed to the team dropping two of three to the host Giants to begin this West Coast road trip.
Pannone made it through the first inning unscathed, but the second proved to be a turning point. Jung Hoo Lee’s liner to center field couldn’t be corralled by Garrett Mitchell, whose two-base error on his fielding attempt set the tone.
A nine-pitch walk to Willy Adames followed, before Daniel Susac clubbed his first Major League home run to center field, sending the Brewers into a quick 3-0 hole. Those were all the runs Pannone allowed in his three innings, however, departing with three hits and two strikeouts (Rafael Devers both times, on a slider Pannone said he didn’t even feel comfortable throwing heading into the day).
“I definitely feel good about the foot I put forward,” said Pannone of his return to the Majors. “Honestly, just to take the mound in the big leagues again today was a success. I obviously would have liked to put up three zeros or even stay out there longer and help the team win, but yeah, I felt pretty good about it.”
Offensively, the Brewers had their hands full once again with the All-Star Webb, though they struck for a run in the third after David Hamilton singled, stole second, reached third on an infield single and scored on Brice Turang’s forceout at second base.
Jake Bauers – broken right big toe and all – led off the fourth with a triple and scored three batters later, though that was the extent of Milwaukee’s offense against Webb, who finished six innings having only allowed that pair of runs on five hits, with one walk and four strikeouts.
San Francisco pushed ahead for good in the sixth with seven runs, the floodgates seemingly opening after catcher Gary Sánchez’s attempted caught-stealing of Adames sailed into center field. Two walks, three singles, a fielder’s choice and a two-run Lee double later, the Giants’ lead had ballooned to 10-2.
Their advantage expanded to 10 runs by the seventh, the Giants adding on against relievers Aaron Ashby and Bryse Wilson, before first baseman Andrew Vaughn spared the rest of the bullpen in the eighth with his first pitching appearance since he suited up for Cal Berkeley in 2018.
Sporting a floaty curveball that averaged 48.7 mph that elicited laughter from fans at the ballpark and a slider that averaged 61.3 mph, Vaughn’s inning included his first career strikeout, whiffing Osleivis Basabe on a 49 mph curve.
“It's been too long,” reflected Vaughn, “and that's the farthest 60 feet 6 inches I’ve ever thrown. I just tried to go out there and have fun with it and get some outs.”