MILWAUKEE (AP) - Chase Headley gave the best bullpen in baseball a lift.
There was no doubt about the solo shot he hit over the wall in right-center to break a deadlock in the 12th inning.
The struggling San Diego third baseman hit a 447-foot homer to back six shutout innings by relievers, and the Padres beat the Brewers 2-1 on Tuesday night to snap Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak.
“It was big for me personally but it was big for our team. The way our guys pitched today was phenomenal,” said Headley, who was hitting .180 coming into the night.
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.
Headley’s homer to center off a 1-0 fastball from Alfredo Figaro (0-1) was one of the few mistakes from the mound among teams with two of the best staff ERAs in baseball. Padres starter Ian Kennedy labored through his first three innings before settling down his final three innings.
Brewers counterpart Yovani Gallardo went seven strong innings before the bullpens took over.
The Padres’ bullpen was a little better and allowed three hits and struck out eight. Street capped the night capped by catching slugger Ryan Braun looking while leaning back on a slider for a strikeout to end the four-hour contest.
Padres relievers had a major league-best 2.00 ERA coming into the night.
“The pitching was the story tonight. All of our guys did a fantastic job,” manager Bud Black said.
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?”
This is the type of close game that the Brewers have been winning in building the best record in baseball at 15-5 entering Tuesday night. Their three previous games were one-run victories.
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.
“Figaro was good. The one pitch he left out and over the plate,” Roenicke said.
The Brewers’ only run came after Scooter Gennett homered to right on a 3-1 fastball to tie the game in the fifth, a couple pitches after Kennedy called for the trainer after pointing to his right leg. Kennedy suffered a cramp, but stayed in the game after taking a few warm-up tosses.
“I babied a couple of pitches to Gennett and I’m mad at myself for that. Then I said, forget it, it’s just going to be there,” Kennedy said.
It was an active inning for Kennedy, who squeezed home Yonder Alonso from third in the top of the inning after Gallardo couldn’t cleanly field a bunt down the third-base line with the runner charging home.
The fifth was the only blemish in an otherwise stellar outing for Gallardo, who lowered his ERA to 1.42 but got his third straight no-decision.
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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