Brewers 2, Cubs 8 Recap

Win: Shawn Camp (1-1)
Loss: Kameron Loe (2-1)

HR: Ian Stewart (4), Reed Johnson (1)

MVP: Cesar Izturis (.156 WPA)
LVP: Manny Parra (-.167 WPA)

Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph

This game started as a pitching duo and ended up being judged by the bullpens.

Both starting pitchers today had excellent games. For the Cubs, Jeff Samardzija only lasted five innings, but allowed just three hits and one run. He also struck out six batters. That continues an excellent season for Samardzija so far. If it's any consolation to the Brewers, it should be seen as a small victory to force him out of the game after just the five innings. Prior to this game, Samardzija was averaging seven and a half innings per game when you remove his two starts where he allowed five runs.

Marco Estrada matched Samardzija pitch for pitch, though. He allowed just five hits in six innings. Unfortunately, Estrada just can't keep the ball in the park as he allowed two home runs for his third straight start. More unfortunately, it didn't matter anyway.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning by playing small ball, but Chicago tied it up the next inning on an Ian Stewart home run. Both teams scored in the sixth inning--the Cubs with a Reed Johnson pinch hit home run and the Brewers with a Taylor Green RBI single after an Aramis Ramirez walk and Corey Hart double.

The wheels fell off after that as Marco Estrada was taken out of the game. An Edwin Maysonet throwing error allowed a run to score in the seventh inning on what would have been the third out. That gave Kameron Loe an unearned run and the loss.

Cesar Izturis pinch hit in the bottom of the seventh, and started off really well. First, he reached on an error. Then he stole second base. He advanced to third base after Cubs first baseman Brian LaHair missed a catch. Then, after all that work, he went back to his horrible baserunning ways and got thrown out at home. So, instead of tying the game, Izturis made the second out of the inning on a fielders choice with a grounder to second base.

Things went even more downhill from there as Manny Parra allowed two runs in the eighth inning, putting the Brewers down 5-2. Then Vinnie Chulk probably bought himself a ticket back to Nashville after allowing three more runs in the ninth inning on five hits and a walk.

Norichiki Aoki had the best offensive game for the Brewers, going 2-3 with a triple and a walk. Taylor Green also had both the Brewers RBIs today. Outside of that, though, not many bright spots in this game.

The Brewers get right back to it tomorrow as they head to New York to take on the surprising Mets. First pitch is at 6:10.