Gallardo can't stop Brewers slide vs. Marlins
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yovanni Gallardo knows his recent struggles are because he isn't commanding his pitches.
Gallardo (8-9) allowed five earned runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers were beaten 6-4 by the Miami Marlins on Monday night for their 12th loss in 13 games.
"The ball was just up," Gallardo said. "It's been up in the zone. That's basically it. You can't pitch at this level throwing the ball up in the zone."
The right-hander was 5-0 in his career against Miami. But he is 0-3 in his last four games after losing consecutive starts for the first time since May 3 and 9.
"He just missed spots," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "Up in the zone, middle of the plate, with all of his pitches, really."
Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 37th home run of the season, tying the Marlins record for career homers. Stanton, who also leads the league with 105 RBIs, matched Dan Uggla's team mark with 154 homers.
"I know he is not focused on personal stats," Miami manager Mike Redmond said of Stanton. "That is something he can reflect on at the end of the year. I know that in conversation with him, he is trying to win ball games and help us get to the playoffs.
"But that is pretty special. He has had an unbelievable year, he has been a huge part of this ballclub."
Marcell Ozuna and Garrett Jones added back-to-back shots for Miami, which won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak from Aug. 16-19.
Brad Penny (2-1) allowed two earned runs, four hits, three walks and struck out one batter in six innings — the right-hander's longest outing since Sept. 14, 2011.
Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.
Miami, 8-21 in its last 29 games against Milwaukee, kicked off a 10-game trip by scoring in each of the first three innings against Gallardo.
Ozuna led off the second with his 20th homer, a shot that bounced high off the scoreboard in center field, to make it 2-2.
Jones followed with his 14th homer to left, giving Miami back-to-back blasts for just the second time this season and first since April 25.
Stanton's homer to lead off the third tied his single-season best, set in 2012, and Jones added a run-scoring double later in the inning for a 6-2 Marlins lead.
"They aren't playing their best as of late, I noticed," Stanton said. "We can't be the team that turns them back around."
DID YOU KNOW?
Penny's last victory against Milwaukee came on May 23, 2007, when he pitched for the Dodgers.
MOVE OVER SHEETS
Gallardo passed Ben Sheets as the Brewers' career strikeout leader when he whiffed Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the second. It was Gallardo's 1,207th strikeout.
ROAD WARRIORS
After starting 3-15 in its first 18 road games, Miami is 27-23 away from home. That is the second-best road record in the National League since May 14.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Henderson Alvarez will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday and will start on Friday if all goes well, according to Redmond. Alvarez left the game on Sept. 1 because of a left oblique strain after throwing 40 pitches.
Brewers: Carlos Gomez made his first start since Aug. 31, when he sprained his left wrist on a swing in San Francisco.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Tom Koehler (9-9) didn't enjoy his last start against Milwaukee. The right-hander gave up seven earned runs and nine hits in five innings of a 9-5 loss May 23 in Miami.
Brewers: Matt Garza (7-8) will make his second start since coming off the disabled list with a left oblique strain. He hasn't faced the Marlins since April 18, 2012, when he was with the Cubs.