MILWAUKEE (AP) - Under new management, the Milwaukee Brewers have shown a propensity to keep rallying in the late innings.
It’s just the kind of attitude that team brass hoped to instill when Craig Counsell was brought in to replace Ron Roenicke as manager 10 games ago.
A few more wins would make the team feel even better.
Milwaukee threatened several times in the late innings, including Carlos Gomez’s solo shot in the ninth, but failed to complete a comeback with the tying run at the plate in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
The Brewers wrapped up their 10-game homestand, which coincides with Counsell’s first 10 games as manager, with two straight losses to finish 5-5. That’s still a promising development for a team that started the year 7-18.
“It’s a disappointing way to end. I thought we really battled tonight though, man,” Counsell said. “The last two innings, I was proud of their at-bats.”
If only the Brewers’ bats could have done more against White Sox starter Jose Quintana (2-3), who struck out 10 in seven solid innings.
Avisail Garcia and Adam LaRoche provided the muscle with back-to-back home runs for a 3-0 lead in the first inning off Jimmy Nelson (1-4).
“It helped my confidence. I was able to get out quickly and go longer in the game,” Quintana said.
Chicago, which had a major-league worst three road wins entering the game, won their first road series of the season after taking two of three from last-place Milwaukee.
The Brewers made things interesting in the ninth with Carlos Gomez’s solo homer off David Robertson. Adam Lind then walked to put the tying run at the plate with one out.
Martin Maldonado lined out before Robertson got Hector Gomez to strike out on a 1-2 curveball for his seventh save.
Hector Gomez tripled and doubled, scoring the Brewers’ first run in the eighth on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Gerardo Parra.
“Every game we fight, keep fighting. It’s nine innings, you never know what’s going to happen,” Hector Gomez said.
HALF NELSON
Nelson has allowed five homers in his last two starts. Location was a problem with the homer to LaRoche after Nelson’s sinker didn’t move down and away from the left-handed slugger.
He gave up eight hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings in losing his second straight start. But Nelson can take pride in pitching better after the first inning.
“Three runs in the first - you have eight innings to come back from that. I just tried to pretend like it never happened,” Nelson said.
STREAK OVER
Elian Herrera finished 1 for 4 with a single, but had his streak of three straight games with a home run come to an end. Herrera is filling in for the injured Aramis Ramirez at third base.
QUALITY STARTS
Quintana’s start followed an eight-inning gem on Tuesday night by fellow left-hander Chris Sale in another 4-2 win. The White Sox bullpen got some needed relief after the pitching staff was taxed during last weekend’s series with the Reds.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: LaRoche started at first for slugger Jose Abreu, who got a day to rest after playing all but one inning of the team’s first 30 games. Chicago is off Thursday, so Abreu will have received two days off when the team opens a three-game series Friday in Oakland.
Brewers: SS Jean Segura was a late scratch from the lineup with a sore right pinky. … Ramirez (back) hopes to return on Friday after missing six games. He plans to take grounders and hit in the batting cage during the Brewers’ day off on Thursday.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon (1-0) makes his second career start on Friday in Oakland. The organization’s prized pitching prospect won his debut as a starter last week at Cincinnati.
Brewers: The team leaves on their day off Thursday for a 10-game, three-city trip that begins Friday against the Mets. Kyle Lohse (2-4) opens the series at Citi Field, where the right-hander is 0-2 with a 4.03 ERA in four career starts.
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