Brewers bench rookie Pratt for failing to run hard

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy wanted to send a message to shortstop Cooper Pratt after the rookie failed to run hard out of the box following a fifth-inning pop-up in Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets.

"You've got to be locked in if you're going to play at this level," Murphy said after the Brewers' 3-2 loss in 10 innings.

He added: "You'd better run."

Pratt's fly ball managed to fall in between two Mets fielders in shallow right field, resulting in a one-out single with Milwaukee leading 1-0. But moments after he rounded first and returned to the bag, Pratt looked toward the Brewers' dugout and discovered Murphy was yanking him from the game for a pinch-runner.

For Murphy, the issue wasn't so much Pratt's lack of hustle as it was his lack of focus. That play, which came two innings after Pratt failed to lay down a bunt with two runners on, was unacceptable for a team with the best record in baseball (81-31) and in serious pursuit of its first World Series appearance since 1982.

"He popped a ball up to right field and didn't run, and the ball landed and stopped," Murphy said. "He would've easily got to second base. What could've happened after that, I'm not sure, but you can't have a guy not understanding that."

Pratt, 22, offered no arguments afterward and acknowledged he'd made a mistake.

"There is no excuse," said Pratt, who is batting .259 with two home runs. "I should've ran hard no matter if it's foul or fair, if it's an out. I should've been busting my butt to get to second base. Some of the guys pulled me aside and let me know, hey, this is how we do it here, and I know that. It won't happen again."

Murphy emphasized that the message applied to the entire team, but more so to Pratt because he isn't a player who can fall back on his power at the plate.

"I love the kid, and I believe in the kid immensely," Murphy said. "He's got to be a player that does those things. He's not going to hit 30 homers at this point in his career. He's a great defender and a really capable offensive player, and we can't have that."