Zack Greinke has first loss to Brewers at Miller Park, 5-2

Not even Mr. Perfect could save the Dodgers.

Fresh off a dominating performance by left-hander Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers sent right-hander Zack Greinke out Tuesday against the Brewers in hopes of building a little momentum. It seemed like a good thing, what with Greinke owning a 15-0 career mark at Miller Park.

Alas, the way things have been going for the Dodgers, Greinke could have been 150-0 at Miller and it would not have mattered.

BOX SCORE: Milwaukee 5, Dodgers 2

Naturally, Greinke lost. Making just his second start since coming off the disabled list with a broken collarbone, at no time did he seem sharp, particularly when surrendering four runs in the fifth, the Brewers going on to a 5-2 victory.

So in his 25th career appearance at Miller Park, the former Brewer took his first loss.

He had to watch the Dodgers continue to squander scoring opportunities, which is their way thus far this season. The Dodgers had five at-bats with the bases loaded and managed one run. They were 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position, two singles producing two runs. One from a basehit by Greinke. They left 14 men on base.

Greinke danced his way through the first four innings, taking a 2-1 lead into the fifth. But he allowed five consecutive hard hits to start his inning -- on a triple, single, single, single and double -- and was done.

So, too, were the Dodgers, who then went quietly and never so much as hinted at a comeback.

In his four-plus innings, Greinke (2-1) allowed five runs on nine hits and three walks, with a strikeout. In his first outing off the DL, he held the Nationals to one run in 5 1/3 innings on five hits, a walk and struck out five.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers remained unable to come up with the big hit. Like they’re under a spell.

They had runners on first and second with no outs in the second, and failed to score. They loaded the bases with one out in the third, and Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier struck out.

They scored twice in the fourth, but missed an opportunity to blow the game open. After a single by Skip Schumaker and a walk to Dee Gordon, Greinke tied the game with a RBI single. Brewers starter Hiram Burgos walked Carl Crawford to load the bases. Nick Punto singled in the second run and the Brewers asked reliever Mike Fiers to come on with the bases still loaded.

Fiers struck out Adrian Gonzalez on a pitch about a foot outside and got Kemp to bounce into a force out.

The Dodgers were done. They managed just two hits over the final four innings.