The Los Angeles Dodgers began their seven-game homestand against a Milwaukee Brewers team that was swept by the San Francisco Giants and had lost six of their last 10 games.
After starting the game with a strikeout, Scott Kazmir proceeded to struggle through yet another first inning. Aaron Hill singled to center and Ryan Braun drew a walk to put two on with one out. Kazmir did catch a break as Jonathan Lucroy nearly pulled a three-run home run down the left field line, with the foul call held up after review.
Lucroy ended his long at-bat with a pop out and Chris Carter struck out swinging to end a 27-pitch first inning for Kazmir. Junior Guerra got through the bottom of the first without issue, retiring the Dodgers in order on just nine pitches.
Kazmir picked up another strikeout in the second and worked around a one-out single to throw a scoreless inning. Howie Kendrick dropped a base hit into right field and stole second base on a pitch Joc Pederson struck out on.
Kendrick was stranded as Yasmani Grandal hit into the shift in shallow right field. Jonathan Villar reached on an infield single and Hill drew a walk to give the Brewers two on with none out in the third.
With both runners in scoring position following a double steal, Braun went down swinging for the first out. Lucroy’s two-run single broke the scoreless tie and Hernan Perez’s sacrifice fly extended the Brewers lead to 3-0 before Kazmir could get out of the inning.
Despite already having thrown 75 pitches, Kazmir hit for himself in the bottom of the third and drew a one-out walk. After Corey Seager lined a single to center, Trayce Thompson connected for a three-run home run to tie the game.
Kazmir struck out the side in the fourth inning to give him eight strikeouts on the night. Casey Fien took over in the fifth and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Hill. Braun reached on an infield single and two batters later Carter hit an opposite field home run to extend the Brewers’ lead to 6-3.
CONTINUE READING: Tempers flare between Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner in dugout
