Segura, Gennett send Crew past Phillies
MILWAUKEE -- Jean Segura's go-ahead RBI single in the seventh helped lift the Brewers to a 4-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday night at Miller Park. The victory gave Milwaukee its sixth win in as many games against Philadelphia this season.
Segura and his double-play partner, Scooter Gennett, provided the rest of Milwaukee's offense off Jerome Williams in the fifth, as Gennett hit an RBI single and Segura scored on a single by Elian Herrera after some aggressive baserunning. Gennett added on in the eighth with another RBI single, giving him a career-high four hits.
Video: PHI@MIL: Gennett leads Brewers offense with four hits
Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson worked a strong 6 2/3 innings on his way to a no-decision. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits and a struck out six. Nelson is 6-1 with a 2.31 ERA over his last 10 starts.
"It was a little more of a grind today," Nelson said, "but you're going to go through those games. In reality, you're not going to be locked in every game. You have to compete with what you've got that day."
Video: PHI@MIL: Nelson strikes out six in 6 2/3 frames
Williams retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before the fifth inning, while trade target Chase Utley continued his recent tear at the plate for the Phillies with two hits, including a solo home run off Nelson.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Breaking through: Milwaukee finally got to Williams in the fifth, partly due to faulty defense from Philadelphia's outfield. Khris Davis lined a double past center fielder Odubel Herrera to start the frame, and Gennett drove him in after left fielder Cody Asche misplayed the ball. Segura then reached on a fielder's choice and scored after Jeff Francoeur's throw to third was off target and sailed into the camera well.
Utley stays hot: With trade rumors swirling, Utley is showing potential suitors he can contribute when healthy. The veteran second baseman homered off Nelson in the third inning, and led off the fifth inning with a double down the right-field line. Utley went 2-for-4 with a walk on Saturday and is hitting .500 (13-for-26) with six extra-base hits and five RBIs since being activated from the disabled list on Aug. 7.
"He's swinging the bat as well as I've seen him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's playing like he's rejuvenated. It is nice to see." More >
Segura delivers: After a perfectly placed bunt single down the third-base line by Gennett to leadoff the seventh, Segura broke the 2-2 tie by smacking an RBI single into center field. The hit gave Segura his second RBI this series and fourth against the Phillies this season.
Unable to capitalize: The Phillies had two runners on with one out against Brewers right-hander Jeremy Jeffress in a 3-2 game in the eighth inning but couldn't score. Ryan Howard led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a groundout. Asche reached on a one-out infield single, but Jeffress recovered to strike out Freddy Galvis and Carlos Ruiz to escape the jam. Philadelphia went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position Saturday and is 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position over the first two games of the series.
Video: PHI@MIL: Nelson fans Howard to end the inning
"We've been crying about not getting length from the starters," Mackanin said. "We've gotten enough length from [starting pitchers in the series]. We're just not getting big hits to drive in the runs. We had a chance to win the game, but we just couldn't drive in runs. We left nine runners on base."
UNDER REVIEW
Mackanin successfully challenged a pickoff play at second base in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs and two on in a 2-2 game, Brewers left-hander Will Smith appeared to have Utley picked off second base. Utley, who didn't slide, appeared with his foot to knock the ball loose and out of Segura's glove after the tag had been applied.
"We just figured we might as well challenge it," Mackanin said. "It looked kind of funny. I didn't quite understand what happened there, because I couldn't see the ball fluttering around in his glove. I said, 'You know what, I'm going to challenge?' He just never had control of the ball."
Second-base umpire Fieldin Culbreth called Utley out on the play. The call was overturned after a review. Brewers manager Craig Counsell came out after the ruling was announced and was ejected by Culbreth after a discussion. The Phillies couldn't take advantage of the play, however, as Smith struck Herrera out looking to end the inning.
"I questioned whether he called him out because he kicked the ball out of the glove, and did he hold the ball long enough?" Counsell said of the play. "They said he didn't have possession, which I didn't agree with."
Video: PHI@MIL: Utley is safe on pickoff attempt
WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Aaron Harang will take the ball for the Phillies in the series finale Sunday afternoon at 2:10 p.m. ET. The veteran right-hander allowed eight earned runs on 14 hits over five innings against the Brewers on July 1. Harang hasn't posted a quality start for the Phillies since May 30.
Brewers: Rookie Taylor Jungmann will look to rebound from his first poor start of his big league career when he takes the mound for Milwaukee in the series finale at Miller Park on Sunday. Jungmann received a no-decision against the Phillies on June 30, allowing three runs (two earned) over six innings. His first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.
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