Brewer Bats Silenced In 1-0 Loss To Cubs

W: Jeff Samardzija (4-2)
L: Kameron Loe (2-6)
S: Carlos Marmol (13)

HR: None

MVP: Randy Wolf (+.458 pitching and +.004 hitting, +.462 total)
LVP: Kameron Loe (-.217)

Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting

The score would imply that this game was a pitcher's duel, but really it was just nine innings of ugly, poorly executed baseball.

For seven innings tonight the Brewers could manage no runs on just four hits against Ryan Dempster, who now has a career 2.50 ERA against Milwaukee. Dempster was lifted for a pitch hitter in the bottom of the seventh, but Jeff Samardzija and Carlos Marmol pitched scoreless innings in relief to complete the shutout.

The Brewers' best chance to score a run against Dempster came in the fifth inning, when Yuniesky Betancourt doubled to lead off the frame and advanced to third with one out on a Wil Nieves ground ball. Randy Wolf blew a suicide squeeze attempt, however, and Betancourt was caught trying to come home. 

Meanwhile, Wolf was matching Dempster pitch-for-pitch. He also went seven scoreless innings, allowing just six hits and walking none while striking out seven. Kameron Loe took his place and allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth, although the Cubs' single tally would not have scored if Ryan Braun had been able to make a play on Carlos Pena's fly ball to the wall.

The Brewers probably helped the Cubs out a bit by starting Mark Kotsay in center field (0-for-4, three strikeouts) and Wil Nieves at catcher (0-for-2).