Jimmy Nelson allowed two hits in eight strong innings, Scooter Gennett hit a home run and the Milwaukee Brewers extended the New York Mets' losing streak to a season-high seven games with a 4-1 victory Wednesday night.
The Brewers scratched out four runs on 10 hits in six innings off Mets starter Bartolo Colon (9-6) as New York (36-37) slipped below .500 for the first time since a 2-3 record on April 11.
Nelson (4-8) allowed one run, Curtis Granderson's 11th home run, and two hits. He struck out five and walked one sending the Mets to their longest skid since April 2011. Johnny Monell singled leading off the third for the first hit in the game off the Brewers' big right-hander.
Scooter Gennett hit a solo home run off Colon in the sixth, and Ryan Braun, Adam Lind and Carlos Gomez each had run-scoring hits.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 15th save in as many chances. He stranded Ruben Tejada at second on with a two-out double when he struck out Lucas Duda on a pitch that bounced in the dirt before catcher Jonathan Lucroy grabbed it and threw to first for the final out.
With the victory, Milwaukee spoiled Colon's attempt to become the second 10-game winner in the NL, and third in the majors. Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole leads with 11 victories and Seattle's Felix Hernandez has 10.
The Mets are in an offensive funk during their eight-game road trip. They came in batting .168 with four home runs and eight runs scored and did little to turn it around against Nelson, who beat them for the first time in three starts.
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Injuries continue to plague the Mets.
Catcher Travis d'Arnaud (left elbow) went on the disabled list for the second time this season Tuesday. He joins David Wright, out since mid-April, first with a hamstring injury and now lumbar spinal stenosis, and Daniel Murphy (left quad strain) on the DL. Earlier, d'Arnaud spent nearly two months on the DL with a broken right pinkie.
It was a nice victory for Nelson, especially after struggling his two previous starts. He allowed seven runs and 10 hits over five innings in a 7-2 home defeat to Washington on June 13, then yielded three runs and a career-worst 11 hits over five in Friday's 3-2 loss at Kansas City.
Granderson provided the offense with his solo shot in the fourth.
Colon's first 10 pitches in the bottom half of the first produced four straight hits and spotted Milwaukee two runs. Gerardo Parra whacked the first pitch for a double, moved to third on a single by Lucroy and scored on Braun's hit. Lucroy came home on Lind's double.
Braun beat Colon in a race to the bag in the fifth and later scored. Braun smacked a two-out grounder to first baseman Duda and then outraced Colon to the bag for an infield hit. One step faster and Colon might have escaped. Braun moved to second on Lind's second hit of the game and then scored on a soft liner by Carlos Gomez over shortstop Wilmer Flores.
Colon went six innings, struck out three and intentionally walked one.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Manager Terry Collins gave OF Michael Cuddyer and INF Dilson Herrera the night off to regroup. Cuddyer's error in the seventh allowed the decisive run to score in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee. He is in a 3-for-21 slump, while Herrera is 1 for 17. Collins started catcher Johnny Monell for Kevin Plawecki. Monell was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas Tuesday when d'Arnaud (left elbow) went on the day DL. Plawecki will start on Thursday. ... 2B Murphy, on the 15-day DL since June 5 with a left quad strain, went 1-1 with a walk in a rehab assignment for the rookie-level Gulf Coast Mets on Wednesday.
Brewers: LF Khris Davis, on the 15-day DL since May 31 with a torn right meniscus, hit during batting practice. He has been running the bases and throwing. "All signs are very positive," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. No date has been announced for Davis's return.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (7-5) pitched well in his previous start, but still took the loss. He allowed two runs on four hits in 7 1/3 innings June 19 as the Atlanta Braves beat him 2-1.
Brewers: RHP Taylor Jungmann (2-1) makes his fourth career start and first ever against the Mets. He was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on June 9.
