Andrew Heaney collected 10 strikeouts but saw his season home run total quadruple, and the Los Angeles Dodgers couldn’t overcome an early deficit in a 5-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers settled for a series split at American Family Field and finished 4-3 on their road trip.
Andrew McCutchen was a thorn in Heaney’s side on Thursday, hitting home runs in the first and third innings to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. McCutchen then had good fortune on his side when swinging through strike three in the fifth but still reaching base safely because of a passed ball on Will Smith.
That wound up costing Heaney and the Dodgers as Hunter Renfroe slugged a two-run homer that proved to be the difference. It additionally knocked Heaney out of the game at five runs (three earned) allowed over 4.2 innings. He entered the start having given up just one home run this season.
While he was plagued by the long ball, Heaney didn’t show any lingering effects of being hit in the left shoulder by a comebacker during his last start.
Corbin Burnes kept the Brewers’ 5-0 lead intact until facing the Dodgers lineup a third time through. Trea Turner started a rally with a leadoff double in the sixth inning that dropped in left-center field partly due to McCutchen coming up empty on his attempt at a leaping catch.
After Freddie Freeman’s single put runners at the corners, Will Smith lined an RBI base hit just out of the reach of Kolten Wong. Gavin Lux then sent a drive to center field that would have been a three-run home run if not for Tyrone Taylor getting his glove on it.
However, Taylor was unable to complete the catch as he crashed into the fence, and Lux was left with a two-run triple. Brad Boxberger took over for Burnes at that point, and the Dodgers never drew any closer.
David Price part of strong Dodgers bullpen
Four different Dodgers relief pitchers entered the game after Heaney, including David Price. The veteran lefty worked a clean sixth and has now thrown 12 scoreless innings over his last 12 appearances.
Though, included in that was allowing two inherited runners to score on July 23.
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