LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Nelson took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat Yu Darvish in his return from the disabled list, defeating the Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday to hand Los Angeles its first series loss in nearly three months.
Hernan Perez homered and Domingo Santana had two hits and an RBI to lead the offense for Milwaukee, which took two of three at Dodger Stadium. The Brewers pulled within two games of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
Los Angeles had gone 19-0-3 in series since dropping two of three games at home to Washington from June 5-7.
Nelson (10-6) was charged with two runs on four hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
Corey Knebel set down the Dodgers in the ninth for his 29th save in 34 attempts. With two on, he struck out pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer on a full-count pitch to end it.
Darvish (8-10) came back from lower back tightness to make his fourth start since the Dodgers acquired him from Texas at the July 31 trade deadline, but struggled for most of the afternoon.
The right-hander lasted only five innings, again laboring and throwing 95 pitches. He allowed three runs on six hits and three walks, striking out seven.
The Brewers scored in the first after Darvish walked leadoff hitter Eric Sogard, who went to third on Neil Walker’s single and scored on an error by shortstop Corey Seager.
Milwaukee added two more in the third. Perez led off with his 13th home run. A walk to Walker and Travis Shaw’s double put runners at second and third. Santana singled Walker home, but center fielder Chris Taylor threw out Shaw attempting to score.
Nelson’s no-hit bid was broken up by pinch-hitter Chase Utley with one out in the sixth on a clean single to center. Seager extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single that scored Utley, and went to second when the ball got past center fielder Keon Broxton for an error.
With two outs Justin Turner, mired in a 1-for-19 slump, hit a fly to right that Santana lost in the sun. It fell for a gift double as Seager scored.
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
Brewers minor league infielder Julio Mendez suffered a cardiac event Saturday night after being hit by a pitch during a rookie league game in Tempe, Arizona. The 20-year-old Mendez was treated on the field and taken to a hospital where he was in critical but stable condition, the club said. “We’re thinking about him, and our thoughts are with him and his family,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s obviously very scary.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: Hurricane Harvey is impacting the team’s plans for rehab assignments. “Our Triple-A team is in New Orleans today and then they’re supposed to go to Round Rock (Texas). We have some players that are close to rehab. We’re not sending them there,” Counsell said.
Dodgers: Manager Dave Roberts said ace Clayton Kershaw (back strain) came out of his Saturday rehab start at Triple-A well and will next start for the Dodgers either Friday or Saturday. . To open a roster spot for Darvish, the Dodgers placed reliever Josh Fields on the 10-day DL with a sore lower back.
UP NEXT
Brewers: After an off day, Milwaukee will send RHP Matt Garza (6-7, 4.67 ERA) to the mound Tuesday at home against St. Louis. Garza is 7-5 with a 4.01 ERA in 16 career starts vs. the Cardinals.
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (9-5, 3.32), who lost a no-hitter in the 10th inning in his last start, is scheduled to start Tuesday at Arizona. Hill is 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA in his last 11 starts.