Called up to Crew, Houser gets sick on hill

MILWAUKEE -- Adrian Houser -- who left Colorado Springs at 5 a.m. on Sunday, flew to Chicago, drove up to Milwaukee and made it to Miller Park about 30 minutes before first pitch -- vomited on the infield behind the mound on two occasions while pitching in the eighth inning of the Brewers' 10-9 loss to the Phillies. Houser allowed one run on two hits, but got through it with help from members of the Miller Park grounds crew, who cleaned up so play could continue.
"I think it was a little combination of traveling this morning and not having a lot of food in me," Houser said. "I was trying to stay hydrated in the bullpen, and got ready pretty quick. It's pretty hot here compared to Colorado Springs, so I think it just got all combined and got me."
On a hot and humid day at Miller Park, the game-time temperature was 87 degrees.
"I know he was physically sick but he wasn't under the weather at all," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell. "It was an early wake-up call, not enough food, heat, probably a little nerves from getting to the big leagues today. There wasn't very much coming out -- it wasn't a food thing."
Counsell said Houser showed "no panic in his eyes."
Houser, who hadn't pitched in the Major Leagues since May 26 versus the Mets, said of his conversation with Counsell during the inning: "I wasn't going to let him pull me out."
Chase Anderson, who surrendered a season-high six runs over 5 1/3 innings on Sunday, credited Houser for toughing it out, even in less-than-ideal circumstances.
"You tip your cap to that," Anderson said. "That's hard to do. Hopefully he gets to feeling better."
And don't think that the Brewers didn't have a little fun with the mishap either, comparing it to a character who throws up in a huddle from the 1999 film "Any Given Sunday."
"It happens," Houser said. "Like [Jeremy Jeffress] said, trying to pull out my inner Willie Beamen."