BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Zack Greinke threw 99 pitches in just five innings, a total boosted by a season high-tying five walks. He still left with a 2-0 lead.
The bullpen couldn’t hold it, and the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 6-3 to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night in a matchup of division leaders.
“His stuff was really good, so we couldn’t hit him,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “But surprisingly, he walked people, which he doesn’t usually do.”
Facing the Brewers for his second straight start, Greinke allowed two hits and struck out six while equaling his second-shortest outing of the season. The right-hander struggled with his control, giving up two-out walks three times.
“I wasn’t really sharp,” he said. “It’s mainly not attacking enough.”
The Dodgers are 1-3 against the Brewers this season, and 3-7 at home against them since 2011.
Yasiel Puig went 3 for 4 and had a pair of RBI singles that pushed across the NL West leaders’ first two runs. He scored on Matt Kemp’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-3 in the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay drove in three runs with a two-out double in the eighth inning for the Brewers.
Brandon Kintzler (2-3) got the victory, giving up one hit in one inning of relief.
The NL Central-leading Brewers scored five runs in the eighth off Jamey Wright (4-3), who gave up four hits and walked one.
“I’m the reason why we lost this game,” Wright said.
Milwaukee tied the score 2-all on Scooter Gennett’s RBI single and Khris Davis’ run-scoring double after Wright allowed four consecutive hits, Milwaukee’s first since getting two hits in the first inning.
Brandon League struck out pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks before Overbay doubled to left, scoring Gennett, Davis and Mark Reynolds, who was intentionally walked, for a 5-2 lead.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 37th save.
Ryan Braun went 1 for 3 with a walk and was roundly booed in his return to Milwaukee’s lineup after being held out for a game with a sore right hand. He scored the Brewers’ first run.
Jimmy Nelson gave up two runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one in his second straight outing against the Dodgers, who beat him 5-1 last Sunday.
STEAL IT
Dee Gordon had two stolen bases, giving him 56 to tie Steve Sax (1983) for the seventh-most in a single season in Los Angeles history.
DEBUT
Pedro Baez made his Dodger Stadium debut in his fifth career appearance, tossing a career-high two scoreless innings after being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier Friday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Kyle Lohse will miss his scheduled start Tuesday because of a sore right ankle. Mike Fiers will take his regular turn in the rotation that day.
Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu became the sixth Dodgers player to go on the disabled list this month. He has a right hip strain and will be replaced in the rotation by newly acquired right-hander Kevin Correia. Ryu had an MRI on Friday that showed strains in muscles that help stabilize the hip and leg during his throwing motion. … INF Juan Uribe was taken out as a precaution in the seventh with tightness in his right hamstring.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Yovani Gallardo (7-6, 3.44 ERA) makes his first start of the season against the Dodgers. Opponents are batting .252 against him, and the team is 11-13 in his starts. He is 1-4 with a 5.98 ERA in his career against Los Angeles.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 1.78) makes his second straight start against the Brewers. He allowed a run on six hits in eight innings against them last Sunday in a 5-1 victory. The left-hander struck out six and walked two on 100 pitches.
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