Milwaukee Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson was unable to keep the string of outstanding recent efforts on the hill intact Thursday in a 5-2 loss to the New York Mets.
Nelson (5-5) allowed eight hits and two runs in his five innings of work, however, it was his struggles against lefthanded bats that cause him the most trouble. Mets centerfielder Curtis Granderson led off the game with solo home run, then doubled and scored in the third.
The Brewers were able to battle back to within 2-1 after Kirk Nieuwenhuis scored on an Hernan Perez infield single in the seventh. The inning would be the last for Mets starter Bartolo Colon (5-3), who scattered eight hits and allowed the one run.
Reliever Corey Knebel, fresh off a stint on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain, entered for Milwaukee, but two runs on three hits to make it 4-1.
Scooter Gennett brought Milwaukee back within two in the eighth with a RBI single, capping a career-best 4-for-4 effort at the plate. Gennett has hits in six of his last eight at bats and is hitting an impressive .440 in the month of June.
The Mets (33-26) tacked on an insurance run in the ninth to snap the Brewers (28-32) brief two-game win streak.
Game two of the series is Friday at Miller Park. Junior Guerra (3-1) is on the bump, while Matt Harvey (4-8) goes for New York. Milwaukee is 6-1 in games pitched by Guerra this season. First pitch at 7:10 p.m.
Also, Brewers right fielder Domingo Santana is day-to-day with right elbow soreness, missing the last two games.
AUDIO: Craig Counsell on Jimmy Nelson’s outing and his struggles vs. lefties :18
AUDIO: Craig Counsell discusses Scooter Gennett’s hot bat and 4-for-4 night :13
AUDIO: Corey Knebel explains the significance of his failing curve ball :36