Brewers benefit from Mets miscues in series-finale win

MILWAUKEE -- Zach Davies' aggressive approach on the mound has made the Milwaukee Brewers nearly unbeatable when he takes the hill. The New York Mets were the latest team to get frustrated by the young right-hander.

Three Mets errors didn't help either on an afternoon when New York was missing manager Terry Collins.

Davies tossed six-plus strong innings of three-hit ball before Milwaukee Brewers held on for a 5-3 win on Sunday over the mistake-prone and short-handed Mets.

"Zach was on it today," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I think he's really starting to get a feel for playing with the hitter front-to-back, side-to-side."

Davies (5-3) struck out seven and retired 17 in a row after loading the bases with one out in the first. The 23-year-old rookie kept his poise by working the strike zone, using four pitches effectively all afternoon.

Davies is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three starts in June.

"The calls maybe didn't go my way at first but if I kept going after it, it would eventually get there and maybe they'd be a little more aggressive and put the ball in play," Davies said.

James Loney stuck out and Wilmer Flores flied out to center to end the first. Davies departed after giving up hits to his first two batters in the seventh.

The Mets tried to rally late from an early 5-0 deficit. New York had the potential go-ahead run up with two on and two outs in the eighth, but Ryan Braun made a diving catch of Wilmer Flores' sinking liner in left to end the inning.

Collins watched from a nearby hospital after falling ill about 45 minutes before the game. Assistant general manager John Ricco said the 67 year-old Collins, who was accompanied by trainer Ray Ramirez, was staying overnight in Milwaukee as a precaution.

Ricco said there wasn't a high level of concern with Collins' condition.

"They were watching the game. I know that," Ricco said. "He was probably a bit agitated knowing Terry. But, other than that, he was feeling fine."

Still, playing without Collins made for a hard afternoon for starter Steven Matz (7-3).

"Yeah, it was tough. We're all concerned about him," said Matz. He allowed nine hits and four earned runs over six innings, striking out five.

MISTAKEN METS

New York couldn't overcome three errors, including throwing miscues during run-scoring innings for the Brewers in second and fifth.

Davies contributed at plate, too, dropping a well-placed bunt in front of home with runners on second and third in the second. Matz's rushed throw off the mound bounced past first into foul territory, and two runs scored for a 3-0 lead for the Brewers.

Bench coach Dick Scott, who took over managerial duties for Collins, said he wasn't sure how much the sloppy play could be attributed to concern over Collins.

"That was on everybody's mind because it was so close to the beginning of the game," Scott said. "I'm sure that we'll move on, but, first and foremost, all our concerns are with Terry right now."

BY THE NUMBERS

Curtis Granderson had an RBI single in the eighth to get a hit in all four games of the Brewers series. ... Jeremy Jeffress picked up his 18th save, ending the game by getting Granderson to ground out with a runner on first.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Second baseman Neil Walker got the day off after leaving Saturday's game with a sore back. ... OF Michael Conforto did not start because of "a little bit of a wrist issue that's been bothering him," Collins said. Conforto struck out as pinch hitter in the ninth. ... C Travis d'Arnaud (right shoulder) caught seven innings during a rehab stint on Saturday night at Single-A St. Lucie, and Collins said d'Arnaud might be about a week away from returning.

Brewers: RHP Michael Blazek, on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right elbow, is due to start a rehab assignment in the next few days at Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... RHP Matt Garza (right lat) will be activated from the DL in time to start on Tuesday in San Francisco against the Giants.

UP NEXT

Mets: After a day off, New York returns to Citi Field on Tuesday to open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jacob deGrom (3-2) gets the start with a full week of rest.

Brewers: Chase Anderson (4-6) will take the hill when Milwaukee opens a three-game series in San Francisco against the Giants. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA over his last five outings.