ATLANTA – Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke saw signs of improvement in Yovani Gallardo's start against the Atlanta Braves.
A frustrated Gallardo is looking for signs of improvement he can see in a boxscore.
Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run double to give Atlanta the lead and the Braves finally solved Gallardo, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 on Monday night.
Gallardo began the day 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta, including a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 win on April 5 in Milwaukee.
On Monday night, he allowed nine hits and five runs in five-plus innings. The right-hander matched his season high with four walks while striking out seven.
"I felt fine going into the sixth inning," Gallardo said. "Just lost command of the zone. Just one of those things. I have to figure it out soon. It's obvious I haven't been pitching well. I just have to figure it out."
The right-hander has allowed four or more earned runs in five straight starts, leaving his ERA at 6.10.
"I thought he looked better this time than he did his last outing," Roenicke said. "Still isn't like we saw in the first couple games, but we thought it was better. Rhythm was better.
"The walks hurt him but I didn't think they hit the ball that hard. This guy is used to being in every ball game that he pitches. He's used to keeping that run total down. I'm sure he's getting a little frustrated with it but I think there is improvement there."
David Ross hit a homer in the third inning before the Braves knocked Gallardo (2-2) out of the game in the sixth. Gonzalez cleared the bases with his double before scoring on a single by Nate McLouth.
The four runs Gallardo allowed in the sixth matched his total allowed over 37 1/3 innings in his first five starts against the Braves.
"I definitely felt better," Gallardo said. "That shows you how things are going for me right now. I felt fine those first five innings, just left that one pitch up to Ross. He hit if out of the park."
Jair Jurrjens (3-0) gave up two runs on seven hits and no walks in 7 2/3 innings. He had four strikeouts.
The Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on Yuniesky Betancourt's two-run triple. Jurrjens retired the next 11 batters before giving up infield singles to Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez in the eighth.
The double by Gonzalez in the sixth drove in Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman. Jones and Freeman reached on walks from Gallardo.
Jason Heyward walked off Zach Braddock in the seventh, moved to third on Jones' double and scored on a head-first slide on Freeman's broken-bat fly ball to center field.
Ross, Atlanta's backup catcher, hit his third homer in his 19th at-bat. Ross plays behind All-Star Brian McCann, who has two homers in 97 at-bats.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he may continue to pair Ross with Jurrjens as a way of giving McCann a rest every five games.
Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for Atlanta.
Notes: Manager Ron Roenicke said the Brewers expect to activate OF Nyjer Morgan (right quadriceps contusion) from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday. RHP Zack Greinke (fractured left rib) is scheduled to be activated to start against the Braves on Wednesday. ... Jurrjens threw 101 pitches, including 73 strikes. ... Attendance was 14,126. ... Corey Hart, running toward the foul line, made a diving catch to take a hit away from Ross in the eighth.
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