Bush rocked as Brewers lose fifth straight
MIAMI -- Dave Bush got rocked in his return to the Milwaukee rotation, allowing six runs in six innings Wednesday as Florida extended the Brewers' losing streak to five games with a 6-2 victory.
Mike Jacobs and Jorge Cantu each drove in two runs for the Marlins, who posted three runs in both the third and sixth innings to take the second game of the series.
Bush, recalled from Triple-A Nashville when Yovani Gallardo was lost indefinitely with a serious knee injury, surrendered five hits -- including back-to-back home runs by Cantu and Dan Uggla in the sixth -- and walked two batters.
Bush fell to 0-4 and his ERA rose to 6.98. Ben Sheets remains the only Milwaukee starter to win since April 5.
"We're kind of in a little bit of a rut," Bush said. "The clubhouse is fine, but if we don't have the success, there's always a bit of pressure that builds up."
The punchless Brewers snapped their scoreless streak at 22 innings on Rickie Weeks' two-run homer in the top of the sixth to pull within 3-2, but failed to score again after the Marlins extended their lead in the bottom half of the frame.
The Brewers' longest losing streak this season sent their record below .500 for the first time at 16-17. They've totaled seven hits in the first two games of the series, and they've scored eight runs in five games this year against the Marlins.
"These guys don't like this, so there is a bit of frustration," manager Ned Yost said. "I wouldn't say there is tension, but they're working very hard to get themselves out of it."
Badenhop (1-2) gave up five hits and two runs. He had a season-high seven strikeouts and walked only one.
"He was terrific," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He had the good sinker working early, got ahead in the count and made those guys swing."
It was the second consecutive encouraging performance for a Florida rotation that has been shaky this season. Scott Olsen allowed Milwaukee just two hits in 8 2-3 scoreless innings Tuesday.
Badenhop, acquired in the December trade that sent Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to Detroit, lowered his ERA to 6.31 in six games since being recalled from Double-A Carolina.
Florida center fielder Alfredo Amezaga twice robbed the Brewers. His leaping catch on the run took an extra-base hit away from Corey Hart in the second inning, and he made another long run in the seventh to catch a drive by Weeks before tumbling into the base of the wall.
"My jaw drops to the ground," Uggla said. "I don't know how he does it."
The NL East-leading Marlins won their third game in a row and matched their best start through 33 games (19-14), but there's plenty of room on the bandwagon. Attendance was only 10,405, and the Marlins have drawn their two smallest home crowds of the season the past two nights.
"We're just playing good baseball," Jacobs said. "We're hitting, we're pitching well, we're playing good defense. It all starts with our pitching staff, and I think right now maybe they're starting to feed off each other and trying to top each other, which is perfect."
Milwaukee's Jason Kendall reached on an infield single to start the sixth, and Weeks followed with his fifth homer to cut Florida's lead to 3-2.
Cantu hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and Uggla hit his eighth homer six pitches later.
Notes: Florida's Waechter pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings. Right-handed batters are 0-for-22 this season against him. ... Milwaukee leadoff batter Weeks has only 25 hits but has scored 29 runs.
Associated Press
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Bill Hall slings his bat after striking out with two men on to end the sixth inning.
