MILWAUKEE (AP) - Yovani Gallardo made it a point to be aggressive on the mound and get hitters to chase pitches that could be turned into easy outs.
Unfortunately for him, the Brewers lineup was having its own problems at the plate.
Gallardo extended his strong start to the season after allowing just one run in seven innings, but Chase Headley homered in the top of the 12th inning off reliever Alfredo Figaro to lift the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 win Tuesday night over Milwaukee.
Huston Street retired the side in order in the bottom of the 12th for his seventh save after Donn Roach (1-0) allowed just one hit over two scoreless innings in snapping the Brewers’ four-game winning streak.
Gallardo lowered his ERA to 1.42 on the year but picked up his third straight no-decision.
“It’s all about being aggressive in the strike zone, having guys hit their way on,” Gallardo said. “There’s no defense against a walk.”
Covering a bunt with a runner at third can be tough too.
Padres pitcher Ian Kennedy squeezed home Yonder Alonso from third in the top of the fifth after Gallardo couldn’t cleanly field a bunt down the third-base line with the runner charging home. Gallardo would get out of the inning two batters later after fielding a liner that hit just above his right knee from Will Venable that the veteran righty turned into an out at first.
Gallardo walked slowly back to the dugout and kicked his glove before reaching the steps. He said afterward that he was fine.
“If I was going to get hit, that was the right spot to get hit on. But I was still able to get out there and finish those innings,” he said.
Headley’s homer to center off a 1-0 fastball from Figaro (0-1) was one of the few mistakes from the mound among teams with two of the best staff ERAs in baseball. Kennedy labored through his first three innings before settling down and leaving after reaching the 100-pitch mark after six.
“It was big for me personally but it was big for our team,” Headley said about his homer. “The way our guys pitched today was phenomenal.”
Padres relievers allowed three hits and struck out eight. Street caught slugger Ryan Braun looking while leaning back on a slider for a strikeout to end the four-hour game.
Both teams squandered earlier scoring opportunities. With a runner on second, first baseman Mark Reynolds went to his knees to pick up a hard bouncer down the line from Everth Cabrera for the third out in the top of the 10th inning.
Milwaukee’s Khris Davis left runners on first and second to end the bottom of the 10th after flying out against Roach. An inning earlier, reliever Dale Thayer left runner Jean Segura stranded on second after striking out pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks and getting Carlos Gomez to fly out softly to center.
“When you let those runs get away, it’s tough,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “Play those close games and you always look back - what could you do better to score that run?”
Against the Padres, one mistake by Figaro cost them. The righty called up Monday to help out an already taxed relief corps allowed just two hits and struck out three in three innings.
Scooter Gennett homered to right on a 3-1 fastball to tie the game at 1 in the fifth for the Brewers’ only run.
Notes: The Padres acquired INF Tyler Greene on Tuesday from the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named. Greene was assigned to Triple-A El Paso. He was hitting .200 with one homer and four RBIs in 12 games at Triple-A Gwinnett in the Braves system. … RHP Johnny Hellweg, one of the top prospects in the Brewers farm system, has been diagnosed with an ulnar collateral ligament injury after leaving Sunday’s game for Triple-A Nashville. He is scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion next week. … Tyson Ross (2-2), who turned 27 on Tuesday, will get the start Wednesday when the Padres wrap up their three-game set in Milwaukee. Kyle Lohse (3-1) starts for the Brewers.
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