W: Jason Grilli (1-0)
L: Shaun Marcum (11-4)
S: Joel Hanrahan (32)
HR: None
MVP: Ryan Braun (+.052)
LVP: Yuniesky Betancourt (-.261)
Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting
Someone forgot to tell the Brewers this was a four game series.
Everything about this matchup would've suggested a blowout victory for the Brewers: They were facing a non-prospect pitcher making his major league debut, playing a Pittsburgh team they've dominated for years now, and they entered the game having won 24 of 28. All the Brewers had to do to win was show up...and they didn't.
He only allowed two runs today, but it was a rough outing for Shaun Marcum. He really labored and allowed the aforementioned two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out four. He needed 114 pitches to get through six innings.
Meanwhile, Pirates spot starter Aaron Thompson kept the Brewers off the board for 4.1 innings, scattering four hits and two walks. The Brewers had runners in scoring position against him with less than two outs in the first, third and fifth innings but failed to score. Then Jason Grilli came in and things got worse: He retired eight Brewers in order in relief to pick up his first win. After Thompson left the game it took the Brewers over three innings to get another hit.
The Brewers sent the potential winning run to the plate in the ninth but Casey McGehee, Yuniesky Betancourt and Jonathan Lucroy struck out in order to end the game.
Even with the loss, this was still a 5-2 road trip for the Brewers. The fact that that's a bit disappointing says a lot about how well the Brewers have been playing lately.