Brewers Sweep Dodgers-Haren Bad. Lucroy Good.

The Milwaukee Brewers have quite the team this season, don’t they? The bright side after the Dodgers got their butt handed to them in a 7-2 loss on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium is that they will not have to face the Brewers again during the regular season. Hopefully by the time the postseason comes around, the Dodgers will have some of their starts back from disability like Hanley Ramirez, Juan Uribe, and there’s even a chance Josh Beckett may return this year.

Dodgers 2 8 1

Brewers 7 7 0

WP- Peralta (15-7)

LP- Haren (10-10)

HR- Lucroy (13), Gomez (20)

Even with Hanley back in the lineup, the Brewers will be formidable foes come October. Their lineup is dangerous, their pitching staff sharp, and their catcher Jonathan Lucroy is a legitimate M.V.P. candidate this year. Lucroy, who drove in 5 runs during the series finale, has been great for the Brewers out of the two spot in the lineup. He not only can hit very well, but he also plays excellent defense and calls a great game as well. Must be nice to have such a strong and productive catcher, Milwaukee. Totally jealous.

Luckily I was partaking in a nice juicy hamburger with my family on Sunday instead of watching Dan Haren‘s miserable three-inning start.

Dan Haren pitched 3 innings and allowed 6 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks on 74 pitches.

I was eating this delicious hamburger while Dan Haren was serving up a homerun to Jonathan Lucroy. I win. Photo: Stacie Wheeler

After making two good starts for the Dodgers, Haren was right back to serving up homeruns to the opposition on Sunday. A lead-off walk to Carlos Gomez followed by a two-run homerun from aforementioned Jonathan Lucroy put the Brewers ahead 2-0 before the seats were even warm at Chavez Ravine.

The second inning was not any prettier. Khris Davis led off with a single, and Jean Segura reached safely on a missed catch error by Adrian Gonzalez. Haren walked Carlos Gomez to load the bases up. Lucroy came up clutch once again with a bases-clearing double to left field. That’s Lucroy’s 40th double of the season. The Brewers tacked on three runs and took a 5-0 lead thanks to that costly Gonzo error.

The Brewers continued to score against the battered Haren. They added a run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Segura.

Dan Haren’s day came to an abrupt end after three fateful innings, and Don Mattingly brought in Carlos Frias to take over in the fourth. Frias quickly allowed another run to Milwaukee on a Carlos Gomez solo homerun to lead-off the frame. Brewers took a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Dodgers’ offense was completely shut down by Wily Peralta. The Brewers could have scored 20 runs, and it wouldn’t have mattered much since the Dodgers could only muster two runs off the Brewers’ pitching staff. Even though the Dodgers outhit Milwaukee with 8 hits to 7, they were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Wiley Peralta pitched 6 innings and allowed no runs on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks on 105 pitches.

Andre Ethier played three innings at first base, and he looked good. So that was amusing.

Pedro Baez, not terrible? After he allowed that homerun, he was essentially perfect thereafter. Silver linings.

Zach Duke came out of the Milwaukee bullpen and continued what Peralta had started in the seventh inning. The Dodgers quietly went down in order.

J.P. Howell was asked to pitch the top of the eighth, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Of course instead of putting Howell in to face

Dan Haren only lasts three innings in latest start against Brewers. Photo: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Lyle Overbay when the game was on the line on Saturday night, Mattingly used him in a meaningless situation in a 7-0 game.

Andre Ethier, first baseman, opened up the eighth inning with a double off the right field wall against Milwaukee reliever Marco Estrada. Scott Van Slyke hit a booming double over Gerardo Parra‘s head in center, and the Dodgers actually scored a run! The Dodgers got a gift run thanks to old friend Elian Herrera who couldn’t catch the “sun double” as Vin Scully calls likes to call it out in right field hit by Darwin Barney. SVS brought in the second Dodger run of the inning. 7-2 Brewers.

Pedro Baez pitched the ninth. Even though the Dodger pitchers retired 16 Milwaukee Brewers in a row, the game was essentially

over after the first two innings. Gerardo Parra doubled off Baez with one out, but Baez managed to pitch a scoreless inning.

Jeremy Jeffress came in to shut down the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth. Miguel Rojas struck out looking. Carlos Triunfel hit back to the box for the second out. Yasiel Puig struck out as the Dodgers proverbially struck out as well.

The Dodgers drop to 70-56 on the season. The Giants beat the Phillies again on Sunday, and the Dodgers’ lead is cut to 3 1/2 games. Monday is a much needed off day for the tired team. Tuesday they will resume the homestand as the Padres come into town for a three-game set. Kevin Correia will face Ian Kennedy.