W: Yovani Gallardo (13-7)
L: J.A. Happ (4-14)
HR: Corey Hart (16)
MVP: Ryan Braun (+.174)
LVP: Jonathan Lucroy (-.005)
Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting
Let's start with tonight's top story: Craig Counsell singled to right in the ninth, ending his 0-for-45 slump.
Beyond that, this wasn't the most exciting win in Brewer history, but given some of the adventures we've seen on the road this season I think that's ok.
The Brewers got most of the offense out of the way early tonight, scoring three runs in the first and three more in the third off of J.A. Happ and coasting to victory from there. The first inning runs scored on RBI hits from Ryan Braun and Casey McGehee, while the tallies in the third scored on Yuniesky Betancourt's single, Felipe Lopez's sac fly and Jonathan Lucroy's single.
Ryan Braun had the Brewers' best offensive night, going 3-for-4. Every other position player (except Mark Kotsay) for the Brewers had exactly one hit, including Counsell.
Yovani Gallardo didn't actually need that much help. He let the Astros score a single run in the second but nothing else, holding them to four hits over eight innings with a walk and seven strikeouts. After the second inning he retired 19 out of the next 20 batters he faced. He's struck out 21 and walked two in 21 innings against the Astros this season.
Tim Dillard, pitching for the first time in weeks, worked a perfect ninth to close out the game.