Braun out at home after crew review

CHICAGO -- Manager Ron Roenicke's urging of a crew chief review during the seventh inning of the Brewers' 3-1 win over the Cubs on Monday had more than one purpose.

Ryan Braun was out trying to score from second on a missed catch by center fielder Arismendy Alcantara. But crew chief Tim Welke, after briefly speaking with Roenicke, initiated a review to ensure Castillo didn't block the plate -- a violation of rule 7.13, adopted this year.

Because the umpire initiated the review, whether Braun was safe or out would have also been determined -- essentially giving Roenicke a free challenge.

"I wouldn't have wanted him to really overturn that call -- for me, [that's not] the way I want baseball to go," Roenicke said. "But because of the rules ... [Castillo] was sneaking over there before he got that ball, and sometimes they'll call it."

The Brewers were part of a comparable call against the Pirates on June 8, when Braun threw out Neil Walker at the plate for the second out of the first inning.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle questioned the call, which was initiated and confirmed as a crew chief review. Pittsburgh, in the process, saved a challenge that was later used to overturn a call in the ninth inning that ruled Starling Marte out swiping second. Marte, however, was stranded, and the Brewers secured a 1-0 win.