W: Mitch Stetter (3-1)
L: Kevin Correia (7-9)
MVP: Carlos Villanueva (+.300)
LVP: Claudio Vargas (-.205)
Win Expectancy Graph
SBNation Coverage
Maybe Carlos Villanueva will stick in the Brewer rotation after all.
Despite entering today's game with an ERA over 10 in his last 18 outings and having allowed five earned runs in four innings in his last start, Villanueva pitched very effectively today, throwing five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and four walks, and striking out three. The Brewer bats and bullpen couldn't combine to get him a win, but it was a soild outing nonetheless and likely enough to earn him another turn or two in the rotation.
Villanueva exited the game with a 1-0 lead, but Claudio Vargas only needed two batters to surrender that advantage. Thankfully, the Brewers came through with five runs in the top of the seventh to make that point moot. After Mitch Stetter and Todd Coffey combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, Trevor Hoffman came in to close out the game in a non-save situation, and while Hells Bells was not played, the crowd in San Diego gave him a standing ovation in what could be his final appearance at Petco Park.
Felipe Lopez was the offensive hero of the day for the Brewers, hitting a two out, bases loaded double in the seventh to extend the lead to 5-1. Craig Counsell went 2-for-4 with a double and was the only Brewer to record multiple hits.