Overbay Traded to Toronto!
Brewers Take Step Back After Win
0-13 With Runners in Scoring Position
Dennis Jenders
The Brewers showed promise in their 5-4 rally to beat the Cardinals on Tuesday night. But the team took a step backwards Wednesday in a game they could have won, but instead lost 4-2 to the Cards leaving them down 2-1 in the four game series that concludes Thursday afternoon.
The Brewers found themselves in scoring position often but could not convert those runners into runs on the scoreboard. If the story sounds familiar that is because it has been a consistent problem for the Brewers this year.
Brewers ace Ben Sheets found himself down early after giving up a solo home run to rookie John Rodriguez in the first inning and then another to Albert Pujols in the third which gave St. Louis a 3-0 lead.
Minus the problems with the home runs Sheets had great command of his curve-ball but only lasted six innings because the Brewers couldn't muster any offense, finding themselves 0-9 at that point in the game with men in scoring position.
Rookie Rickie Weeks doubled in the first and third and Bill Hall doubled in the second but the bats couldn't get them home. J.J. Hardy who has been hitting over .300 this month looks to have finally found his stroke. With a walk, double, and homer in the fourth Hardy looked poised for a strong second half.
Weeks led off the eigth a single off Julian Tavarez and Lyle Overbay was robbed of an RBI with a ground rule double that would have easily scored Weeks. Carlos Lee's struggles continued as he lined out to second. But Bill Hall, who continues to swing a hot bat in his break-out season, hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Weeks.
I can't remember another season where the Brewers have been plagued by ground rule doubles. In more than a handful of games they have costed the Brewers the tying or game changing run to help contribute to a win.
Rookie Dana Eveland came on in the eighth but quickly found himself in trouble when Chris Magruder chose to play a ball on the hop instead of going for the catch leading to a triple for David Eckstien. That play would eventually cost a run as Jim Edmonds drove home Eckstien 2 batters later.
Closer Jason Isringhausen came on in the ninth to close out the Crew. Hardy was robbed of an extra base hit by Taguchi who barely caught up to the ball for an out. Geoff Jenkins came on for Chad Moeller and immediately extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single up the middle. Russell Branyan looked like a statue as he came on for Eveland and struck out looking. The Brewers chance for a rally disappeared quickly when Brady Clark flied out to right field.
The Brewers could have easily taken the third game of the series with a few timely hits. Instead the Brewers will look to split the four game set against the Cards Thursday afternoon behind the arm of Chris Capuano.