Former Milwaukee prospect Jake Odorizzi worked seven solid innings, holding his former employer to just three hits to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 2-1 win over the Brewers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida Monday night.
The only Brewer run came on Mark Reynolds solo home run in the third inning. It’s the only run the Brewers have scored in the last two games and it leaves them 1 1/2 games in front of the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central Division lead.
The Brewers drafted Odorizzi (7-8) with the 32nd overall selection in the 2008 baseball draft. They eventually traded him to Kansas City in the Zach Greinke deal in 2010 before the Royals shipped him to Tampa.
Kyle Lohse (11-5) took the loss for the Brewers, allowing four hits and two runs in six innings. Lohse walked three and struck out six on the night.
Odorizzi struck out five Brewers and didn’t allow a single walk. Brad Boxberger and Jake McGee then held the Brewers hitless in the final two innings, striking out five of the six Brewers they faced.
Matt Garza (7-7, 3.87) pitches game two of the series for the Brewers tonight. They’ll face Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb (6-6, 3.76).