Astros 6, Brewers 4

by Kyle Lobner on May 20, 2009 9:51 PM CDT Comment 38 comments

W: Wandy Rodriguez (5-2)
L: Yovani Gallardo (4-2)
S: Chris Sampson (2)

HR: Mike Cameron (8), Miguel Tejada (3)

MVP: Casey McGehee (+.080)
LVP: Yovani Gallardo (-.223)

So this is what losing feels like. I had almost forgotten.

This one was over early. Gallardo allowed runs in the first, second and third, digging the Brewers a 4-0 hole that they couldn't climb out of. Yovani was not sharp tonight, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings. The Brewers scored three in the ninth to bring it back to 6-4, but fell just short.

Mike Cameron hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, and it was the only time all night the Brewers could do any damage against Wandy Rodriguez, who gave up just six hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out five.

The bright spot offensively for the Brewers was perhaps the least likely option: Casey McGehee, who started at second base for the second consecutive night and went 2-for-3 with a walk and his first double of the season.McGehee, Mat Gamel (+.075), Mike Cameron (+.013) and Jorge Julio (+.004) were the only other Brewers with a positive WPA on the night.

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Why did I listen to 9 innings

if it was over early :[

by Flag Up on May 20, 2009 9:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

at least the 9th was mildly exciting

"my goodness"

by BrewHaHeather on May 20, 2009 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but it wasn't

until…billy

by lawlackey on May 20, 2009 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Think this'll end the whole "batting Hall 2nd against lefties" thing?

Maybe?

Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?

by Lefti on May 20, 2009 9:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

so I like Macha (who wouldn't, considering)

but Billy in the two hole? really? I did object to that before the game began. Ask the wife if you don’t believe me.

by lawlackey on May 20, 2009 9:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

but I'm so happy. overall.

by lawlackey on May 20, 2009 9:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where else do you hit him?

Flip him and Hardy?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on May 20, 2009 9:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes!

I’m an advocate of Hardy hitting second. He always hits better there.

"my goodness"

by BrewHaHeather on May 20, 2009 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm more bothered by YoGa in the sixth

Not sure why he was sent back out there, when he was clearly struggling and everybody in the pen was available.

by Getting Yosted on May 20, 2009 10:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

KL

I’m thinking you meant ‘hits’ not ‘runs’ here

Wandy Rodriguez, who gave up just six runs and a walk over seven innings, striking out five.

by sheeter on May 20, 2009 10:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I did!

Drinking during the game is not something I should do everyday.

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

by Kyle Lobner on May 20, 2009 10:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

works for a lot of people around here

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."

by Hyatt on May 21, 2009 7:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

here I go again

Should have pinch hit Gamel for Kendall.
If Gamel would have had the double the previous batter (no guarantee of that of course), he may have knocked in McGehee from first, rather than just advancing kendall from first.

Then Counsell pinch hits for the pitcher, down by 2 and a runner on 2nd, no outs. At the very least, I think Counsell would advance the runner to third (or take a walk, putting the tying runner on base). We would have then had a reasonable shot (maybe 5-10% chance) to tie it with one or two outs left.

If we get 5+ runs, McGehee moves to catcher, Counsell moves to second, and the pitcher slots in the 8 hole. Again, we don’t worry about what a horrible suck McGehee is behind the plate because unless we force the tie, it doesn’t matter at all.

by PagsBrewCrew on May 20, 2009 10:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

errr...

in my scenario, after Counsell is done, we have either 3 outs left or 2. So, still have at least 2 shots, but possibly more.

by PagsBrewCrew on May 20, 2009 10:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Riveria was already used earlier in the game as a pinch hitter….

by Saberilliterate on May 21, 2009 7:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

so what?

I didn’t say he would be catcher. I said McGehee, still in the game, would be.

And again, it doesn’t matter who plays catcher if we don’t get 5 runs, as we don’t defend in any more innings.

by PagsBrewCrew on May 21, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As it happened, the tying run was at the plate with 1 out and the top of the order coming up last night

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on May 21, 2009 5:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

which was the best case scenario of what did happen coupled with the worst case scenario of what could have happened (assuming the Gamel double constant)

So, maybe we would have been no better off, but still….

by PagsBrewCrew on May 21, 2009 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wait, what?

“the best case scenario of what did happen” – what does that mean? What happened is the only case of what did happen. Unless you mean Kendall has absolutely zero shot of getting a hit or something.

The worst case of Gamel doubling then Counsell batting would’ve been a double play lineout leaving the team with no one on and two out.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on May 21, 2009 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

okay...let me rephrase

I like Counsell after Gamel more than I like Kendall-with-bases-loaded before gamel. I think we have a significantly better chance of having more in and/or more on base with fewer outs with Counsell involved than Kendall.

