Suarez not sharp again as Phillies drop first game of big series

MILWAUKEE — Ranger Suarez was unable to complete six innings for the sixth straight start as the Phillies fell to the Brewers, 6-2, in a series-opening loss Monday night.

Suarez was one of the most important parts of the Phillies' tremendous first half, going 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his first 15 starts, but he hasn't been nearly the same guy his last 10 times out. He has a 5.61 ERA since June 25, missing a month from July 27 to August 24 with lower back soreness.

He allowed three runs and needed 104 pitches to get through five innings. The decisive frame was the bottom of the third when leadoff man Jackson Chourio walked and Blake Perkins singled off Suarez with one out for Willson Contreras, who laced a two-run double to left-center on a full count. The Phillies looked up from that point forward.

"I think I was battling myself tonight," he said. "That was the main reason why I left the game so early. A lot of pitches. A lot of two-strike counts. I just wasn't as effective as I usually am with those."

Suarez walked Rhys Hoskins to begin the bottom of the fourth and quickly found himself in a second-and-third, no-out jam. He rebounded with a flyout, groundout and strikeout but the Brewers added another run.

The lefty had a scare in the inning, slipping as he came off the mound to field a softly-hit groundball. Suarez' left foot gave way and he landed on his right wrist, but he remained in the game and retired the final four hitters he faced.

It wasn't a terrible night, but Suarez' command wasn't sharp. He walked three — two of which scored — and spent nearly as much of the night behind in the count as he did ahead.

"He had trouble finishing hitters off tonight," manager Rob Thomson said. "I think he had 16 two-strike counts and only five punchouts. That’s a little bit low for him. You’ve got to give them credit, they put some good at-bats on him, but those walks hurt."

As fantastic as he was through mid-June, Suarez probably lines up as the Phillies' No. 4 starter in a playoff series at this point. He has been clearly out-pitched the last month by Cristopher Sanchez, and if the Phillies end up starting Sanchez in Game 2 of the NLDS, they'd likely split up the righties and lefties, using Aaron Nola in Game 3.

There are still more than two weeks until that decision has to be made. Game 1 of the NLDS is October 5.

"First of all, we have to get there," Suarez said when asked about finding a rhythm ahead of the playoffs.

Thomson has referred to Suarez' last few starts as basically rehab starts since he did not go on a rehab assignment after missing four weeks with his back injury. Suarez disputed that notion, though.

"No, I'm not calling it that," he said. "I think there's a reason why I didn't go on a rehab assignment and it's because I didn't need it. I just think that I battled myself tonight more than usual.

"Executing those 0-2, 1-2 pitches better and finishing off counts, that's gonna be one of the goals I set for myself."

The series in Milwaukee this week is a potential playoff preview and carries great importance in the National League playoff field. The Phils are three games ahead of the Brewers with the head-to-head tiebreaker, making it a de facto four-game lead.

The Phillies are aiming for the top overall seed and their lead over the Dodgers is two games — one plus the tiebreaker. The top seed aside, beating up on the Brewers this week would get the Phils closer to guaranteeing themselves at least one of the top two playoff positions, both of which receive byes.

If the Phillies win the next two nights, they'll head to New York with a six-game lead over the Brewers.

If they end up losing two of three in Milwaukee, they'll head to New York with a four-game lead over the Brewers (three plus the tiebreaker).

And if they're swept at American Family Field, the Phillies will be just two games ahead of the Brewers and no longer in possession of the tiebreaker since they'd have split the season's six meetings. The next tiebreaker is record within your own division and the Brewers (30-19) have a decent advantage over the Phillies (27-18).

Kyle Schwarber appeared to homer on the first pitch of the game Monday but it was barely foul and he struck out looking two pitches later. Brewers right-hander Aaron Civale K'd seven over five innings, allowing just a solo homer to Brandon Marsh in the top of the fifth.

The Phillies didn't help themselves by running into two outs in the third inning. Cal Stevenson walked but was thrown out at third on a Trea Turner single to right field. Then Turner mistimed Civale's delivery and took off too early for second base, resulting in a caught stealing.

The sixth inning was a prime comeback opportunity when Schwarber and Turner opened with singles, down two, to chase Civale. But the Brewers turned to former Phillies lefty Hoby Milner and Bryce Harper lined out, Nick Castellanos struck out and Alec Bohm grounded out back to the mound.

The Phillies put their first two men on in the seventh against Milner but managed only one run. The Brewers' bullpen has the lowest ERA in the National League at 3.17. The first two relievers the Phillies used — Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks — were erratic and combined to allow three runs.

"We got enough hits to score some runs but it just didn’t happen," Thomson said.

The Phils look to even the series on Tuesday night behind their ace, Zack Wheeler (15-6, 2.60). The Brewers will start Frankie Montas (7-10, 4.49).