Overbay Traded to Toronto!
Astros club Brewers
Skid continues for Milwaukee
Dennis Jenders
The two-game series in Houston didn't produce any wins for the ballclub but the Milwaukee Brewers did finally see some life in their bats. On Wednesday Ben Sheets struggled with the flu but still made his scheduled start. Feeling the effects of the flu-bug that has made its way around the clubhouse he also felt the sting of two-homers by Adam Everett and Craig Biggio on his 3rd and 4th pitches of the game.
Roy Oswalt kept the Brewers bats in check with his four-hit complete game. He was efficient and on target as he struck-out eight in his 96-pitch performance. The game finished in 2 hours, 11 minutes and the only positive outcome of that was that Brewers fans were not left suffering in a much longer game.
The story might sound familiar, and it should. Last year the Brewers were only able to muster 19 runs of support in the 14 losses by Sheets. In his past three starts the Brewers ace has only received 1 run of support.
On Thursday the Brewers bats finally came alive, but it was a bit late as they scored 4 runs coming up short in the ninth-inning losing 8-7. But although the loss has put the Brewers 5 games below .500 at 5-10 there were some signs of life in their bats.
Brady Clark hit a three-run homer off one of the best closers in the league, Brad Lidge. Carlos Lee also found some success with a pair of hits while his protection in the line-up, Geoff Jenkins added a two-run homer and a double. J.J. Hardy has continued to make good contact which his .111 average doesn't reflect. With a shot up the middle in the seventh-inning a little luck was on pitcher Andy Pettite's side as he got enough glove on the ball so the shortstop could get Damian Miller out at second. While his bat is continuing to adjust to the major leagues his defense has been stellar. That hasn't been so for the rest of the team.
Miscues have cost the Brewers some valuable runs this season and Thursday that trend continued. Third-baseman Wes Helms finally drove in a run but also bounced into a double play. With his own chance to turn a double play in the fourth he threw the ball away allowing two runs to score, with the bases loaded he should have thrown it to the plate.
In the sixth-inning Andy Pettite hit a foul-ball to left field that Carlos Lee could have let go into the stands, instead he chose to field it for an out allowing a run to score.
Reliever Jorge De La Rosa who has looked spectacular at times left fellow reliever Matt Wise with no outs and the bases loaded in the eighth. Wise plunked Craig Biggio but pitched his way out of the jam well.
Erasing any of those mistakes could have helped the Brewers win. Luck, fundamentals, and their offense has not been with the Brewers early this season. Hopefully with a few hits last night at least part of that equation will be rectified.
The Brewers will look to end their skid in San Francisco when they take on the Giants this weekend.