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W: Francisco Rodriguez (1-4)
L: Ryan Webb (3-2)
S: John Axford (14)
HR: Justin Ruggiano (3), Carlos Gomez (5)
MVP: Travis Ishikawa (+.265)
LVP: Cesar Izturis (-.161)
Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Love it or hate it, the bunt will be a defining part of the 2012 Brewers season - especially the squeeze bunt. Teams know we're prone to it and they still can't stop it.
In the eighth, following a Rickie Weeks double and a Martin Maldonado single, Nori Aoki laid a perfect bunt and Rickie Weeks scored the Brewers seventh successful squeeze bunt run of the season.
No outs and runners at first and second, so of course Cody Ransom was sent up to sac bunt them to second and third. Two strikeouts and the inning was over, but the Brewers had the lead, 6-5.
The game started off ignominiously for both starting pitchers. Zack Greinke loaded the bases with no outs. He struck out Logan Morrison and had a chance to get out of the inning with no damage as Justin Ruggiano hit what looked to be a double-play ball at Aramis Ramirez. The ball took a hop, Ramirez missed it and two runs scored.
Carlos Zambrano induced ground outs for the first two outs, but then hit Ryan Braun and walked Ramirez, Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks to put in a run before giving up a hit. We were at 2-1 after the first.
Cesar Izturis led off the second with a triple and Greinke helped himself by bringing him home on a sac fly. But Greinke then walked Hanley Ramirez to lead off the second. Izturis failed to cover second on the ensuing out, meaning Greinke couldn't get the lead runner, but that ended up not making a difference when he gave up a home run to Ruggiano . 5-2 Marlins at the end of the third.
Carlos Gomez flashed his rare power, ensuring we'd see him swinging himself into the ground for the next few games. His solo shot in the fifth brought it to 5-3 after five.
Hanley Ramirez had three throwing errors in the game and his overthrow of first base allowed Hart to reach to start the bottom of the sixth. Weeks walked and Martin Maldonado bunted for a single to load the bases with no outs. Izturis promptly hit a week one back to the mound, allowing the Marlins to get outs at home and first, seemingly ending the rally and forcing Ron Roenicke to pull Greinke back and send out Travis Ishikawa as a pinch hitter. Ishikawa came through with a two-RBI single, tying the game 5-5.
Francisco Rodriguez brought his usual #ThirtyPitchesofTerror for the eighth inning, but Aramis not only bailed him out, but also redeemed himself by making two amazing stops, holding the runner at third and maintaining the tie game.