Series Preview #16: Brewers' Best Games Against The Nationals/Expos

We've already talked to Federal Baseball once this season, so it's time to take a look at the Brewers' best games against our friends from Washington by way of Montreal. And, since this is the last meeting between these teams in 2011, we'll take a look at both hitters and pitchers. As always, games are sorted by WPA.

Starting with the hitters:

3) Geoff Jenkins, April 28, 2001: +.421 WPA

The WPA number doesn't really do this game justice, as it was part of one of the greatest offensive performances in Brewer history and possibly the most significant hot streak of Jenkins' career, which contained a fair number of notable streaks.

Jenkins got started early on this day, hitting a two run homer in the first inning to tie the game at two. He struck again in the fourth to give the Crew a 3-2 lead, and tacked on a three run shot in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-2. The Brewers coasted from there and won 8-4. Jenkins, however, wasn't done: He hit two more home runs the next day in a 10-0 Brewer win.

Two days later, Jenkins left a game against the Braves and was placed on the DL with a torn muscle in his left thumb.

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2) Mike Rivera, August 10, 2008: +.540 WPA

The fact that Mike Rivera appeared in a game on August 10, 2008 should have been notable enough. Despite being with the team all year he only made 21 appearances, spending most of the time on the bench in favor of noted offensive anti-juggernaut Jason Kendall. But Rivera made the most of his limited playing time, hitting .306/.377/.435 in 69 PAs, and on this day he had a very good game against the Nationals despite the fact that he hadn't played in twelve days and wouldn't play again for nine more.

The Brewers and Nationals were deadlocked all day in this game: Both teams scored a run in the sixth, and then each scored three more in the eighth to send it to extras. Rivera walked in the third and fifth innings and singled and stole a base in the seventh, but was stranded on all three occasions. The eighth inning rally was powered by Rivera's bat, however, as he hit a two out, bases loaded double to tie the game.

Rivera walked again in the tenth inning, but was once again stranded. The Brewers went on to win in the bottom of the 13th on Gabe Kapler's walkoff home run. Overall, Rivera went 2-for-3 in the game with a double and three walks, driving in three runs.

1) Jeromy Burnitz, July 25, 1998: +.552 WPA

I think we sometimes forget how good Jeromy Burnitz was as a Brewer, largely because he played for teams that weren't very good. In 1998 he hit 38 home runs and came within one of tying the Brewer franchise record with 125 RBI, but it was actually a less valuable season than the ones he had in 1997 and '99.

Two of those 38 home runs came on this day, and the Brewers needed them both. His shot to lead off the second tied the game at two, and his solo shot off Anthony Telford in the ninth was the walkoff game winner in a 4-3 victory. In between Burnitz also singled to finish the day 3-for-4 with two runs and RBI.

The pitching list includes some pretty surprising names:

3) Steve Woodard, May 6, 2000: +.331 WPA

Steve Woodard's final season in Milwaukee wasn't exactly an epic triumph. He posted a 5.96 ERA in 27 appearances (11 starts) before being traded to the Indians as part of the multiplayer package that netted Richie Sexson.

On this day, though, he was very good: He pitched seven innings and allowed just one run on six hits, walking one and striking out four. The only run was a seventh inning solo homer by Orlando Cabrera. Unfortunately, Woodard's excellent day went unrewarded as David Weathers blew the save and the Expos won 3-2.

Woodard went on to pitch in three more major league seasons as a member of the Indians, Rangers and Red Sox, but never again surpassed the 64 game score he posted on this day.

2) Chris Capuano, May 18, 2005: +.478 WPA

Capuano was great in his first full season as a Brewer, winning 18 games and posting a 3.99 ERA while pitching 219 innings. On this day, however, he was a tough luck loser.

On a Wednesday night at RFK Stadium in Washington Capuano and Esteban Loiaza were locked in an epic duel, with both teams scoreless through eight innings. Capuano flinched first, hitting Brad Wilkerson with a pitch to lead off the ninth. After a bunt moved the runner to second, Ned Yost pulled Capuano (who had thrown 99 pitches) and replaced him with Mike Adams. Adams allowed an infield single, an intentional walk and another single to give the Nats a 1-0 walkoff victory.

1) Kyle Peterson, July 30, 1999: +.606 WPA

A first round pick in the 1997 draft, Peterson only made 20 appearances (and 14 starts) in his major league career, and if you hadn't guessed I'll save you the trouble: This was easily the best one.

On this day the Brewers gave Peterson just one run, a solo homer by Alex Ochoa in the second inning off Jeremy Powell, who was making just his 11th career major league start. Peterson, however, made the run hold up. He limited the Expos to just four hits while holding them scoreless over eight innings, walking just one and striking out two. He needed just 88 pitches to navigate his way through eight innings. Bob Wickman pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the Brewer victory.