PHILADEPHIA -- In the postseason, defense wins ballgames. On Wednesday, defense cost the Brewers a chance at their first postseason victory since Oct. 17, 1982.

A pair of third-inning miscues -- combined with a lackluster offensive performance against Cole Hamels -- led to a 3-1 loss against the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Ballpark.

Once again, Rickie Weeks found himself charged with a crucial error, bobbling a throw from Bill Hall on Hamels' sacrifice bunt attempt. The error, Weeks' 15th of the season, put runners at first and second with nobody out.

"It was catchable," Weeks said. "That's a play you have to make."

The Brewers actually had a chance at the double play, but Bill Hall chose to make what he felt was a safe throw to first because the ball was soaking wet, thanks to rain that fell all game long.

"He bobbled it a little but the ball was soaking wet," shortstop J.J. Hardy said. "He was worried he was going to throw the ball into centerfield."

Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo followed that by getting Jimmy Rollins to fly out to left and struck out Jayson Werth. The Phillies then got on the board when Mike Cameron couldn't hold on to a Chase Utley fly ball that fell in for a two-run double.

Cameron, too, said the wet conditions were a factor.

"I played it just the way I wanted to; I played the way I always play," Cameron said. "Other than (the wind) it wasn't anything else. I usually have pretty good judgment out there."

Down 2-0 with two outs, Gallardo intentionally walked Ryan Howard in order to set up the double play or a force at second. The move backfired when Gallardo followed that with walks to Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino -- the latter driving in a run to make it 3-0.

"That's the risk you take," Sveum said. "It's obviously the right thing to do. You're taking a bat out of a guy's hands who can get two runs on the board with one swing of the bat."

Gallardo was effective in a four-inning stint. In just his second start since coming off the disabled list, Gallardo allowed just four hits, but did walk five Philadelphia batters. He wasn't charged with any of the runs.

"Things like that happen," Gallardo said. "You still have to go out there, make pitches and get out of situations like that."

Again, the Brewers bullpen kept them in the game. Mitch Stetter, Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra and Guillermo Mota combined to throw five scoreless innings, allowing just a hit and a walk (both by Parra) while striking out four.

Unfortunately for the Brewers, they couldn't muster a lick of offense against Hamels, who used a deceptive change-up to fluster Milwaukee's lineup, which has feasted on a steady diet of fastballs all season long. Hamels struck out nine and walked just one, allowing two hits along the way.

"It's a good pitch," said Craig Counsell, who singled off Hamels in the sixth. "It's a very deceptive pitch that he was locating and executing a lot.

"Anytime a guy with one of the top changeups or sliders in the league executes their pitch, you're going to be in trouble."

Hamels also mixed in a breaking ball that also added to the Brewers' offensive woes, one Sveum said was among the best in baseball.

"He didn't throw it a lot, but it's probably the best breaking ball we've seen in a while from what we've seen in our scouting reports," Sveum said."

Much like in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Cubs, a game in which the Chicago bullpen retired 18 straight batters, the Brewers went down 14 straight times before finally cracking through in the fourth on Corey Hart's two-out single.

Only once did it look like the Brewers would get to Hamels, but again, a season-long struggle with runners in scoring position continued.

With one out, Craig Counsell singled and advanced to second when Mike Cameron walked. As has been the case all year, they didn't get any further. Bill Hall struck out and Ryan Braun popped to shortstop to end the inning.

Ryan Braun finally got the Brewers on the board in the ninth inning. With one out, he doubled off of Lidge into the right field corner. Ray Durham scored on the play when Werth slipped on the wet grass trying to field the ball, making it 3-1.

Lidge needed eight pitches to strike out Fielder, who swung at ball four for his third strikeout of the day before walking Hardy to put the tying run at first with two out. Both runners advanced on Lidge's 1-1 wild pitch to Hart, who swung at strike three to end the game.