Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell gave the ball to Wily Peralta for his first opening day start, but the plan backfired. Peralta lasted just four innings and the bullpen gave up four home runs as the Brewers fell to the San Francisco Giants 12-3 at a sold out Miller Park on Monday.
Peralta gave up six hits and five runs (four earned) but made it through just four innings as his pitch count climbed, leaving after 83 pitches.
Madison Bumgarner, pitching with the flu, held the Brewers to three runs in five innings, despite giving up five hits and five walks. But the Giants bullpen allowed just three hits and no runs the rest of the way to pull out the season opening win.
Scooter Gennett got the start at second base, batting against the left-handed Bumgarner and he didn’t disappoint. Gennett clubbed his first homer of the season and his first career home run against a left-handed pitcher. Gennett finished two for three with a walk. Domingo Santana also had a two-hit day for the Brewers.
Jonathan Villar hit the Brewers other home run.
For the Giants, Matt Duffy clubbed a two-run homer off of Carlos Torres in the fifth. Denard Span, Joe Panik and Buster Posey hit consecutive homers off of Ariel Pena in the 8th.
The Brewers fall to 25-22-1 all-time on opening day and 10-8 at home. The team is 9-9-1 on opening day since joining the National League in 1998.
Jimmy Nelson pitches game two of the series on Tuesday night at Miller Park. Johnny Cueto gets the start on Tuesday night for the Giants.
AUDIO: Jeff Miller recaps the season opening loss :34
AUDIO: Despite the loss, Craig Counsell is happy with the offensive lineup :17
AUDIO: Craig Counsell on Wily Peralta’s outing :22