April 24- Milwaukee 5 Houston 2 Record: 7-9
Gallardo Goes the Distance
Texas boy Yovanni Gallardo had his first complete game in a LONG, LONG time. He remember's his last CG being in HIGH SCHOOL. Either way, in hitter friendly Minute made, it was great to have the Brew Crew's pitcher of the future limit the 'Strohs to 5 hits with 106 pitches, with Carlos Lee's 2 run shot being the only multi-base hit.
The Crew was able to single their way to a lead in the 5th, with 6 singles that led to a 4 run output, mainly done with 2 out. The hitters were led by a 3-4 night by JJ Hardy, who raised his average to .190. I know it will go up but I'm still curious if he would be hitting better in the 2 spot. Yet with Hart's great performance in that spot in the lineup, I'm becoming more sold on Macha's lineup.
April 23- Milwaukee 6 Philadelphia 1 Record: 6-9
Nieves Still Stands Alone in Brewer History
I knew something big happened in this game when I checked my phone and saw a text message from Ryan that said, “Is Dave Bush Cy freaking Young?”. I had just returned to my truck, exhausted from an overnight hike into Death Hollow in Southern Utah. I was beat, exhausted, stinging and scraped, but I knowing something good happened in yesterday's game gave me a lift. However, it wasn't until Saturday when I got home that I was able to finally found out what. I even tried checking the local paper in Salina, which I was disappointed to see was strictly a local sports section, never mind the fact that it was a WEDNESDAY paper. If you look at a match-up of Cole Hamel versus Dave Bush on paper, you would probably think Hamels gives you the best chance for a no-hitter but it was the Bush against his boyhood favorite team that took a no-hitter into the 8th for the 2nd time in two seasons. Hall did his part to keep it alive the bid with an amazing play on a Greg Dobbs grounder into foul territory but in that same 8th inning, Matt Stairs nailed one of the foul pole to end the dream. Bush would give up one more hit before Mitch Stetter came in to finish off the game. Bush is now 34-31 since the Crew acquired him from Toronto and reinforcing my belief that he is at least the #2 pitcher on this staff. The performance gave the Crew their first series win in Philly in 4 seasons and goes a long way to erase that pathetic showing against Cincy and Chi at home. Beating the World Champs and chasing Cole Hamels in the 4th, I sure hope that this is what we can expect from the team.
In an odd, quirky story, JSO reported that Ken Macha has witnessed 3 of the 17 perfect games in Major League history.
April 22- Milwaukee 3 Philadelphia 1 Record: 5-9
I was pretty reserved about the Looper signing this off season but I'm pretty elated about it now. Maybe the most consistent starter so far. Halting another Crew skid and once again issuing only 2 free passes (to Ryan Howard who owns him) in 6 scoreless to improve to 2-0. Macha tried to shake Hardy out of his sub .200 slump by moving him to the 6 spot (from number 5) and he delivered with a solo shot and a 2-3 night. Cameron swapped positions with him and added a 2 run double that proved to be the difference after Coffey gave up his first run as a Brewer, a Jason Werth solo shot in the 9th. Oh well, I guess I can live with a closer with a 0.84 ERA. DiFelice and Villy took care of the 7th and 8th to make it a well pitched game all around.
April 21- Philadelphia 11 Milwaukee 4 Record: 4-9
Citizens Bank Park in Philly is now the PNC Park for the Brewers. They've lost 7 straight and 11 of their last 12. Parra was in the hole right off the bat, letting the Phils bat around in the 1st. However, the Crew was still in this game until Jorge Julio and recently called up RJ Swindle gave up 5 in the 5th. Julio walked 3 of the first 5 he faced, including Jamie Moyer. Look for him to be released when Hoffman rejoins the team. All this spoiled a 5 hit, 2 dinger game for Ryan Braun, who hit his first out in the 2nd, a two run shot in the 5th (that brought the Crew to within 2) and then tacked on the final run of the Crew's production (all thanks to #8) with an RBI infield single in the 7th.
April 19- Milwaukee 4 NY (N) 2 Record 4-8
Salvaging another single win in a series again. At least they haven't been swept I suppose. Suppan, pitching for his spot in the rotation and some respect from every breating Brewer fan, overcame a first inning run to deliver a 2 run, 2 walk performance in 6+ innings that gave the Crew a chance, for the first in a LONG time, to win a Suppan start. Suppan was not the pitcher to note in this game however. Coffey came in with the bases loaded for the 3rd time this season and worked out of it, today with a grounder off the bat of Carlos Delgado that bounced straight up in the air that he grabbed and fired to home for 1 and then Kendall fired to 1b to complete the twin killing. He needed another double play to work out of a 2 on issue in the 8th also. Coffey pitched 2 and 2/3 scoreless, got the save and also laid down a great bunt that set up an insurance run on a Weeks RBI single in the 9th. He has not been scored on, as a Brewer, since being picked up on waivers last season. It should also be noted, that once again, Suppan felt the need to do whatever he can to make up for past mistakes by adding a lead-off single in the 9th and then scoring on a Hart sac fly.
