Brewers Lose Sixth Straight With Third Straight Blown Save, Lose 7-6 In Ten Innings

W: Michael Schwimer (2-1)
L: Francisco Rodriguez (2-6)

HR: Rickie Weeks (10), Ryan Braun (28)

MVP: Ryan Braun (+.478)
LVP: Francisco Rodriguez (-.827)

Win Expectancy Graph

The Brewers closed out an 0-6 road trip with another come-from-ahead loss today, clawing back from a 5-1 deficit to take a 6-5 lead but losing 7-6 in ten innings when Francisco Rodriguez failed to convert another save.

The Brewers scored five straight runs in the late innings today, capped by a bizarre play in the tenth inning. Carlos Gomez was on third when Ryan Braun attempted to steal second on a pitch to Aramis Ramirez, which he blooped into the shallow outfield in right. Chase Utley caught the ball but, instead of taking the easy play to double off Braun at first, threw home to attempt to get Gomez. Gomez beat the play and the Brewers took a 6-5 lead.

TPOT (Thirty Pitches of Terror, aka Francisco Rodriguez) retired the first batter he faced in the tenth before walking John Mayberry, allowing a double to Erik Kratz, giving up a sac fly to Carlos Ruiz to tie the game and tossing a walkoff single to Jimmy Rollins to give the Phillies a walkoff victory.

An inning earlier the Brewers had a chance to take the lead in the ninth and blew it in epic fashion. There were runners on first and third with none out following Rickie Weeks' fourth hit, but Corey Hart was caught in a rundown following the team's second blown squeeze attempt of the day and the inning ended without further threat.

With that said, the game was only tied in the ninth because the Brewers came back from a 5-1 deficit. Rickie Weeks had four hits and an HBP today to help power the attack, and Ryan Braun's 28th home run of the season tied the game in the eighth.

(Here we pause to leave the Phillies time for another mound visit. They seemed to take one every other batter today, which is a large part of the reason the first nine innings of this game took three and a half hours to play.)

The Crew also climbed back into today's game with a significant amount of help from their bullpen. Tyler Thornburg and Livan Hernandez each pitched scoreless innings and John Axford retired the side in order in both the eighth and ninth to force extra innings.

The Brewers found themselves in a 5-1 hole today because Marco Estrada allowed those runs on eight hits and three walks over just four innings. His outing was the shortest by a Brewer starter since Zack Greinke pitched three innings the day before the All Star break.

Today's loss wrapped up an 0-6 road trip. The Brewers return home tomorrow to host the Nationals at 7:10.