Nationals 2, Brewers 1 (11 innings): Solid homestand ends on a down note as Milwaukee falls in extra innings

It was a tough way to end an otherwise solid homestand.

Afforded multiple opportunities to put the game away late, the Milwaukee Brewers failed to take advantage and in the end dropped a 2-1 decision to the Washington Nationals in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon at American Family Field.

Starter Brandon Woodruff tossed six strong innings and the bullpen held firm until the final frame, when Washington used a pair of fly balls to push the decisive run across.

Milwaukee finished 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position for the day.

As a result of the loss, the Brewers' magic number to clinch the National League Central Division title remains at eight with the Chicago Cubs playing tonight.

Their lead in the Central also drops to six games.

Brewers go to extras for the 14th time

Closer Devin Williams and Thyago Vieira pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th, respectively, with Williams working around a pair of two-out walks and Viera a two-out free pass of his own.

Milwaukee's offense had a good opportunity against Nationals closer Drew Finnegan in the ninth by getting a pair on with only one out, but Josh Donaldson popped out and Andruw Monasterio struck out.

BOX SCORE: Nationals 2, Brewers 1

Then the Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th against Robert Garcia only to see the rally quickly fizzle after a pair of groundouts.

In the 11th Nationals quickly managed to do what the Brewers couldn't – get the ball in the air – as Lane Thomas flew out to right and Joey Meneses lifted a sacrifice fly to center to take a 2-1 lead.

Brice Turang sacrificed William Contreras to third with a bunt to start the Brewers' 11th, and after Willy Adames was put on base intentionally Rowdy Tellez ripped a ground ball down the first-base line.

Michael Chavis made a diving stab, stepped on the bag and then threw home. Contreras was eventually tagged out in a rundown to end the game.

Brewers manufacture a tie

After five innings of frustration against veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin, the Brewers finally broke through.

Not surprisingly, Mark Canha was once again in the middle of the action.

The author of maybe the moment of the season so far on Saturday with his dramatic eighth-inning grand slam, Canha this time led off the Milwaukee sixth with a solid single to left.

Canha then stole second. Contreras, up next, surprised just about everybody by dropping down a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt – the first of his career, spanning 1,123 plate appearances, and just the sixth for the Brewers all season – that moved Canha to third.

That brought up Carlos Santana, who wasted no time in lifting a sacrifice fly to right to score Canha and draw the Brewers even at 1-1.

Washington took a page out of Milwaukee's book in the eighth when Drew Millas led off with a double against Bryse Wilson and was bunted up to third with one out.

Andrew Chafin was called upon to face left-handed speedster CJ Abrams and he delivered, inducing a ground-ball double play with the only pitch he threw to maintain the tie.

Quiet day for the offense to start

Coming off a nine-run outburst on Saturday, the Brewers were looking for another big day against Corbin.

Canha, batting leadoff, did his part by drawing a leadoff walk and then singling in the third. There wasn't a ton of action otherwise, but Milwaukee did get a runner on in four of the first five innings only to see Corbin quickly tighten up.

The Brewers' best shot against him came in the first when Contreras followed Canha's walk with an infield single. But Corbin retired the next three batters – and nine of the next 10 – as he just kept pitching to contact and allowing his defense to work behind him.

Willy Adames drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and Caratini singled with one out in the fifth, then Corbin quickly snuffed out those opportunities for the Brewers by inducing 1-4-3 double-play grounders.

Brandon Woodruff was solid again

The right-hander, coming off his first career complete-game shutout, wasn't nearly as efficient as he was Monday against the Miami Marlins.

But that's not to say that he wasn't effective.

Throwing exactly the same number of pitches in six innings as he did in nine – 106 – Woodruff limited the Nationals to a lone run on a second-inning homer by García and three hits in all while not issuing a walk and striking out six.

The homer was the first Woodruff had given up since Aug. 25 and his 14 whiffs were 11 more than Corbin managed over the same span.

Yet, Woodruff exited with Milwaukee 1-0.

Brewers schedule coming up

Monday -- Brewers at Cardinals, 6:45 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (12-8, 3.79) vs. St. Louis RHP Adam Wainwright (4-11, 7.95). TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers fall just short of finishing off sweep of Nationals