Red Sox 2, Brewers 1: Boston takes control in three-pitch span in the eighth

BOSTON – The Milwaukee Brewers have played exceedingly well in their few trips to Fenway Park over the last decade.

The luck ran out on Sunday afternoon, however, as in a three-pitch span in the eighth inning Elvis Peguero surrendered the lead in a game the Brewers went on to lose to the Boston Red Sox, 2-1.

Milwaukee did take the series, 2-1, and dropped to 7-2 over its last nine games in Boston dating to the 2014 season. But the loss cost the Brewers a chance at a winning road trip; they head back home for a big four-game series against the Chicago Cubs having gone 4-5.

"We competed. We were right there until the end," said manager Pat Murphy. "That's what I worry about. And we've been competing. We had very few lapses on this long road trip. We're a very young team. We're a very banged-up team.

"I really love the team. I love what they do. I love what they represent. I love how they come to play and I love our leadership."

Starter Tobias Myers and, really, the rest of the pitching staff showed well. Relievers Joel Payamps and Enoli Paredes, in particular, were stellar.

It was more the offense that was to blame in this one, with eight hits and a 1-for-8 performance with runners in scoring position. Although it also needs to be noted that Boston starter Tanner Houck is a tough customer, and the Brewers didn't have luck on their side a few times when hard-hit balls failed to fall in at key times.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 2, Brewers 1

Red Sox take the lead back

Peguero, who had allowed just one hit and no runs in his previous five outings, entered the game behind Paredes in the eighth and in the span of three pitches surrendered the lead.

First, No. 9 hitter Ceddanne Rafaela doubled down the left-field line, then on Peguero's next pitch Jarren Duran singled to left to make it 2-1.

Peguero (4-2) limited the damage to the lone run, but it was enough as Boston closer Kenley Jansen did what he almost always does against the Brewers by retiring the side in order in the ninth to put the wraps on an economical 2-hour 13-minute game.

Brewers involved in another fracas

Blake Perkins was the final batter retired, as Jansen fielded hit bunt back to the mound and tossed over to first for the out.

It was a Perkins bunt for a hit to open the seventh inning against reliever Chris Martin that apparently served as the spark for some ensuing fireworks. Brice Turang followed by bunting Perkins up to second, then both William Contreras and Christian Yelich grounded out to finish the top of the frame.

But in the aftermath of the Yelich play, Martin and Brewers first base coach Quintin Berry exchanged words as Martin headed toward Boston's dugout. At that point, Red Sox players and coaches began pouring out and the Brewers beelined from their dugout as well with both bullpens also emptying.

Berry was then pushed back to the Milwaukee dugout by Perkins, and not long thereafter both teams separated with no further issue. It was the fourth dustup for the Brewers already this season.

Word out of the Boston clubhouse after the game was Martin accepted blame for the fracas and admitted he was irked Milwaukee had bunted on him.

"Well, that's not our first time," joked Murphy of his team's seeming penchant for dramatics. They've also happened against the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, with multiple ejections and suspensions coming out of the Rays skirmish.

"I think it was more their pitcher showed some emotion," Murphy continued. "And I think our people thought it was directed at them. I don't know if it really was or wasn't. I'm not going to speculate what the kid was doing. But if you're staring at somebody and you're saying it, it could be interpreted that you're saying it (to us).

"So, you know, we take offense to you yelling at us and saying something and making it personal. We're going to stand up for ourselves."

Boston scores, Milwaukee answers back

Paredes did a good job of calming things back down in the bottom of the seventh as he struck out the side. He generated five swings and misses among his 24 pitches and had four strikeouts in his two innings of work in his Brewers debut.

"He's really sharp under 25 pitches, something like that," Murphy said of Paredes, who was called up from Class AAA Nashville on Friday and topped out at 97 mph. "We've been waiting for this all year."

Myers had retired eight of the first 10 hitters when Abreu led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to center. Two batters later, Rafael Devers hit a sacrifice fly to right to drive him in for the lead.

Milwaukee responded in the top of the fifth when Oliver Dunn led off with a single, stole second and scored on a single by William Contreras. Turang walked ahead of Contreras, but eventually was caught in a rundown between third and home and then Willy Adames struck out to leave it a 1-1 game.

After Myers allowed singles to two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth Murphy replaced him with Payamps, who retired both batters he faced to maintain the deadlock.

"That was a tremendous, clutch outing against real hitters," said of Payamps, who struck out Duran and got Abreu to fly out. "It was big right there."

Myers allowed six hits and the one run, didn't issue a walk and struck out four over 64 pitches. He lowered his ERA to 4.43 in his sixth appearance (fifth start) of the season.

Now comes Craig Counsell and the Cubs

The Brewers headed back to Milwaukee on Sunday night, with a much-anticipated Memorial Day matinee upcoming against ex-manager Craig Counsell and the Cubs.

They were three games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings at 27-25 after the Brewers' loss and won the teams' first three-game series at Wrigley Field.

"So, that's tomorrow, right?" quipped Murphy when asked the inevitable question about Counsell returning to Milwaukee. "I might go home and call him and boo him today. I'll probably call him and see how he's doing, if he needs anything. It's going to be a late night (the Cubs play a night game in St. Louis); if he needs anything I'll stop at the store and get him a sandwich or something.

"We're friends. Be a good host."

Brewers time, TV, radio

The Brewers game starts at 12:35 p.m. Sunday.

TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620 and a state network.

Brewers lineup

• Brice Turang 2B

• William Contreras DH

• Christian Yelich LF

• Willy Adames SS

• Jake Bauers 1B

• Gary Sánchez C

• Sal Frelick RF

• Oliver Dunn 3B

• Blake Perkins CF

Red Sox lineup

• Jarren Duran LF

• Wilyer Abreu RF

• Garrett Cooper DH

• Rafael Devers 3B

• Dominic Smith 1B

• Reese McGuire C

• Vaughn Grissom 2B

• David Hamilton SS

• Ceddanne Rafaela CF

Brewers schedule

Brewers vs. Cubs, 3:10 p.m. Monday: Milwaukee LHP Robert Gasser (2-0, 2.65) vs. Chicago LHP Justin Steele (0-2, 5.68). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Cubs, 6:40 p.m. Tuesday: Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (3-3, 3.81) vs. Chicago RHP Ben Brown (1-1, 3.20). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Cubs, 6:40 p.m. Wednesday: Milwaukee RHP Bryse Wilson (3-1, 2.86) vs. Chicago LHP Shota Imanaga (5-0, 0.84). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Cubs, 12:10 p.m. Thursday: Milwaukee RHP Colin Rea (4-2, 3.98) vs. Chicago RHP Jameson Taillon (3-2, 2.58). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Red Sox 2, Brewers 1: Boston takes control in three-pitch span in the eighth