Win: Shaun Marcum (4-3)
Loss: Erik Bedard (3-6)
HR: Brooks Conrad (1), Garrett Jones (6)
MVP: Shaun Marcum (.174 WPA)
LVP: Carlos Gomez (-.056)
Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Really, though, with the Brewers current roster they are assured of an unlikely hero at the plate anytime Ryan Braun is held out of the lineup. And with a day off for the star left fielder, some other players stepped up at the plate.
Aramis Ramirez had a slow start to the season, so he went 2-3 and scored two runs. Rickie Weeks' struggles have been well documented, so he reached base all four times he came to the plate, going 2-2 with two walks with two stolen bases and a run scored. Cody Ransom isn't what anyone would call an offensive stalwart, so he had a two run single and scored a run himself. To top it off, Brooks Conrad, still hitless as a Brewer, hit a two run home run in the fourth inning.
And Shaun Marcum pitched one heck of a game to keep the Pirates off the board. He went seven innings and allowed just one run on five hits while striking out eight and walking none. That's a great outing if I ever heard of one. The only blemish on his scoring was a Garrett Jones home run in the fourth inning. Marcum's ERA is down to 3.39 now.
The Jones homerun tied the game after the Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Aramis Ramirez scored the first run after he doubled and moved to third after two walks. A sacrifice fly from Conrad brought him in. After the Jones homer, the Brewers bats ramped up their efforts for four runs in the fourth.
An Aramis Ramirez single and Rickie Weeks double put both men in scoring position for Cody Ransom, who singled both in. Conrad followed with a two run home run to give Milwaukee the 5-1 lead they would hold on to all night.
Kameron Loe and Jose Veras finished the game for Milwaukee without incident.
Some bad news as Aramis Ramirez left the game early with an injury. No word yet on whether he'll miss any time.
The two teams will play the rubber match tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1:10.