Another night, another lost lead for D-backs

PHOENIX -- The D-backs had held the lead for six innings going into the top of the seventh on Tuesday night, but eight batters, an ejection and a grand slam later, they were faced with what proved to be an insurmountable deficit.

The Brewers took their second straight game from the D-backs, 7-5, at Chase Field thanks to a five-run rally in that seventh frame.

"They beat us again, and that's disappointing," manager Kirk Gibson said.

The biggest threat in the Brewers' lineup was catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who entered the game batting .380 over the previous 14 days. Lucroy hit a solo home run in the sixth inning off starter Mike Bolsinger, bringing the Brewers within two.

He did even more damage in the next inning.

The Brewers cut the lead to one run after shortstop Jean Segura led off the seventh with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly, ending Bolsinger's night. Gibson then brought in reliever Evan Marshall, who gave up a single and a double before hitting Ryan Braun with a fastball and being ejected immediately after.

The D-backs and Braun have a history together. Braun led the 2011 Brewers past the D-backs in the National League Division Series, hitting .500 in the five-game series, but soon after, it was revealed that he'd tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. His appeal was successful, but in 2013 he was suspended for his connection to the Biogenesis clinic.

Gibson was vocal following that suspension, saying that "cheaters" such as Braun take chances from players who play earnestly.

"I wish him the best," Braun said. "I hope he finds peace and happiness in his life and is able to enjoy his life.

"We know the way the game works," he added. "I wasn't surprised I got hit; I was surprised I got hit in that situation and circumstances, with the go-ahead run at second base and the tying run at third base, and they were ahead. I was a little surprised by that. But we hit a couple of their guys -- it wasn't intentional, but that's the way the game works sometimes."

Said Marshall: "From no warnings to ejection, it's the umpire's discretion, so he thought it needed to happen. They're trained in how to handle that matter, so we were just trying to get in on the guy. That's it."

The next batter, Lucroy, took the first pitch from new pitcher Brad Ziegler and launched it into the center-field concourse for his third career grand slam and second homer of the game.

"It felt good. It's just one of those things that worked out for us," Lucroy said. "He gave me a pitch down the middle, elevated in the zone, and I was able to put a good swing on it. … I was able to hit the ball hard, so it worked out for us. It went our way."

For the second straight night, the relievers could not hold the lead their starter gave them. A series-opening defeat and an injury to veteran Bronson Arroyo led to reliever Will Harris, who took the loss on Monday, being sent to Triple-A Reno, but the same isn't likely to happen to Marshall, who was tagged with the loss as well as the ejection.

Tuesday's outing was unusual for Marshall, who entered the game with a 1.96 ERA in 17 outings.

Lost in the late-game lead change was Bolsinger's night. Just a day after being on Reno's roster, he threw 6 1/3 innings, giving up a pair of solo home runs to Lucroy and third baseman Aramis Ramirez but otherwise pitched well.

"The biggest part today was not hanging that breaking ball," Bolsinger said. "I was locating the fastball and keeping the curveball in the dirt.

"If you give up a home run, might as well give up a solo shot. But that's what happens when you hang a ball, especially to a team like that."