W: Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0)
L: Yovani Gallardo (0-1)
S: Franklin Morales (1)
HR: Ian Stewart (1), Carlos Gomez (1)
MVP: Carlos Gomez (+.206)
LVP: Gregg Zaun (-.217)
Win Expectancy Graph
SBNation Coverage
Yovani Gallardo couldn't quite carry the Brewers to victory today. The Rockies took the lead for good in the second inning, when Brad Hawpe scored on a wild pitch and Ian Stewart hit a long home run to center. All told, Gallardo pitched seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five, but that's a little deceptive: Three of those strikeouts came against Seth Smith, who went 0-for-4 on the day with the aforementioned three K's and a GIDP.
Chris Narveson followed Gallardo to the mound and pitched a scoreless eighth before allowing back to back hits in the ninth, with the Rockies scoring their fifth run. Carlos Gonzalez had the first hit and scored the run: He tied a career high with four hits today.
At the plate, it seemed like the Brewers were always one hit away from being back in it. They had runners in scoring position in the first, third, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth, including three situations with no one out, but managed just three runs. Their best chances came in the seventh, when Casey McGehee popped out with the bases loaded and two outs and the ninth, when Carlos Gomez and Rickie Weeks were on second and third with none out, but the Brewers managed just one run as Ryan Braun hit a sac fly, Troy Tulowitzki robbed Prince Fielder of a hit on a line drive, and Jim Edmonds lined out to end the game.
Here's something I didn't expect to say on Opening Day: Carlos Gomez was the offensive star for the Brewers today, going 4-for-5 with a double, a solo home run and his first stolen base. On the other end of the spectrum, Gregg Zaun and Alcides Escobar combined to go 0-for-8, running up a -.353 WPA.
For the Rockies, Ubaldo Jimenez seemed to be able to work his way out of trouble all day. He allowed just one run on eight hits in six innings. After needing three pitchers to get through the seventh, the Rockies got a perfect eighth from Rafael Betancourt and Franklin Morales pitched the ninth for his first save.