Brewers 6, Marlins 5: Late Game Heroics From Unlikely Sources

Win: Tim Dillard (1-0)
Loss: Michael Dunn (4-3)
Save: John Axford (16)

HR: Weeks (11), Wilson (2), Hayes (2)

MVP: Josh Wilson (.364)
LVP: Marco Estrada (-.215)

Fangraphs Fantastic Win Expectancy Graph

This morning, we learned that Josh Wilson, who the Brewers had claimed off of waivers from the Diamondbacks 11 days ago, would be making his first Brewers start at shortstop.  By the end of today's game, Wilson made that claim well worth it already. 

The Brewers got off to a good start, scoring five runs in the third and fourth innings as Chris Narveson maintained a shutout.  Rickie Weeks (2-5) hit a two run home run and ended with three RBI and two runs scored, Jonathan Lucroy singled in Nyjer Morgan for another run in the fourth, and Weeks drove in his third run of the game the next inning before scoring himself on a balk.  Weeks' homerun was #100 in his career, by the way.

Then, in the sixth inning, the wheels began to fall off.  Chris Narveson, who had shut out the Marlins for five innings, began to lose control.  He would walk Logan Morrison, then allow a double to Gaby Sanchez, allowing Morrison to score.  A Mike Stanton single put runners on the corners before a walk to Greg Dobbs loaded the bases. 

At that point, the Brewers had seen enough and removed Narveson from the game, replacing him with Marco Estrada.  That move looked good after he struck out Emilio Bonifacio for the second out of the inning.  That would bring up 27 year old Brett Hayes, playing in his 55th major league game.  Long story short, Hayes hit a grand slam, tying the game at five apiece.  Narveson's final line: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K. 

It really wasn't looking good for the Brewers in the ninth inning, though.  LaTroy Hawkins came on to pitch and immediately put on a runner at first with one out.  Then Omar Infante singled, bringing Logan Morrison up to bat.  That prompted a switch from the Brewers, who brought on Zach Braddock.  Braddock promptly plunked Morrison to load the bases with just one out. 

With Gaby Sanchez coming up, the Brewers brought in the not-so-often used Tim Dillard.  Dillard forced Sanchez to ground into a fielders choice as Craig Counsell, playing third base today, made the force out at home plate to keep the game tied.  Then, Dillard got Mike Stanton to fly out.  With the Marlins two best hitters up, Dillard managed to work the Brewers out of a bases loaded, one out jam.  Dillard also pitched a perfect tenth inning.

Dillard wouldn't be needed for the eleventh after Josh Wilson--Josh Wilson!--did this in the top of that frame.  Josh Wilson has hit 9 career home runs.  Two of them have come in the past week. 

That homerun allowed John Axford to come on and record his third save in as many days.  He struggled a bit, but still managed to get the job done.

As Saltire pointed out, this is the first time the Brewers have beaten the Marlins three straight times since 1998.  The Brewers will go for the four game road sweep tomorrow.