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Win: John Axford (5-7)
Loss: Joel Hanrahan (4-1)
HR: Alvarez (27), Hart (26)
MVP: Hart (.348 WPA)
LVP: Nyjer Morgan (-.191 WPA)
Fangraphs Win Expectancy Chart
For once, it was the Brewers who won in the late innings. Of course, the bullpen still had to give up the lead late in the game first, but they won!
Marco Estrada started the game for the Brewers and made a strong case as to why he should be a favorite to win a rotation spot next season. He pitched seven four hit innings and allowed just one earned run. That run came on a solo home run from Pedro Alvarez--the first longball that Estrada has given up since July. Estrada also struck out ten hitters while walking just one, furthering his impressive peripheral numbers.
The Brewers offense supplemented that pitching performance with two hard-earned runs of their own against Pirates' starter A.J. Burnett. Burnett impressed today, pitching 6.2 two-hit innings and striking nine batters out. Still, he left the game in line for a loss. The first run came in the third inning as Carlos Gomez flashed his speed following a walk. The speedster stole second base, then third base, then scored on a wild pitch. Gomez was involved again in the Brewers second run with an RBI double that scored Corey Hart in the sixth inning. Hart had previously walked.
With a 2-1 lead and heading into the eighth inning, the Brewers bullpen came into play. Of course that couldn't end well as Jim Henderson gave up the game-tying run on an Andrew McCutchen single following a walk and a sacrifice bunt. John Axford pitched an interesting (one hit and two walks) ninth inning, but came out of it without allowing a run and thus set up some late-inning heroics.
Joel Hanrahan barely had a chance to warm up before Corey Hart skied a home run to left field on the second pitch of the inning. That gave the Brewers a well-earned walk-off 3-2 win. The two teams will go at it one more time tomorrow as Yovani Gallardo and James McDonald face off. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm.