Mets 4, Brewers 0: Brandon Sproat struggles against his former team

Brandon Sproat's reunion with his former team did not go according to plan.

The right-hander, acquired along with minor-league infielder Jett Williams from the New York Mets in exchange for Freddy Peralta on Jan. 21, allowed a second inning home run to quickly fall behind and then never made it out of the fifth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers were shut out, 4-0, at American Family Field on Tuesday night, July 21.

It marked the third straight start and 12th in 17 that Sproat failed to complete five innings while the Brewers – who managed just four singles and a walk – were blanked for the first time since June 3 and just the fourth time this season.

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"Really, the only difference was seeing familiar faces. Pretty much every single one that comes to the plate," Sproat said. "I think it was a good challenge because they know me, I know them, so at that point it's kind of a chess game."

BOX SCORE: Mets 4, Brewers 0

Mets starter Zac Thornton retired 13 consecutive batters bridging the end of the first and start of the sixth innings while being the beneficiary of both hard-hit balls hit right at defenders as well as several standout plays made by his fielders.

Milwaukee had its four-game winning streak and four-game winning streak against New York snapped in the process.

Brewers, Sproat fall behind early

After needing to throw 28 pitches to navigate a scoreless first inning, Sproat surrendered a one-out home run to Jared Young in the second as the Mets took their first lead in the series, 1-0.

Marcus Semien followed with a single, but Sproat picked him off first after a successful Milwaukee replay challenge and the damage was limited to Young's blast.

Sproat worked around a leadoff walk in the third and a two-on, one-out situation in the fourth before hitting the wall in the fifth when, after retiring the first two batters he faced, he walked Bo Bichette to end his night at 99 pitches.

Chad Patrick entered and Francisco Lindor hit a hot shot up the middle that deflected off the glove of a diving Brice Turang, allowing Lindor to reach second.

Carson Benge followed by pulling a two-run single between Andrew Vaughn and Turang, upping the Mets' lead to 3-0.

"Chad Patrick was a good matchup," manager Pat Murphy said. "He gave up a (double) and that ground ball where we miscommunicated or whatever. If that's an out, we're out of the inning and it's a 1-0 game.

"Whatever that was, miscommunication or whatever you want to call it, that opened the game up and now it's 3-0."

Sproat (3-5) allowed four hits, two runs and walked four with four strikeouts.

"I thought Sproat did a nice job," said Murphy. "High pitch count. They fouled a lot of balls off. He did a nice job. You can't throw 99 pitches in 4 ⅔, but credit the Mets and their offensive ability."

Sproat's counterpart Thornton, meanwhile, was in complete control against Milwaukee's offense having allowed a leadoff single to Chourio and a walk three batters in before retiring the next 13 batters.

Brewers blow a golden chance to get back into the game

Cooper Pratt dropped a single just in front of Carson Benge in right and Joey Ortiz singled to center to finally put some pressure on Thornton to start the bottom of the sixth.

But very quickly, things went off the rails.

First, Jackson Chourio was called out on strikes. Then, with Brice Turang up, Pratt fell victim to indecisiveness when Luis Torrens allowed a pitch to squirt out of his glove, first breaking for third and then heading back to second only to see Ortiz halfway to second himself.

Pratt then headed for third, where he was an easy out and Turang flew out to the warning track in left with AJ Ewing getting turned around before eventually making a falling catch to leave Milwaukee scoreless in the wake of a golden opportunity.

"Chourio, who's had three out of four good at-bats, has his one poor at-bat there, then they make a baserunning mistake and then they catch a ball on the warning track," said Murphy. "It's on Joey to follow the runner, but it's also on Cooper. You can't be indecisive."

Thornton earned his first major league victory, allowing just three hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 81 pitches.

"That's what Thornton does," said Sproat. "That's what he's done his whole career so far. I know him pretty well. He's a super-crafty lefty. He mixes super well, has pitchability and he's not afraid of who's in the box. That's just who he is.

"Tip of the cap to him tonight."

The hole gets deeper

Luis Robert Jr. led off the eighth inning with a bang, blasting a 451-foot bomb out to left-center off Bryse Wilson that very nearly traveled out of the ballpark until a fan toward the back of the Miller Lite party deck made a nice barehanded catch.

That increased the deficit to 4-0.

Aside from the homer Wilson did yeoman's work to save the bullpen by throwing four innings and keeping the Brewers within striking distance although they never truly threatened after the sixth.

Ex-Brewer Devin Williams eventually closed out the game in the ninth for the Mets.

What is the Brewers' record?

63-38, first place in the NL Central.

Brewers probable pitchers and schedule

Brewers vs. Mets, July 22, 1:10 p.m.: Brewers RHP Logan Henderson (3-1, 2.97) vs. New York RHP Christian Scott (3-1, 2.87). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

Off day, Juy 23.

Brewers vs. Rockies, July 24, 3:10 p.m.: Brewers LHP Shane Drohan (5-3, 3.20) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

Brewers vs. Rockies, July 25, 6:10 p.m.: Brewers LHP Robert Gasser (2-4, 4.91) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

Brewers vs. Rockies, July 26, 1:10 p.m.: Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (10-4, 1.57) vs. Colorado TBA. TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mets 4, Brewers 0: Brandon Sproat struggles against his former team