Greinke, Dodgers' homer spree halt Brewers
MILWAUKEE -- Zack Greinke remained undefeated since August and the Dodgers hit three home runs to power past the Brewers, 8-2, at Miller Park on Tuesday.
Justin Turner hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the sixth inning and Jimmy Rollins and Adrian Gonzalez added two-run shots in the seventh to back Greinke, who hasn't lost a decision since these Brewers beat him last Aug. 9. He improved to 10-0 with a 1.99 ERA in 14 starts since that defeat by holding his former team to one unearned run on two hits over 7 2/3 innings.
"My fastball and slider were really good, the changeup was OK and the curveball was pretty good," said Greinke.
Greinke is 16-2 (.889) at Miller Park, best all-time among pitchers with at least 10 decisions here.
"We saw it for a while here, he's been good in this park," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, a teammate of Greinke's in 2011. "He was good tonight. He was real good tonight."
Brewers starter Matt Garza pitched with a 1-0 lead after the second inning and carried it into the sixth, when he surrendered a single and a walk ahead of Turner's fourth home run of the season. Turner gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead by connecting with a 3-1 fastball that an irritated Garza called a "mistake, that's it."
"I thought I had good stuff tonight," Garza said, "and one pitch cost me."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Brewers first on the board: Greinke looked tough early, taking advantage of some low-and-away strike calls from plate umpire Paul Emmel. He surrendered an Aramis Ramirez single in the second inning but should have escaped without allowing a run when Jean Segura hit a line drive that Joc Pederson may have lost in the lights. Pederson was charged with a two-out, run-scoring error when the ball popped out of his glove.
Video: LAD@MIL: Ramirez scores on Pederson's fielding error
Protecting A-Gone: Seven plate appearances into this series and Gonzalez hadn't put a ball in play, being pitched around with five walks and a HBP. But after the fifth walk in the sixth inning, Turner followed with a three-run homer to dead-center. Milwaukee reliever Neal Cotts didn't get the memo, as Gonzalez homered off him so high and far to center field (447 feet) that it nearly hit Gonzalez's photo.
Video: Must C Crushed: Gonzalez homers off the scoreboard
Rollins revived: Rollins snapped an 0-for-13 drought with his third home run of the year, a two-run shot that followed Greinke's double (and Yasiel Puig-like bat flip).
Video: LAD@MIL: Rollins hits a two-run homer to left
Streak snapped: How rough a night was this for the Brewers? The damage even reached right-handed reliever Michael Blazek, whose run of nine straight scoreless outings ended when the Dodgers scored against him in the ninth inning. Blazek had held opponents 1-for-34 during the scoreless streak but surrendered two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning against L.A.
Video: LAD@MIL: Turner tacks on another with single in 9th
QUOTABLE
"I'm not settled in yet. That's good. I don't want to settle in. I like that things are new. I think it keeps you on your toes a little bit longer. I enjoy all the new stuff that's being thrown at me. It gets your mind going and ideas running through your head. I hope it stays that way for a long time." -- Counsell, on Day 2 as a Major League manager
Video: LAD@MIL: Counsell on Brewers' loss, Garza's outing
"Not with people in baseball circles. He may get overlooked because he's a little quiet and Clayton is off the charts. Anybody would get overlooked." -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, when asked if Greinke doesn't get his due because of Kershaw's presence
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
As usual, Greinke was at his best following a Dodgers loss. In his four starts this season following a team loss, Greinke has surrendered only three earned runs in 27 2/3 innings, winning all four games. Since joining the Dodgers in 2013, he is 21-6 in 33 starts following a team loss. More >
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Joe Wieland gets the callup from Triple-A to make this start, beginning at 5:10 p.m. PT on Wednesday. He has a chance to earn a rotation spot after injuries to Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy. Wieland, on the comeback trail after Tommy John surgery, was obtained from San Diego in the Matt Kemp trade. More >
Brewers: Wily Peralta has lost his last four decisions, matching the longest slump of his big league career. He will try to avoid a fifth straight defeat when he faces the Dodgers.
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