Milwaukee has won just six of last 16 games
MILWAUKEE — Backed by an early lead and supported with solid defense, Chase Anderson turned in another gem for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Anderson pitched 7⅔ shutout innings, drove in a run and won his third straight game, Hernán Pérez homered and the Brewers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Tuesday night.
“It’s been fun lately, that’s for sure,” Anderson said. “It’s nice when your offense comes out and gets you a little lead. You can relax a little bit.”
Anderson (5-1) extended his scoreless streak to 21⅔ innings with the win. He walked one, struck out four and helped the Brewers beat the Giants for just the third time in the last 17 games against them.
Anderson went seven innings in each of his last two starts. He allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 11 May 27 against Arizona. Against the New York Mets, he fanned seven and scattered three hits.
“Three starts, no runs. That’s driving the bus,” manager Craig Counsell said.
Anderson kept his shutout going by stranding Brandon Crawford at third in the fifth. Anderson escaped the sixth when Brandon Belt grounded out to first with runners at first and second and two outs.
“Hats off to the defense tonight,” Anderson said. “The plays they made were just spectacular.”
The Brewers turned three double plays for Anderson, two of them started by third baseman Pérez.
“The double plays got us tonight,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Those are rally-killers. We just couldn’t keep it moving tonight.”
Anderson collected his first RBI of the season and the fifth of his career in the third with a double off the wall in left.
The fans let Brewers reliever Carlos Torres hear it after he gave up three straight singles and two runs in the ninth. Buster Posey drove in a run before Torres’ throwing error trying to start a double play allowed another run in. Corey Knebel came on with runners at first and second, no outs and retired three straight for his sixth save.
The Brewers roughed up Matt Cain (3-5) with four runs in the second, highlighted by a solo home run from Pérez and Eric Sogard’s two-run bloop double into short left field. Domingo Santana capped it with an RBI single.
Cain allowed 10 hits, two walks and struck out three over five innings. It was his fourth straight loss. He hasn’t won on the road since his 7-1 win on Aug. 6 at Washington, a span of eight road starts.
The Brewers challenged a safe call at first in the sixth. After a 1:37 review, the call was overturned.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Hunter Pence (left hamstring strain) made his second consecutive start since coming off the DL on Sunday. … OF Jarrett Parker is getting closer to a minor-league rehab assignment. He is on the 60-day DL with a fractured right clavicle. The Giants plan to re-evaluate him after the current trip.
GARZA TO MISS START THURSDAY
RHP Matt Garza threw a bullpen session and stopped after 25 pitches because he felt something wasn’t right. Counsell said after the game that Garza would not start and that there would be an announcement on Wednesday about the team’s next step. “I don’t think it’s a long-term thing,” Counsell said.
Garza left his start Saturday after four innings following a collision on a play at first with 250-pound first baseman Jesús Aguilar.
21 AND COUNTING
Eduardo Nuñez singled in the fourth to extend his run of reaching base safely via a hit or walk to a career-high 21 games, batting .372 (32 for 86) with 17 runs scored, four home runs and 15 RBIs. He had a single in the sixth and ninth and turned in a nice defensive play in the third when he snagged a hot shot off the bat of Jett Bandy and threw him out from the seat of his pants.
UP NEXT
Giants: LHP Ty Blach (4-2, 3.24 ERA) makes his first career start against the Brewers and ninth overall this season in place of injured Madison Bumgarner. Blach registered his first career complete-game shutout in his last start, a 10-0 win at Philadelphia.
Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (3-3, 3.36) set a franchise record with double-digit strikeouts and no walks in each of his last two starts. Against the Giants, he is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA in three career starts.