Tobias Myers turned in his fourth quality start in his last five outings for the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday afternoon.
But this time, his bullpen couldn’t pick him up.
More specifically, Joel Payamps, who allowed the decisive two-run home run to Ian Happ two batters into the eighth inning of a frustrating 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field.
Twice the Brewers battled back from early deficits to tie the game, and it remained deadlocked until the eighth when Payamps allowed all four batters -- including three via walk -- he faced to reach base before being removed.
Milwaukee saw both its five-game overall winning streak and six-game home winning streak snapped as a result.
"You can't walk people," said manager Pat Murphy. "You're in the major leagues and you're pitching at that time in the game, walks aren't a possibility.
"I mean, it's just not part of it."
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The Brewers scratched out all three of their runs against the Cubs' best starter, left-hander Justin Steele, but the offense was largely silent after tying the game up in the fourth.
Every Milwaukee starter aside from Willy Adames had at least one hit, with Brice Turang and William Contreras each contributing a pair along with a run batted in apiece atop the lineup.
Things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth with the shaky Hector Neris on the mound for the Cubs, as the Brewers got a pair of runners on with one out.
Murphy tapped rookie Tyler Black to pinch-hit for Andruw Monasterio at that point. Black battled for eight pitches before taking a called third strike at the bottom of the zone, then Turang struck out swinging to end it.
Big swing in momentum
After committing a couple bad defensive plays earlier in the game, the Cubs atoned by depriving the Brewers of the go-ahead run in the seventh.
Monasterio and Turang each singled with two outs against Luke Little, who'd just taken over for Steele. With Contreras at the plate, Turang was picked off first but didn't make enough of an effort to get to second which allowed Nico ho*rner to make the throw home and trap Monasterio in a rundown.
After a couple throws, Monasterio was indeed retired.
"That play there, you do that and the first baseman is probably not going to throw it to second in that situation because he doesn't want to make the long throw because the guy at third is going to be able to get way off," Murphy explained. "So, you go on the long throw either way. But Brice thought he (could steal) easily and (Little) doesn't have good numbers holding runners.
"So, it's a miscue on his part to pull up. He didn't have to pull up there. He just runs all the way through they don't throw it. If they do throw it you should be able to score on that. The way he handled it, by slowing up, gave the kid a chance to fake, look back at (Monasterio) so he had to stop the momentum and then he threw the ball to second.
"If Brice had just continued, we'd have had men on second and third."
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Bryan Hudson, who threw a 1-2-3 third with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the seventh, was replaced by Payamps (1-4) for the eighth.
Immediately, the Cubs took advantage by drawing a leadoff walk and Happ followed with a homer into the Chicago bullpen in right. Two more walks after that led to Payamps's exit as his struggle to rediscover last season's magic continued.
Payamps walked the next two batters after Happ's homer but was credited for one out on a caught stealing before being removed in favor of Enoli Paredes.
"Payamps has been our eighth-inning guy a lot. He was fresh and we kind of collectively decided that anytime we can get Hudson not to labor...obviously, it backfired and it wasn't good," Murphy said. "The home run is the home run. Happ's a good hitter. He's a better left-handed hitter than right-handed hitter, but the other two guys are really good hitters, too.
"That part of the order, a right-hander can be effective and Happ struggles with the change. Payamps has got one, and I felt pretty good about it. And not to tax Hudson so we can use Hudson again."
Indeed, walks were the issue for Payamps in this one. But coming in he'd given up only six in 29 innings. His ERA now stands at 4.30.
A see-saw game continues in the fourth
Three fourth-inning singles by the Cubs put them back in front, with Pete Crow-Armstrong driving in the run. Myers entered the day having allowed just two runs over his previous 26 ⅓ innings.
Again, the Brewers answered as Jackson Chourio doubled down the right-field line to lead off, went to third on a Rhys Hoskins bloop single to right and scored on a Sal Frelick grounder.
Chicago appeared poised to go back in front again in the fifth when it loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a couple singles and a walk. Myers wriggled off the hook by striking out Christopher Morel, leaving the Cubs 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position to that point.
Myers retired the side in the sixth. Over 82 pitches, he allowed seven hits, three runs and two walks with six strikeouts. He also allowed a homer, hit a batter and balked twice.
"I was happy (with six innings)," Myers said. "I know I could have executed a little bit better throughout the game. But I was happy with the way I bounced back and was able to give the team six and keep them pretty close."
The six strikeouts matched a career high for Myers. For the month of June (five starts), Myers went 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 24 strikeouts. He also worked at least six innings four times since being recalled from Class AAA Nashville on June 5.
"Trying to just take it day by day," he said when asked to reflect on his month. For the season, Myers is 5-2 with a 3.26 ERA and WHIP of 1.16 in 12 appearances (11 starts, 58 innings).
"We're on to tomorrow now, trying to get a win and win the series," he continued. "But definitely excited for the future, being able to find myself a little bit in this last month and just compete -- I think that's a good sign moving forward."
Brewers battle back in the third
Frelick started things by going the other way and singling past third baseman Morel and then stealing second. Monasterio followed with a comebacker that Steele gloved while catching Frelick well off second.
The Cubs muffed the rundown, however, as Frelick ended up safe at third and Monasterio at second. Turang dropped down a bunt that scored Frelick and Steele couldn't field cleanly, leaving all runners safe.
Then, Contreras blooped a single perfectly between three converging Chicago defenders in short center, plating Monasterio to tie it before Christian Yelich and Adames struck out.
After throwing only 14 total pitches in the first two innings, Steele needed 26 to navigate the third.
Tobias Myers rattled early
A leadoff single and then next-pitch homer by Michael Busch left Myers and the Brewers in a quick 2-0 hole. Things compounded from there as Myers walked Cody Bellinger and then balked him to second base.
But Myers recovered to retired the next three hitters, with Monasterio -- in at third again for late scratch Joey Ortiz (neck stiffness) -- made a terrific play charging in on a slow roller, to limit Chicago to the two runs.
"The kid's game. He's game and he's always going to be competitive," Murphy said. "He's a competitive kid. He's proven that and he's pitched very well for us. Today was not one of his best days, but they came out ready to go. His tendency has been in a couple of the games to have a rough first inning and then settle in.
"Well, that's not good enough. You've got to recognize that and be convicted from the first pitch. That's all it is."
Brewers time, TV, radio
The Brewers game starts at 3:10 p.m. Saturday.
TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin/FS1. Radio: AM-620 and a state network.
Brewers lineup
- Brice Turang 2B
- William Contreras C
- Christian Yelich DH
- Willy Adames SS
- Jackson Chourio LF
- Rhys Hoskins 1B
- Sal Frelick RF
- Blake Perkins CF
- Andruw Monasterio 3B
Cubs lineup
- Nico ho*rner 2B
- Michael Busch 1B
- Cody Bellinger DH
- Seiya Suzuki RF
- Ian Happ LF
- Christopher Morel 3B
- Dansby Swanson SS
- Pete Crow-Armstrong CF
- Tomas Nido C
Brewers schedule
Brewers vs. Cubs, 1:10 p.m. Sunday. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (5-4, 4.03) vs. Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-5, 6.87). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
