Brewers lose to Nationals in series opener

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MILWAUKEE – Jackson Rutledge struck out six in his first major league start, Jesse Winker hit his 11th home run and the Washington Nationals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Friday night, ending a five-game losing streak.

Rutledge, Washington’s first-round pick in 2019 who pitched just one inning during a May 14 doubleheader, held Milwaukee to three hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Robert Garcia (1-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win and Kyle Finnegan struck out two players in the ninth inning for his 24th save.

The Nationals gave Rutledge a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Winker’s RBI double and scored two more in the fourth before the Brewers scored two runs in the bottom half.

Winker got one of those runs back in the fifth inning when he sent a 94.2 mph fastball from right-hander Freddy Peralta 403 feet to right-center.

Peralta (6-5) allowed four of Washington’s five runs on 10 hits and had six strikeouts in five innings.

The NL Central-leading Brewers have lost two games in a row and six of their last eight games.

TRAINING ROOM

Nationals: LHP Jose A. Ferrer (teres major injury) will pitch in back-to-back games this weekend as he continues his minor league rehab assignment at Double-A Harrisburg. Martinez said the team will decide Ferrer’s next steps during the All-Star break.

Brewers: INF Joey Ortiz (neck) was activated from the 10-day injured list Friday night and inserted into the starting lineup. Ortiz had been out of action since an 0-for-5 performance at Colorado on July 1. … LHP DL Hall (knee) is expected to rejoin the team in the next few days despite suffering a comebacker to his forearm during his last minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville.

NEXT

LHP Dallas Keuchel (0-0, 4.61 ERA) was scheduled to face LHP Mitchell Parker (5-5, 3.44) for Milwaukee on Saturday.