I actually through it quite likely that Kendall would hit into a DP, and he essentially would have had they played it that way, or so I assume.

by PagsBrewCrew on May 21, 2009 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well you can second guess all you want

Any way you slice it we’re still 7 for our last 8. Pretty darn good.

Can’t win em all, and it’s a 162 game season. Still have a chance to win the series tomorrow. Let’s go get ’em! Go Crew!

Crimson and Cream Machine
Baseball season = Go Brew Crew!

by dishingoutdimes on May 20, 2009 10:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not too bummed

Had to lose sooner or later, and Wandy has been one of the top 5 pitchers in the major leagues so far this season, so this wasn’t a bad game to take our Loss™. Time for another 7+ game winning streak!

Ryan Braun: He loves it.

by SRB on May 20, 2009 10:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It's ok.

I didn’t think they were going 148-14 anyway.

"Because if that man was alive, he’d be living in my pool house and I’d be paying him two hundred thousand dollars a year to mow my lawn."

by djjustice on May 20, 2009 10:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Damn

This was how the Brewers lose a lot of games last year…Got down early and relied on HRs to bring them back. When they don’t come it doesn’t happen. Not a good sign.

by Gallardo's Right Arm on May 20, 2009 10:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

relax this was their first "Bridge Too Far" Moment in a long while

First loss in 8 games some bad things were bound to happen now lets see how they bounce back tomorrow night. And even tonight they made a late charge to get close.

I am also wondering how the late flight in from St Louis the other night effected them. I can remember an interview where one of the Brewers(cannot remember which) said it was the second game after arriving very late that killed you.

But they win tomorrow and all will be right in the world

Let me spell it for you Cub fans O N E H U N D R E D A N D O N E Y E A R S

by WSB Chris on May 20, 2009 10:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

True...but

that’s an excuse. Wandy wasn’t particularly overpowering. Yes, I don’t expect them to win from here on out, but I do expect them to win the series. Especially when YoGa is pitching. I’m willing to give a pass since he missed a start, but it’s at least a bit disconcerting.

by Gallardo's Right Arm on May 20, 2009 10:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How is this loss disconcerting?

Wandy is one of the best pitchers in the game right now (the Brewers’ 6 hits tonight ties the most he’s given up all season), and it looked like he had pretty good stuff to me. Gallardo wasn’t at his sharpest, but I don’t think he pitched poorly enough for it to be concerning. And even after the Brewers were trailing they didn’t “rely on the HR” to bring them back; perhaps you missed the fact that they had a nice 3-run rally in the 9th and that all the starters go on base at least once (except Hall, who accounted for half the team’s strikeouts tonight…) I don’t know if you expected them to win every game the remainder of the season, but this wasn’t a bad or concerning loss…

Is this backtocali’s new account?

Ryan Braun: He loves it.

by SRB on May 20, 2009 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wandy

Was one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the majors last year. Yes he was terrible on the road last year. I just hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. It happened last year, where we relied on HRs to win games. That’s all. But we’ve got Macha now, not Yost. So I’m guessing/hoping that’s not the case.

And no this isn’t backtocali’s new account.

by Gallardo's Right Arm on May 20, 2009 11:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last Year <> This Year

He’s been dominant this year. Nothing overly upsetting about getting shut down by him. It’s gonna happen. Tip your cap, get him next time, no need to get anyones panties in a bundle.

by Mykenk on May 20, 2009 11:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough

Though Wandy has been lights out so far and really looks as though he’s having a breakout season, and I still don’t see how the 3-run 9th and fact that every starter but Hall reached based recalls past seasons’ games where the team would have 3 hits, all homeruns.

I recant my backtocali accusation though; as we all know he’d only be raising these concerns after a Brewers win.

Ryan Braun: He loves it.

by SRB on May 20, 2009 11:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gallardo

Maybe I overreact, but the fact that Gallardo hasn’t looked good in his last two starts is a little disconcerting.

by keephopealive on May 20, 2009 11:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe...

… but even aces aren’t sharp all the time.

by Mykenk on May 20, 2009 11:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one

who nearly pissed himself when he saw Gamel’s swing…and watched it about 5 more times?

by levnclf on May 20, 2009 10:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That guy can rake

I spit out my soda as I was trying to drink and cheer all in one motion

Crimson and Cream Machine
Baseball season = Go Brew Crew!

by dishingoutdimes on May 20, 2009 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Personally...

… I think I’m going to try to remember the throw he sent past Fielder a couple days back, and the defensive gems that Hall turns in at 3rd every time he plays. Because if I think of Hall’s at bats compared to Gamel’s, it’s going to be an irritating couple of weeks until Gamel gets sent back to AAA.

Hopefully, someone smarter than I am on this site can tell me that Hall’s defense essentially cancels out Gamel’s bat.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on May 20, 2009 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs