W: Randy Wolf (4-4)
L: Felipe Paulino (0-7)
HR: Ryan Braun (8), Rickie Weeks (6)
MVP: Randy Wolf (+.397)
LVP: Carlos Gomez (-.082)
Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting
SBNation Coverage
Ryan Braun struck early tonight, hitting a booming home run off the scoreboard in center field to put the Brewers up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. After that, Astros starter Felipe Paulino held the Brewers scoreless from that point forward through the sixth inning, striking out four along the way. He issued free passes to only one hitter, Prince Fielder, but did so three times. It was shaping up to be a tough-luck 2-0 loss for the young righty, but Chris Sampson was hammered to start the seventh, allowing five of six batters faced to reach base...on only ten pitches. He gave up a two-run home run to Rickie Weeks and RBI single to Casey McGehee before Jeff Fulchino relieved him and allowed another run to score on double by Alcides Escobar. Every Brewers starter except Carlos Gomez picked up at least one hit.
On the mound, Randy Wolf broke the team streak of twenty consecutive starts that failed to go seven innings. Wolf and Jonathon Lucroy (making his first start) proved they make a good battery as the lefty scattered four hits and four strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. Carlos Villanueva pitched a scoreless eighth before Todd Coffey allowed a run in the ninth to spoil the shutout.