Brewers 6, Pirates 0

W: Shaun Marcum (2-1)
L: Kevin Correia (2-1)

HR: Fielder (3)

MVP: Shaun Marcum (+.335)
LVP: Rickie Weeks (-.059)

Win Expectancy Graph

This was a tremendously boring game for a long time. Shaun Marcum and Kevin Correia were in a good old fashion pitchers duel, each holding the other team hitless for half the game; 4 hitless innings for Marcum and 5 for Correia. But then things finally started to get interesting.

Lyle Overbay and Matt Diaz broke up Marcum's no-hitter with back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the fifth, but he retired the next three batters in order with no damage done. The same can't be said for Correia and the Brewers sixth inning. Jonathan Lucroy reminded everyone that he was back be leading off the inning with a double. Marcum then bunted for a base hit, and Lucroy scored on Carlos Gomez's sac fly. After Ryan Braun singled Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer to make the Brewers lead 4-0. The Crew tacked on two more in the seventh, with a little help from Tony Plush and another aggressive slide into the catcher.

Marcum pitched seven shutout innings, giving up only one walk and striking out four, and then left it to the bullpen. Zach Braddock came in and decided to make things a little more interesting, walking two of the three batters he faced. Luckily, Ol' Reliable Kameron Loe came in and was able to stop the Pirates from scoring. Mitch Stetter came in and retired the side in order (including a righty!), keeping the shutout intact.

Here's a fun fact, courtesy of WMLW (and Lefti, for pointing it out): the Brewers have not had three shutouts in the first 11 games since 1990.

Good pitching is fun.

The win brings the Crew over .500 for the first time this season and (I know, its way too early for this) 1.5 games back of the Reds.