Washington Nationals drop series opener to Milwaukee Brewers, 4-1 in a rainy Nationals Park...

Four batters in this afternoon, Patrick Corbin and the Washington Nationals were behind 2-0, after the left-hander gave up a two-out walk to Christian Yelich and a two-run home run by Avisaíl García, whose 9th of the season put the visitors up early in what ended up a 4-1 win for the Milwaukee Brewers in D.C.

Corbin vs the Brewers: In four April appearances, Patrick Corbin put up a brutal 10.47 ERA and a .329/.427/.643 line against in 16 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched (though he tossed six scoreless in one of those outings), but he’s bounced back nicely with a 3.82 ERA and .288/.331/.441 line against in five starts and 30 ²⁄₃ IP in May, going (3-0) in those outings, with the Nationals 4-1 when he has toed the rubber.

With one final outing this month, Corbin took the mound against the Brewers today and fell behind early, issuing a two-out walk to Christian Yelich in the top of the first inning, and then surrendering a two-run home run on a 1-1 sinker to Avisaíl García, whose 9th home run of the season made it a 2-0 game early in the visitor’s favor.

Kolten Wong doubled to start the third, took third base on a fly to right, and scored on an RBI triple to right field by Christian Yelich, 3-0, and 4-0 when Yelich scored on a grounder to short off Avisaíl García’s bat.

Corbin retired the Brewers in order in a 16-pitch fourth which left him at 70 pitches total, and it was a 4-1 game when he came back out in the fifth and worked around a leadoff single for a scoreless eight-pitch frame that ended his outing.

Patrick Corbin’s Line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 Ks, 1 HR, 78 P, 47 S, 5/3 GO/FO.

Peralta vs the Nationals: Brewers’ righty Freddy Peralta, 24, was unbeaten in 6 games (and 5 starts) in April, posting a 2.25 ERA and a .146/.268/.313 line against in 28 IP, but did take a loss in May, in his first appearance this month. He responded with three solid outings, with back-to-back scoreless appearances and an abbreviated outing last time on the mound in which he threw 103 pitches in 4 ²⁄₃ IP against the Cincinnati Reds, over which he gave up a total of three hits, four walks, and two runs.

Peralta took the mound with a 2-0 lead, and got off to a strong start with two scoreless on 33 pitches, and he had 4-0 advantage when he came out for the bottom of the third, and the right-hander worked around a leadoff single by Andrew Stevenson and a walk to Trea Turner in a 13-pitch third, when Juan Soto grounded into an inning-ending 4-6-3 after the free pass to Turner.

With one out in the fourth, the Nationals got on the board when Kyle Schwarber hit one 439 feet to right on a 93 MPH 1-1 fastball, sending his 9th of the season into the second deck for a solo blast that made it a 4-1 game after four.

Peralta worked around a one-out single by Andrew Stevenson for a scoreless, 13-pitch fifth, and he came back out for the sixth and retired the side in order in a 12-pitch frame that left him at 88 total.

Peralta came back out for the seventh and

Freddy Peralta’s Line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR, 100 P, 67 S, 6/4 GO/FO.

García Exits: Luis García got the start this afternoon, and got one at bat in, going down looking at a 2-2 fastball from Brewers’ righty Freddy Peralta, and when he returned to the field to warm up for the third, he clutched the back of his leg and fell to the ground on the lip of the outfield grass, and had to be helped off the field. No clue what happened...

Bullpen Action: Kyle McGowin came on for the Nationals in the top of the sixth and retired the sider in order in a 15-pitch frame to keep it a 4-1 game.

McGowin returned to the mound in the seventh and retired the Brewers in order in an eight-pitch frame, and the Nationals came up empty in the bottom of the inning.

Final Score: 4-1 Brewers

Nationals now 21-26