April 18- NY (N) 1 Milwaukee 0 Record: 3-8
Another 1 run loss and a waste of an outstanding starting pitching performance. Yo left for a pitch hitter after 6 scoreless innings while Johan Santana made it 7 scoreless on the other side. A great pitchers' duel, the kind of game I would love to see, with the exception being the Crew coming out on top. No Brewer made it past 1B the whole game, and with the Met's new relief tandem of JJ Putz and Frankie Rodriguez, the Crew never had a chance. The lone Met's run was set up by all to common fundamental Brewer mistakes. Villy walking the No. 8 hitter to lead off the inning, the a Weeks error as he tried to cover 1B on an Alex Cora bunt. That let to 1st and 3rd with no out and a Jose Reyes comebacker that ricocheted off Carlos' glove brought the run in from 3B.
April 17- NY (N) 5 Milwaukee 4 Record: 3-7
Another bases loaded walk, this one, in a 3 run first by Dave Bush, who did settle down after that as the Brewers chipped away at Mets start Livan Hernandez (I didn't know he was still in the league. Braun's lead taking, 3 run dinger in the 6th gave the Crew a 1 run lead which was erased in the 7th when my most despised athlete, Gary Sheffield, hit his 500th career home run. I know there are pleanty of "non-former Brewers" that kill the Crew but why does it always feel like former Brewer's go out of their way to kill the Crew? A Luis Castillo single against McClung was the winner for the Metropolitans. I guess we can scratch McClung as the closer as well. Hoffman, the Jamie Moyer of closers, can't get back too soon.
April 15- Milwaukee 9 Cincinnati 3 Record: 3-6
The Crew was able to close out the homestand and celebrate Jackie Robinson day with a solid win. Cameron and Looper were the stories of this game along with an offense that fired from almost every position in the order. Cam hit 2 dingers and is now batting .370 and Looper held the Reds to 3 runs over 6 and only gave up 1 walk, HOORAY. Bullpen also did well, 1 hit over the last 3 innings thanks to DiFelice, Stetter and Coffey.
April 14- Cincinnati 6 Milwaukee 1 Record: 2-6
Tonight it was the offense that couldn't come through. Parra and the bullpen kept the Brewer's in this game, regardless of the Jerry Hairston, Jr.'s 3 run tater in the 3rd, but Bronson Arroyo was able to limit the Crew's offense to a Hardy solo shot. The Brewer's blew more chances with RISP, as they were 1-7 in this game and now 7-49 since Opening Day. Braun and Fielder alone were 1 for 8 with RISP and 1-14 in over these last two losses. The Crew has now lost 4 in a row and with a 3 run 9th allowed, it looks like Villanueva does not have the stuff to be a closer yet.
April 13- Cincinnati 7 Milwaukee 6 Record: 2-5
It seemed to be a great way to redeem themselves. 2nd of the games I would be attending with Gallardo taking the mound. He cruised through the first on 8 pitches then a 3 run Hart's tater capped a 4 run 2nd but in the 3rd, Gallardo coughed up 6 runs after getting the first two hitters of the inning out, including an Edwin Encarnacion grand slam. Until tonight, Gallardo had never issued more than 3 walks in a game, in that inning he had 3 total and a hit batsmen. The Reds got all 7 runs on just 3 hits and if that wasn't bad enough, the middle of the lineup for the Crew looked horrible. Braun did walk 3 times, but in clutch situations, he seems to be struggling. Even with Hart hitting so well, Fielder seems a little stymied with men on also.April 12- Chicago (N) 8 Milwaukee 5 Record: 2-4
The negative waves were supressed greatly in spite of Jeff Suppan taking the bump. I was going to the game with Lexi and my parents, anticipating Leinies' and brats in the parking lot and amped about the Crew's last inning win the day before, so I felt good. Even after Soriano's 1st pitch HR, I reminded myself through gritted teeth that Soup still has time to settle down. Plus, the Brewer's came right back and scored 1 in the bottom of the inning. Suppan worked out of trouble through 3 but in the 4th, with the bases loaded, he walks Koyie Hill (the 8 hitter) to force in a run, gets a force at home for the second out, then walks Soriano and Fukodome to bring 2 more in. I was beside myself. I remember walking in a run being a rare event in my childhood, but a more frequent occurance now. WALKING IN 3! That seems improbable even for a pitcher of Suppan's caliber. Then Jorge Julio walks in 1 more. When all was said in done, the Cubs got 4 runs on 1 hit, 1 hit batsmen and 5 walks. Think walking in 4 runs is only a sign of suckitude in the Brewers? Think again, the Braves did it a few days earlier against the Phillies. What has happened to pitching in Major League Baseball?
I hated that this had to be Lexi's first exposure to the Brewer's seeing me frustrated with Suppan who is now winless in 8 starts and has given up 36 runs in the last 32 but all that could have been erased had not Reed Johnson robbed Prince of what would have been his first grand slam. Instead, I saw a long Sac Fly and a Brewer loss that is probably 3rd behind those two games I saw in Denver in 2007. At least those games didn't have a stadium full or the oppositions fans.
