Brewer bullpen falters again as they blow a five-run lead

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The Milwaukee Brewers blew a five-run lead and lost at Philadelphia 7-6 last night. It was the same score as Monday night’s loss to the Phillies. And once again, the bullpen imploded as the Phils scored six times in the eighth inning. Zack Greinke pitched a gem in what could have been his final start for Milwaukee if he’s traded to a contender by next Tuesday’s deadline. Greinke, pitching on 10 days’ rest, gave up one run on three hits in seven innings with five strikeouts. He retired the final 14 batters he faced. And Greinke hit a solo homer off Cliff Lee. He only threw 87 pitches when he was pulled. The Brewers were up 6-to-1 in the eighth when Philly teed off against relievers Jose Veras, Manny Parra, and Kameron Loe. Carlos Ruiz tied the game with a three-run double, and Hunter Pence hit the game-winner with an R-B-I single. Loe took the loss and dropped to 4-and-4. Michael Schwimer improved to 1-and-1, and Jonathan Papelbon earned his 22nd save. Lee tied a career-high by giving up four homers. Ryan Braun belted his National League-leading 27th shot. Carlos Gomez and Aramis Ramirez also went yard, and Greinke’s blast was the third of his career. Erik Kratz homered for Philadelphia, which won its third straight but remains nine-and-a-half games out of Wild Card contention. Milwaukee lost its season-high fifth straight, and is eight-and-a-half away from an N-L Wild Card. The Brewers will try to salvage a win as they wrap up their Philly series this afternoon. Right-hander Marco Estrada faces Phillies’ right-hander Vance Worley.

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Former Brewers’ catcher Jason Kendall has retired. The 38-year-old Kendall played in just two games for Kansas City’s Double-“A” affiliate, after he signed a minor league contract last Thursday. He missed all of last season, after undergoing surgery that cost him the final month of his 2010 campaign with the Royals. Kendall played in Milwaukee in 2008-and-’09 before leaving as a free agent for what would be his final stop at Kansas City. He was a three-time All-Star with Pittsburgh from 1996-through-2004, and he also played for Oakland and the Chicago Cubs. Kendall caught two-thousand-25 games, the fifth-most in Major League history. And he was a career .288 hitter in 15 big league seasons.

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