NEW YORK -- Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday's game was at least partially frustrating for the Milwaukee Brewers. But at least they were not the New York Mets, who were nearly shut out and saw their manager get ejected when a team-employed bat boy got in the way of a player fielding a popup, all while the team mascot was still trending on Twitter thanks to going rogue the night before.

Chase Anderson threw seven scoreless innings for the second straight start Thursday afternoon and Nick Franklin took advantage of a rare start by contributing offensively and defensively as the Brewers edged the Mets 2-1 at Citi Field.

The Brewers (29-25) racked up 11 hits and stranded nine runners but managed to win their second straight game and earn a split of the four-game series.

"It was a frustrating day offensively," Counsell said. "We did a great job of getting guys on base. We had good at-bats and then we hit into some double plays in bad spots."

The first of three Brewers double plays ended a fifth inning that might go down as one of the weirdest frames of the season.

The Brewers extended their lead to 2-0 on Franklin's one-out RBI single and loaded the bases a batter later, when Anderson popped up while bunting. Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud let the ball drop but didn't throw to second to try and force Franklin and didn't throw to first in time to get Anderson, who was credited with a single.

Eric Sogard then popped up behind third base, but a bat boy could not get out of the way of Mets third baseman Wilmer Flores, who ran into him as he tried to make the catch.

"They're employees (of the Mets), so it's tough," Franklin said. "I was watching it the entire time. He was trying to get his stuff (and) get out of the way. He got the stool, he was legitimately trying to get off the field, Just happened to be bad timing."

Sogard was initially ruled out due to interference but the call was overturned, after which Mets manager Terry Collins was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz.

"My issue was it's a routine catch," Collins said. "It'd be one thing if it's a difficult play. That was my argument."

New York actually benefited from the call when Sogard hit into an inning-ending double play. But the inning was an appropriate coda to a bizarre 24-hour stretch for the Mets, whose mascot was captured on video making an obscene gesture to a fan during Wednesday night's 7-1 loss.

"The ball don't lie," Flores said with a grin. "We got a double-play ball."

The second run proved to be enough for the Brewers, whose three pitchers combined to limit the Mets to four hits.

Anderson (4-1) gave up three hits and one walk while striking out seven. The Mets mounted their only threat against him in the second, when Lucas Duda was thrown out by Franklin trying to score from second on Travis d'Arnaud's two-out single to left. Anderson then retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced, including the last 10.

"I sat and watched in the video room and he didn't miss a spot," Collins said of Anderson.

In his previous start last Saturday, Anderson carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks before being lifted after giving up a leadoff single.

"It felt similar -- able to attack hitters, get strike one, not pitching around somebody, just go right at them," Anderson said. "Just kind of a continuation. When you're in it, you want to stay in it as long as you possibly can."

Flores homered off Jacob Barnes leading off the eighth before Barnes retired the next three batters he faced. Corey Knebel earned his fourth save by striking out two and working around a two-out walk in the ninth.

Hernan Perez had three hits, including an RBI double in the second that scored Franklin, who went 2-for-2 with a walk in his first start since May 15.

Duda had two hits for the Mets (23-29).

Zack Wheeler (3-3) took the loss after allowing two runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.

NOTES: Mets RHP Seth Lugo (right elbow) will make what is expected to be his final rehab start Friday night, when he pitches for Double-A Binghamton. ... Mets CF Curtis Granderson went 0-for-2 and remains one hit shy of 1,600 for his career. ... Brewers SS Orlando Arcia entered as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and struck out in the ninth as his 11-game hitting streak ended. ... Brewers RHP Corey Knebel has struck out a batter in all 27 appearances this year, the third-longest streak by a reliever to start a season since 1900.