Brewers send Brandon Sproat to minors after his ninth-inning struggles in win over Cubs

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers sent pitcher Brandon Sproat back to Triple-A Nashville after he allowed four runs in the ninth inning of an 8-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Sproat pitched a scoreless eighth inning and went back out for the ninth with the Brewers leading 8-1 on Wednesday. Sproat walked four of the five batters he faced in the ninth and had a throwing error and a wild pitch during that stretch.

“It’s unacceptable,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game. “You’ve got to throw the ball over the plate, or you can’t be a major league pitcher.”

Sproat left the game with the bases loaded and one out in an 8-2 game. Abner Uribe eventually got the final two outs after the Cubs scored four runs and brought the potential tying run to the plate.

The Brewers called Sproat up from Triple-A Nashville on Monday and wanted to see how he would adjust to a bullpen role. Wednesday’s game marked his first appearance since that move.

Sproat had spent much of the season in Milwaukee’s starting rotation before getting sent to the minors in early August. He now owns a 3-7 record and 5.57 ERA in 22 appearances, including 19 starts.

The Brewers acquired Sproat as well as infield prospect Jett Williams before the season in a trade that sent two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets. The Mets sent Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline.

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