:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6807280/20120505_jla_bs6_500.jpg)
Win: Javier Lopez (3-0)
Loss: Tim Dillard (0-1)
HR: None
MVP: Travis Ishikawa (.426 WPA)
LVP: Tim Dillard (-.399)
Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Boxscore
With a runner on second and one out, Tim Dillard was instructed to intentionally walk Brandon Belt. On an intentional walk, Tim Dillard threw what may have actually been a strike.
That was pretty indicative of how the eleventh inning went. Dillard was brought on despite Kameron Loe being an actually decent pitcher and only throwing 0.1 innings to that point. Dillard also could not get a ball over the plate to save his life, except when he was trying not to. After actually completing the intentional walk, Dillard walked Ryan Theriot. Ryan Theriot. Ryan Theriot. Then, with a five man infield, Dillard gave up a hit to left field that almost definitely would have scored the winning run even had Ryan Braun still been manning left field.
But, hey, credit where credit is due: Dillard sure was getting a lot of movement on his pitches.
Of course, the game would have never reached that point had it not been for the hitting prowess of Travis Ishikawa and the great baserunning of Corey Hart. Those aren't commonly heralded attributes for either of those players, but, hey, it got the job done. With Hart on first and two outs, Ishikawa worked a really nice at-bat, seeing a total of nine pitches. Luckily, he won the battle as he launched a double into left center field, just out of the reach of Angel Pagan.The ball went to the wall, and Corey Hart was like a gazelle gracefully running through the Serengeti. Or a giraffe terrified of a lion that's chasing after it. Yeah, that's probably more accurate.
Mostly, the Brewers offense wasn't able to get much going which is sadly not much of a surprise lately. Matt Cain was as good as advertised, striking out ten Brewers in seven innings while allowing just two runs and six hits. Ryan Braun was the only Brewers hitter to reach base safely twice, with a walk and a single. Aramis Ramirez singled in Nyjer Morgan in the first and brought in Rickie Weeks with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, so him being a run producer is good to see.
Shaun Marcum had a nice day, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings. It's a quality start, and he only walked two hitters, so that's nice. I'm a little surprised he wasn't sent out for a seventh inning as he was only at 82 pitches.
At least the west coast swing is over. What an awful trip. The Brewers get to head home to play the Reds starting tomorrow at 7:10.