CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell gave a blunt assessment of Ben Brown's start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday after the righty gave up six runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 10-4 loss.
"We need better, frankly," Counsell said.
Brown cruised through the first three innings, striking out five, but then fell apart after hitting Kyle Schwarber to lead off the fourth. After Nick Castellanos hit an 0-2 pitch for a single to left field, the Phillies began piling on.
Brown went from getting ahead of hitters, inducing swings and misses and soft contact, to giving up six hits and six runs in the inning.