Brewers 4, Giants 2

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 9, 2009 12:08 AM CDT

W: Yovani Gallardo (1-0)
L: Randy Johnson (0-1)
S: Carlos Villanueva (1)

HR: Yovani Gallardo (1), Mike Cameron (1)

MVP: Yovani Gallardo (.442 WPA)
LVP: Tie, J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart (-.072 WPA)

Once the Brewers lost the opener to take the pressure off, Yovani Gallardo was free to have an incredible performance, allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings, striking out six and hitting the game-winning three-run home run.

The Giants made it interesting in the seventh, loading the bases against Gallardo and Mitch Stetter, but Coffey recorded the final out in the inning and pitched a perfect eighth. Carlos Villanueva pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.

The Brewers managed just five hits as a team, but Gallardo's home run gave them enough to win. Corey Hart and J.J. Hardy batted second and fifth again, respectively, and went 0-for-8 with two strikeouts.

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For those who missed the link in the game thread

Watch YoGa’s three-run jack.

jeff: but i shudder to think of the bullpen analogy to sending the runner

by battlekow on Apr 9, 2009 12:13 AM CDT reply actions

jeff: but i shudder to think of the bullpen analogy to sending the runner

by battlekow on Apr 9, 2009 12:15 AM CDT up reply actions

He's tall....

by Prentice on Apr 9, 2009 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions

The post-game show reveals

that YoGa’s home run was the first given up by Randy Johnson to a pitcher.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 9, 2009 12:40 AM CDT up reply actions

That second game thread was locking up my computer something fierce once we got into the eighth.

by HRF on Apr 9, 2009 12:15 AM CDT reply actions

Yeah, it was at an awkward number of posts

Too little left of the game to justify opening a new thread, but enough posts to screw things up. Post more earlier so we can make it to the third game thread comfortably.

jeff: but i shudder to think of the bullpen analogy to sending the runner

by battlekow on Apr 9, 2009 12:20 AM CDT up reply actions

I could space my posts out so that…

by HRF on Apr 9, 2009 12:23 AM CDT up reply actions

…each post ends up being two posts.

by HRF on Apr 9, 2009 12:24 AM CDT up reply actions

i found this to be interesting in the game recap from the AP

After Bill Hall doubled and Jason Kendall was intentionally walked with two outs in the fifth, Gallardo hit his third career homer, sneaking it just over the fence

really?!? did they watch the home run? he crushed it and it was a no-doubter

"Cubs fans boo again – 99% of these people can’t see the plate." -Ueck

by dux2bux on Apr 9, 2009 12:46 AM CDT reply actions

He hit it against Randy Johnson. Pitchers don’t crush balls off Randy Johnson. Duh.

by HRF on Apr 9, 2009 1:08 AM CDT up reply actions

maybe they got confused

Cam’s shot barely made it over the wall

I suppose YGs may not have been over the fence if hit to “triples alley” or dead center

by PagsBrewCrew on Apr 9, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Great stuff tonight

Positives:

Yovanni Gallardo was everything he was billed to be. Only wound up with 2 earned runs. Only got into real trouble when he got up around 100 pitches. He won’t be a horse like CC, but definitely has his stuff.
Billy Hall scoring a run! I know a lot of you scorn Billy Hall, but give the man his due, a hard hit double set Yo’s homer up.
Todd Coffey looked clutch.
Carlos Villanueva looked good. Clearly we rolled out the “A Team” pitchers tonight.
How about Cameron learning to take pitches and draw walks? Hit a home run too! I’m impressed!

Negatives

Can we switch Corey and JJ back? Neither appears to be in a comfort zone.

Crimson and Cream Machine
Baseball season = Go Brew Crew!

by dishingoutdimes on Apr 9, 2009 1:38 AM CDT reply actions

I don’t think Cameron taking walks is surprising. He normally gets up around 70/year. However, Cameron with 0 strikeouts through 2 games can be considered surprising.

by juggernaut400 on Apr 9, 2009 1:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Exactly

He gets his walks. He’s kind of like weeks in that respect, Low BA, decent OBP.

The lack of strikeouts is the positive to be found in that.. but it’s only been 2 games.

by tcyoung on Apr 9, 2009 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Hart needs to be hitting 5th, that fits his skill set much better than 2nd. Really, either Cam of JJ hitting 2nd is much, much better.

by KDean75 on Apr 9, 2009 7:47 AM CDT up reply actions

How does the 5-hole fit his skill set better?

by tcyoung on Apr 9, 2009 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions

HR’s, low OBP

by KDean75 on Apr 9, 2009 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions

when'd he last hit a HR

in the reg. season?

by PagsBrewCrew on Apr 9, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Because he’d be batting less and in lower leverage situations.

by HRF on Apr 9, 2009 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm guessing the 5 hole has more high leverage situations

Especially if Braun gets on and they start walking Prince to face Hart.

by tcyoung on Apr 9, 2009 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

Small sample

Macha’ll let them get out of San Francisco before making any decisions like that. If he had a reason to make the move in the first place, he’s stat-saavy enough to know you have to let it play out for a while. He quoted the ‘computers’ in an article by McCalvy about base-stealing needing to be 75% or above over the course of the season.

by ecocd on Apr 9, 2009 7:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Just as the first game wasnt an indication of a bad season or bad trend, I would say the win yesterday is the same.

I think that the Brewers got away with one yesterday. Gallardo did not have his command yesterday and got away with it because he was facing a team that doesnt hit well. And that HR, although it was a monster shot, was a once in a 100 or so. Randy Johnson had the better outing if you ask me. He had better command, didnt make any mistakes.

Coffey did look good as did Villanueva. The only fear I have with Villy as closer is that he will do fine in games that Parra and Gallardo pitch, but if he comes in to relieve any of the other three starters he will be in trouble (i.e. His changeup wont be as deceiving following pitchers who have similar stuff, resulting in a launching pad type situation).

All in all, another game and a win. You dont want to rely on your pitcher for the most offense too often.

by backtocali on Apr 9, 2009 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions

I wouldn't say we got lucky

Our pitching staff only allowed 2 runs. Pitcher home run or not, we’re gonna win most games where we hold the opponent under 3.

by tcyoung on Apr 9, 2009 8:10 AM CDT up reply actions

I wouldnt say lucky either

Its just one of those wins that you dont really want to model your season around. A win is a win, but I did not think Gallardo had his A game, and the offense produced one run.

by backtocali on Apr 9, 2009 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions

Let's not underestimate Gallardo's performance here.

He allowed a run early on a hit that Bill Hall should have turned into an out, and didn’t really show any other signs of weakness until he got up around 100 pitches.

If anything, he pitched very well for six innings, then showed signs of not being stretched out enough to throw 100 effective pitches.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 9, 2009 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions

his A game

starting in the 3rd or so, he had his A-game curve. Yes, he looked shakey at first, but actually he frequently does.

The defense behind him was atrocious (Bill Hall’s off-the-glove, Rickie’s off-balance overhand, Rickie’s miss of one that was to the 1B side of him that looked “simple”, Hall’s toss in the dirt that Fielder managed to somehow miraculously get a glove in place for, and Kendall had a throwing error I didn’t see). These defensive gaffs allowed more baserunners than there should have been. As I recall, this was actually the problem in some of YGs early 2008 starts – he pitched lights out, but in some innings had to get 5 outs, so dropped a couple of games.

by PagsBrewCrew on Apr 9, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions

more negatives

mitch stetter was awful and got no where near the plate

by DoubleJ235 on Apr 9, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions

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