The game was tied at 1 and the Brewers had a runner at second with two outs in the sixth when Maddon pulled Hammel rather than have the pitcher face left-handed-hitting Adam Lind.
"It was just a baseball decision in the game," Maddon said. "What's the difference if you throw 5 2/3 innings and 115 pitches or 5 2/3 and whatever he threw? I think everything gets skewed as far as the pitch count thing. It's not a 100-pitch exercise. He did his job."
Hammel has not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings in his last six starts since he was sidelined with a left hamstring injury on July 8.