Brewers Slide Down Standings After “National” Embarrassment

The Milwaukee Brewers are now one and one half games behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central after the Crew got crushed in Washington 15-2. Michael Blazek became the first starter in Major League history to give up six homers in fewer than three innings as four straight Nationals hit balls in the stands in the third — and they had five for the frame which tied the big league mark set by Minnesota in 1966. Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmermann each homered twice — and Harper fell a triple short of the cycle as he drove in four on the afternoon. Hernan Perez became the first Milwaukee position player to pitch in more than three years when he tossed a scoreless eighth as the Crew ended a 2-8 road trip. Besides falling down the Central standings, the Brewers are now four and one half games behind Colorado for the second and final wild card playoff spot as Milwaukee is back home to play the Cubs tonight (Friday).