Lohse, Reynolds lead Brewers over Braves
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Lohse pitched eight strong frames to win his sixth consecutive decision and Mark Reynolds belted a first-inning grand slam to guide the Brewers to a 6-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Carlos Gomez went 3-for-5 and tacked on a two-run blast for Milwaukee, which snapped a season-high four-game slide.
Lohse (6-1), whose only loss came April 1 at home against the Braves, remained unbeaten over his last nine starts. The right-hander allowed four hits, including an RBI double to Justin Upton in the opening inning. Lohse also fanned eight without walking a batter and moved to 4-0 in six career starts at Turner Field.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It was one mistake, really, in that whole game," Lohse said. "I felt like I was trying to run one up and in on Upton. I wasn't trying to throw a strike. A couple of times I've gotten hurt doing that. I've got to do a better job sticking that fastball in there. After that, I just kept going back into a rhythm that I had and making pitches."
Ervin Santana (4-2) yielded nine hits and six runs over seven frames. He walked four batters and dropped his second consecutive start. He's been shelled in both outings, having allowed 10 hits and five runs in five innings Friday at St. Louis.
Upton had three of the five hits for Atlanta.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gomez singled and Scooter Gennett doubled to right to open the contest. After Ryan Braun popped out, Jonathan Lucroy walked. That set the stage for Reynolds, who clubbed his third career grand slam, a shot to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat.
"I was looking for a pitch up in the zone and tried to hit a fly ball, worst- case scenario," Reynolds said. "I was able to put a pretty good charge into it."
Freddie Freeman and Upton hit back-to-back doubles with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but the Brewers added to their lead in the fourth. Lohse walked and Gomez followed with his 10th homer of the year, this one to center field.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lohse was in complete control. He retired 11 straight batters until Upton singled to start the seventh inning. He set down the next six hitters and turned it over to Francisco Rodriguez for the final inning.
"He was just going in and out," Freeman said of Lohse. "We were aggressive off of him. We made a lot of mistakes tonight. We just popped them all up it seemed like. I had a few myself tonight. We just didn't get it done tonight."
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Matt Garza pitches for Milwaukee and Aaron Harang for Atlanta in the finale of the four-game set Thursday ... The Brewers broke a four-game skid versus the Braves ... Lohse threw 75 of his 103 pitches for strikes ... Santana lost for the first time in four career decisions at Turner Field ... Atlanta's Evan Gattis missed the game due to viral symptoms.