Dodgers go down quietly to Brewers

The Dodgers were shut down by Mike Fiers, falling to the Brewers for a second straight night, 4-1 on Saturday night at Miller Park.

Fiers allowed just three hits and a walk, giving up one run in his eight innings, with five strikeouts. In three career games, including two starts, against the Dodgers, Fiers is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA.

Scooter Gennett dropped a base hit into short center field with one out in the second inning, then a 93-mph high fastball from Zack Greinke caught a little too much of the plate to Khris Davis, who muscled it out to right center field for his 19th home run and a 2-0 Brewers lead.

Fiers was effective in his first major league start of the year, not even allowing a runner to reach base until Greinke walked with two outs in the third inning. The only hit Fiers allowed his first two times through the order was by Adrian Gonzalez, who homered to right field in the fourth inning, cutting the Dodgers' deficit to 2-1 with a long ball for a second straight night.

Gonzalez had two of the Dodgers' four hits on the night, his third straight multi-hit game, and is hitting .342/.407/.566 since the All-Star break. He has nine home runs in 23 career games at Miller Park.

Milwaukee broke it open when the first four batters of the sixth inning reached base. Carlos Gomez deposited a curveball high off the left field foul pole to open the inning, giving Milwaukee a 3-1 lead. Singles by Jonathan Lucroy and Aramis Ramirez sandwiched a walk to Ryan Braun, adding another run and giving the Brewers runners on the corners with nobody out.

Greinke was able to wiggle out of that damage to keep the deficit at 4-1, but his day was done after six innings.

The Dodgers managed two runners to reach base in the ninth against closer Francisco Rodriguez, but Matt Kemp, representing the tying run, grounded out to first base to end the game.

Up next

The Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound on Sunday trying to salvage a game, while Milwaukee counters with Jimmy Nelson.

Saturday particulars

Home runs: Adrian Gonzalez (17); Khris Davis (19), Carlos Gomez (18)

WP - Mike Fiers (1-1): 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

LP - Zack Greinke (12-8): 6 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts

Sv - Francisco Rodriguez (35): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk