There was more to come in the Brewers' 4-1 win at Miller Park. Nelson allowed only two hits, including Curtis Granderson's fourth-inning home run, in eight crisp innings on the way to his best outing in more than a month.
"That's what gets you so excited about him," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
For Nelson, it was good to be excited again. He had set dubious career highs for hits allowed in each of his two previous starts -- first a five-inning, seven-run, 10-hit dud in a loss to the Nationals on June 13, followed by a five-inning, 11-hit, three-run outing in a loss to the Royals in Kansas City.