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W: Jonathan Broxton (2-0)
L: LaTroy Hawkins (0-3)
HR: Andre Ethier (10)
MVP: Craig Counsell (.349)
LVP: LaTroy Hawkins (-.375)
Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting
SBNation coverage
The Brewers had their usual issue with facing rookie starters for the first time. It wasn't just that, though. John Ely was locating everything right where it should be tonight. He threw 108 pitches in 6.2 innings, 72 of those for strikes, and didn't give up a walk. The Brewers couldn't do anything with him until the 7th inning, when Gregg Zaun singled in Prince Fielder. Hong-Chih Kuo pitched a perfect 8th, but then Jonathan Broxton came into the game...and ran into a wee bit of trouble, giving up hits to Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Gregg Zaun, and Craig Counsell, tying the game up. Despite all that he ended up with the good ol' BS win.
Dave Bush, Claudio Vargas and Jeff Suppan combined in a decent performance. This game could have been finished a lot earlier if not for an uncharacteristic error from Prince Fielder in the bottom of the 2nd inning; he didn't reposition himself on a throw to first from Casey McGehee, missing the throw, scoring a run, and causing Ely to reach second base. Bush ran up his pitch count, however, with only 56 of his 95 pitches going for strikes. Vargas came in in the 6th and quickly loaded the bases with a walk, a single, and another walk. Luckily he still carries his escape kit with him and got out of the inning completely undamaged. Suppan pitched two innings of nearly-perfect baseball, only walking 1. LaTroy Hawkins came in for the bottom of the 9th and lost the plot and the ballgame. Zaun had his work cut out for him behind the plate blocking errant pitches, but it was the two hits and a walk loading the bases that led to a game-winning grand slam by Andre Ethier.