Dodgers’ rotation shuffle fails in 6-3 loss to Brewers

The well hardly looked deep, not that it’s prevented the Dodgers from continually going to it. And in what hardly should come as a surprise, they’ve struggled to get much out of it.

They started their ninth different pitcher in the first 27 games Wednesday, and all it got them was a 6-3 loss to the Brewers at Miller Park.

This time they gave the ball to Joe Wieland, the right-hander who came to the Dodgers with Yasmani Grandal in the off-season trade for Matt Kemp. He suffered a miserable first inning, allowing five runs on four hits -- including a pair of home runs -- and two walks.

Though he mostly settled down after the first, the Dodgers never came close to recovering, despite a pair of home runs from rookie Joc Pederson.

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Wednesday marked the sixth start by a pitcher who was not originally scheduled to be part of the rotation. Those starting pitchers have combined for a 5.28 earned-run average, and that includes Carlos Frias not allowing a run in his 5 1/3 innings and Mike Bolsinger surrendering just one in his 5 2/3 innings.

Wieland lasted 4 2/3 innings against Milwaukee, which given how every Brewer came to bat in the first, was something of a small victory. Wieland was charged with six runs, six hits and four walks. He wasn’t going to stick around, anyway.

Outfielder Chris Heisey was already with the team before the game Wednesday, so the Dodgers are clearly planning to officially activate him from triple-A Thursday in Colorado and send Wieland back down.

This will just continue their rotation shuffle. Bolsinger could be back when the fifth spot in the rotation is next up Monday at Dodger Stadium. Brandon McCarthy is out for at least the next 12 months and Hyun-Jin Ryu’s status remains uncertain, so the Dodgers figure to keep rotating starters, unless they trade for someone.

A pair of singles and a throwing error by Milwaukee shortstop Jean Segura did get the Dodgers one run back in the fourth. Pederson hit one solo homer in the fifth and another in the eighth, giving him nine on the season to tie for the National League lead.

Pederson’s last seven hits have been home runs.

Wily Peralta (1-4) did enough to earn his first victory of the season, holding the Dodgers to three runs (two earned) in his eight innings.