Houston Astros defeat Milwaukee Brewers, 6-3

Houston — Milwaukee Brewers manager Ken Macha worried all season that problems in his starting rotation eventually would bleed into his relief corps.

That fear has come true, and the snowball effect is one of the factors preventing the Brewers from making a move in the up-for-grabs NL Central.

"It's been tough for us with the sixth- and seventh-inning bridge (to late relievers Todd Coffey and Trevor Hoffman)," said Macha. "It hurt us again tonight."

Specifically, ...