Colon stifles Brewers in 5-2 loss to Mets

MILWAUKEE -- Scooter Gennett figured out Bartolo Colon on Thursday night but the rest of his Milwaukee Brewers teammates struggled against the crafty veteran New York Mets right-hander.

Gennett tied a career high with four hits, three off Colon, but it wasn't enough as the Brewers fell to the Mets 5-2.

"Scooter had a good night. A very good night. I think he's getting his swing," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.

Gennett had three singles off Colon (5-3), who scattered eight hits and allowed one run over seven innings.

Curtis Granderson led off the game with a homer off Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson (5-5). Granderson doubled leading off the third and scored on a single by Yoenis Cespedes.

Nelson gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"I want to go deeper into games and perform better," Nelson said.

Colon held the Brewers scoreless until the seventh when a two-out, one-hop smash off the bat of Hernan Perez ricocheted off the chest of New York second baseman Neil Walker, allowing a run to score.

Mets manager Terry Collins was immediately concerned about Walker's health.

"He said it hit him right in the heart and that he couldn't catch his breath. When he came in between innings, he said he didn't feel very good so we got him out of there," Collins said.

Kevin Plawecki drove in two runs with a single in the eighth to give the Mets a 4-1 lead.

Gennett drove in a run with a double off Mets reliever Addison Reed in the eighth to bring the Brewers within two.

New York added a run in the ninth on Matt Reynolds' pinch-hit single.

Jeurys Familia recorded his 20th save in 20 opportunities.

DRAFT TIME

The Brewers selected OF Corey Ray, from the University of Louisville, with the fifth overall pick in the first-year player draft Thursday night. "He's a dynamic personality to start with," Milwaukee's vice president of amateur scouting Ray Montgomery said. "On the field, he brings a unique speed-power combination." General manager David Stearns said: "We certainly think that he will be a quality piece of this organization going forward."

The Brewers took 3B Lucad Erceg, from Menlo College, in the second round. Milwaukee had a third pick, in a lottery round, and selected C Mario Feliciano from the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Ray said during a conference call that he hopes to play center field. "I know everyone questions whether or not I'll stay in center field but I'm guaranteeing that I will work as hard as I possibly can to be an elite defender in center," he said. Ray envisions himself as a "top of the order type hitter." "Anything they need me to do -- bunt, hit-and-run, get on base," he said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Granderson was hit on the side of his right knee by a pitch from Nelson in the fourth inning. He limped as he walked to first base but stayed in the game. ... OF Juan Lagares, who missed four straight games with a partially torn left thumb ligament, entered the game in the eighth as a defensive replacement. He doubled leading off the ninth. ... C Travis d'Arnaud, on a rehab assignment while recovering from a strained right rotator cuff, went 2 for 4, drove in a run, scored twice and walked three times for Class-A St. Lucie in an 11-inning win over Dunedin on Thursday night. He served as the DH.

Brewers: OF Domingo Santana missed his second consecutive game with elbow soreness. He was on the DL last month with a right shoulder strain.

UP NEXT

Mets: Matt Harvey (4-8, 4.95 ERA) will face the Brewers for the first time in his career. Harvey is 2-5 with a 5.18 ERA in seven road starts this season.

Brewers: Junior Guerra (3-1, 3.61) will be making his first start against the Mets. Milwaukee is 6-1 in games started by Guerra this season.