Davies struggles as Brewers routed by Dodgers 8-1
MILWAUKEE (AP) After struggling in April, Zach Davies has been one of the few bright spots in the starting rotation for the Milwaukee Brewers over the past two months.
Things turned sour for Davies on Thursday as he gave up a season-high six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in an 8-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed three home runs, the most in his 20 starts in the majors.
''It just comes down to executing pitches and falling behind a lot of guys,'' Davies said. ''It's tough to put your team in a hole like I did.''
Davies had been 5-0 with a 2.64 ERA over his last 10 starts.
''He just generally wasn't sharp with most of his pitches today,'' Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
Trayce Thompson, Yasmani Grandal and Corey Seager hit home runs to lead the Dodgers' offense, while Kenta Maeda (7-5) held the Brewers to one run over six innings. The Dodgers won the season series from the Brewers, five games to two.
The Dodgers announced before the game that they were placing ace Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury. An MRI revealed a mild disk herniation that will not require surgery, the team announced after the game.
Los Angeles acquired veteran pitcher Bud Norris from the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Thompson put the Dodgers in front in the second inning with a two-run homer off Davies (5-4). Grandal extended the Dodgers' lead to 3-1 in the fourth with a solo blast. Seager's shot in the fifth accounted for two of the Dodgers' three runs in the inning.
Los Angeles added two runs in the sixth.
Maeda gave up three hits, struck out six and walked two. He allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings against the Brewers in Los Angeles on June 19.
''He has great stuff. He has like six pitches,'' Brewers infielder Hernan Perez said.
The Brewers grabbed the lead in the first on Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly.
HITTING STREAKS
Dodgers: Seager extended his hitting streak to 13 games, a career high for the second-year player, with a first-inning single.
Brewers: Braun's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
DOUBLE ERROR
Maeda attempted to pick off Jonathan Villar from first base in the fifth but his throw sailed past Adrian Gonzalez. Justin Turner retrieved the ball but his throwing error allowed Villar to reach third. Maeda and Turner both were charged with errors.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: CF Joc Pederson was out of the lineup for the second consecutive day after suffering a bruised AC joint when he crashed into the outfield wall while making a spectacular catch in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game. ''I think we'll make a decision with what we do with Joc, as far as the roster, in the next day or two,'' manager Dave Roberts said.
Brewers: RHP Taylor Jungmann, who began the season in the starting rotation before being demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs after posting a 0-4 record and an ERA of 9.15 in five starts, has been reassigned to Double-A Biloxi after a period of mental rest. Jungmann also struggled at Colorado Springs, going 1-3 with a 9.87 ERA in eight starts. He was scheduled to start for Biloxi on Thursday at Birmingham.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Los Angeles begins as season-high, 10-game homestand on Friday against Colorado. Kershaw had been scheduled to start. The newly acquired Norris, who last pitched on Sunday, will start in Kershaw's place.
Brewers: Matt Garza (1-0, 2.81), who recorded his first win of the season on Saturday, will take the mound as Milwaukee opens a three-game series at St. Louis on Friday. Garza is 4-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 12 career starts against the Cardinals.