MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo was arrested and charged with drunken driving Tuesday after authorities say he was traveling on a city highway near Miller Park with a blood-alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit.

Deputies responded about 2 a.m. to a report of a possibly intoxicated driver, Milwaukee County sheriff's spokeswoman Fran McLaughlin said. She said a caller reported seeing a driver repeatedly swerving between lanes, and deputies spotted Gallardo driving alone at 40 mph in a 55-mph zone.

"He was very cooperative," McLaughlin said. "He said he had a couple of beers."

The arrest report says Gallardo had red glassy eyes, slurred speech and an odor of alcohol, and that he failed field-sobriety tests. Authorities say a breath test revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08, and the reading was matched by a second breath test following his arrest.

"We have been made aware of the situation with Yovani and we take this matter very seriously," the Brewers said in a statement. "We have expressed our disappointment to him and know he understands that behavior of this nature is of great concern to everyone in the organization. Yovani has acknowledged the seriousness of this incident and is taking full accountability for his actions."

The team was opening a three-game home series against San Francisco on Tuesday night.

In Wisconsin, first-offense drunken driving is a citation, not a misdemeanor or felony charge. McLaughlin told ESPN Wisconsion that Gallardo faces nearly $778 in fines for drunken driving and for unsafe driving ($300 for DUI, $300 for his level of intoxication and $178.80 for deviating lanes).

Gallardo was a 16-game winner last season, his fourth consecutive season with at least 200 strikeouts. But he gave up six runs in a loss Saturday to St. Louis and is 0-1 in three starts this season with a 6.61 ERA. The Brewers have already endured a 32-inning scoreless streak and entered Tuesday's game at 3-8, worst in the Central Division.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.