Photo credit: @SFGiants
By Jeremy Kahn
SAN FRANCISCO — Johnny Cueto does not look right on the mound, and his latest outing proved that theory.
Cueto lasted just four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, not walking a batter or striking out a batter and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-1 before a crowd of 40,735 at AT&T Park Saturday night.
“It is hard to get to get loose,” said Cueto. “I am going to meet with the doctors tomorrow,” Cueto added.
On the night, Cueto threw 61 pitches, his fewest in a game since June 28, 2013, while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds against the Texas Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington.
It was just the fourth time in Cueto’s career that he failed to strikeout a batter, the last time was on July 4, 2011 for the Reds against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
This was the fourth straight loss for the Giants, who have also lost eight out of their last 10 and are 2-6 since the All-Star Break.
Jhoulys Chacin was absolutely fantastic for the Brewers, as he went seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking one and striking out six on his way to improving his record up to 10-3 on the season.
After allowing a single to Lorenzo Cain in the top of the first inning, Cueto was able to get of the jam, but the second inning was a totally different story.
Cueto allowed a one-out double to Eric Thames, and then he scored with the next batter, as Eric Kratz singled for what would be the only run that the Brewers would need on the evening.
Christian Yelich drove in two runs on a single that scored Kratz and Orlando Arcia, who entered the game with a .193 average, but 2-for-2 in his two at-bats versus Cueto.
Arcia picked up his second hit of the night in the top of the fourth inning, as he drove in Thames, who singled with one out in the inning,
The Brewers broke the game wide open in the top of the fifth inning, as reliever Ty Blach gave up four straight hits, including a solo home run by Yelich, and then Jesus Aguilar got in on the act, as he drove in newly-acquired Mike Moustakas, who picked up the third of four hits in the inning.
In his Brewers debut, Moustakas went 1-for-5 with a single in the top of the fifth inning off of Blach.
Yelich extended his hitting streak up to 12 games, as he went 2-for-5 on the night, including his 15th home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning.
Nick Hundley broke up Chacin’s no-hit bid and shutout with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he hit his ninth home run of the season.
Ray Black replaced Blach with one out in the top of the eighth inning, after Blach allowed a base hit to Kratz that came after Thames reached on a fielding error by Pablo Sandoval at first base.
Black uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Thames to score from third base after he stole third base.
Not only was Chacin great on the mound, but Cain was fantastic at the plate, as he went 4-for-5 on the evening. This was the second four-hit game for Cain this week, as he also picked up four hits in a game on Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals and it is the 14th four-hit game of Cain’s career.
NOTES: The Brewers last swept the Giants from April 16-18, 2013 in a three-game series at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
This is the Brewers first series win against the Giants at AT&T Park since September 17-19, 2010, when they took out two out of three from the Giants.
Giants Manager Bruce Bochy will miss Sunday’s game, as he will be in Cooperstown, New York, as he shows support for his former closer with the San Diego Padres, Trevor Hoffman.
Bochy also is connected to another inductee, as former Detroit Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell coached on Bochy’s staff with the Padres from 2000-2002.
Bench Coach Hensley Meulens will manage the team in Bochy’s absence. Bochy is expected to rejoin the team when they begin their brief two-game series against the Padres on Monday night at Petco Park.
UP NEXT: The Giants hope to avoid a sweep by the Brewers Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.
Andrew Suarez will take the mound in the series and homestand finale on Sunday, while the Brewers will send Junior Guerra to the hill, as they look for their first ever four-game series sweep over the Giants.
