11
Bullpen Implodes: Brewers Blow Series to Giants
Brewers Get Squashed by Giants: A 16-3 Loss That Stings
What Happened in Simple Terms
Imagine your favorite team showing up to play, but nothing goes right. Not a single thing. That was the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants. The final score? 16 to 3.
It was the kind of game where you want to turn off the TV, go outside, and pretend baseball doesn’t exist for a few hours.
The Big Picture
Important Takeaways
- Worst loss of the season for the Brewers
- First series loss since before the All-Star break (that’s the mid-season vacation for players)
- The pitching staff — usually a strength — completely fell apart
- A Giants player named Daniel Susac had the best day of his young career
- This loss might force the team’s bosses to make trades before the deadline
How the Game Fell Apart: Step by Step
1. The Starting Pitcher Had a Rough Day
Thomas Pannone got the start — his first in the major leagues since 2019. That’s over five years! The plan was for him to pitch a few innings so the regular pitchers could rest.
His line:
- 3 innings pitched
- 56 throws (pitches)
- 2 runs allowed
- 2 walks (free passes to first base)
- 3 hits allowed
- Big problem: He kept falling behind in the count. That means he threw lots of "balls" (bad pitches) and not enough "strikes" (good pitches), putting him in a hole against hitters.
The lowlight: He gave up Daniel Susac’s first-ever major league home run. A three-run shot. Ouch.
2. The Brewers Tried to Fight Back (Briefly)
The offense actually showed some life early on:
| Inning | What Happened | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | David Hamilton and Cooper Pratt hit singles. Brice Turang hit a sacrifice fly (run scores, but he’s out). | 3-1 Giants |
| 4th | Jackson Chourio hit into a double play (two outs on one play). Rally killed. | 3-1 Giants |
| 5th | Jake Bauers hit a triple (three bases!). Christian Yelich walked. Garrett Mitchell hit a sacrifice fly. | 3-2 Giants |
That 3-2 score? That was as close as it got. The rest of the game belonged to San Francisco.
3. The Bullpen Melted Down
The "bullpen" is the group of relief pitchers who come in after the starter. Usually, they’re reliable. Not today.
Chad Patrick
- First two innings: Perfect. Zero runs.
- 6th inning: Gave up 2 runs. Wheels coming off.
Aaron Ashby (The Disaster)
- Recorded only ONE out
- Allowed 4 runs
- 3 hits + 1 walk
- Worst outing of the day — by far.
Bryse Wilson
- Since rejoining the team, this was his worst performance
- 3 runs allowed
- 6 hits (that’s a lot!)
Andrew Vaughn
- Brought in just to eat up innings (finish the game so better pitchers don’t waste energy)
- Gave up Susac’s SECOND home run — a 2-run shot.
The Giants’ Offense Went Wild
San Francisco collected 17 hits as a team. That’s like getting a hit almost every single time up.
Standout performers:
- Luis Arraez: 4 hits
- Heliot Ramos: 4 hits
- Daniel Susac: The star of the show
- 1st career home run (off Pannone)
- 2nd career home run (off Vaughn)
- 4 RBIs (runs batted in) — a career day!
What This Means for the Brewers
The California Problem
The Brewers are now 2-4 against California teams on the road this season. That’s not great, especially because…
The Schedule Doesn’t Get Easier
| Upcoming | Details |
|---|---|
| Monday | Off day (much needed!) |
| Tue-Thu | 3 games vs Los Angeles Angels |
| After homestand | Back out west vs Dodgers AND Padres |
Angels Series Starters Announced
The team already named their pitchers for the Angels series:
- Game 1: Shane Drohan
- Game 2: Robert Gasser
- Game 3: Jacob Misiorowski
Trade Deadline Implications
Why this matters: The trade deadline is July 31st. Teams can swap players until then. This ugly loss — especially the bullpen collapse — might convince the front office: "We need to go get help. Now."
Summary
The Brewers got blown out 16-3 by the Giants in a game where almost nothing went right. The starter (Pannone) was rusty, the offense had two good innings then vanished, and the usually-reliable bullpen completely collapsed — giving up 11 runs in the final four innings.
Daniel Susac became an instant villain in Milwaukee with two home runs and 4 RBIs in his first big league showcase.
Now the Brewers get a day off before facing the Angels, with a brutal west coast trip looming after that. Most importantly: this loss screamed "WE NEED PITCHING HELP" right before the trade deadline. Expect the phone lines to be busy in the front office.
FAQ: Questions You Might Have
What does "falling behind in the count" mean?
In baseball, the "count" tracks balls (bad pitches) vs strikes (good pitches). If a pitcher throws more balls than strikes early — like 2-0 or 3-1 — the hitter has a huge advantage. They can sit on a fastball and swing hard. Pannone did this repeatedly.
What’s a "sacrifice fly" and why does the batter get an RBI?
When a batter hits a fly ball that’s caught, but a runner tags up and scores — the batter is out, but they get credit for the RBI (run batted in) because they "sacrificed" their at-bat to score the run. Turang and Mitchell both did this.
Why did they put Andrew Vaughn in to pitch? He’s not a pitcher!
You’re right — Andrew Vaughn is a position player (usually plays first base or outfield). In blowouts, teams use position players to pitch the last inning to save their real pitchers’ arms for winnable games. It’s called "eating innings."
What’s the trade deadline and why does it matter?
July 31st is the last day teams can trade players without them having to clear "waivers" (a complicated process). Contending teams like the Brewers often trade prospects (young minor leaguers) for veterans who can help them win now. This loss highlighted their need for bullpen help.
Who is Daniel Susac and why should I care?
He’s a 23-year-old catcher drafted 19th overall in 2022. This was only his 5th major league game. Hitting two home runs — including his first ever — against a playoff-contending team is a massive confidence booster for him and a nightmare for the Brewers.
