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Win: Brandon Kintzler (3-0)
Loss: Pedro Strop (1-4)
HR: None
MVP: Kyle Lohse (.375 WPA)
LVP: Jean Segura (-.069 WPA)
Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Open letter to Ron Roenicke: When the best hitter on your team is at the plate in a tie game with runners on first and second and no outs, you might as well just let him swing in the first place, eh? You wouldn't have Ryan Braun bunt in that situation, would you? Aramis Ramirez? Corey Hart?
It should be no different for Carlos Gomez at this point. In that exact situation in the top of the ninth inning, Gomez hit a bunt foul, then decided to start swinging. Two pitches later, he looped a single into left center field to bring in the game's first run. Credit to Jean Segura on the play as well. As the lead runner, he perfectly read the ball off the bat and took off immediately, beating the throw into home plate. Had he waited to see if the ball would fall (it wasn't a clear cut hit), he would either have had to stop at third base or he would have been out at home.
Caleb Gindl attempted a sacrifice bunt, but a throw to try to catch Jonathan Lucroy at third was too late and all runners were safe to keep the bases loaded. After a Juan Francisco strikeout, Jeff Bianchi doubled home two runs. Then Yuniesky Betancourt struck out and Rickie Weeks doubled in two runs.
Prior to the ninth inning, Milwaukee had just three hits, by the way. It was that kind of game. Gindl had two of those hits (one double and one single) while Kyle Lohse had the other. Jeff Samardzija pitched seven innings for the Cubs, allowing those three hits along with two walks while striking out seven Brewers hitters.
Kyle Lohse was almost as good. If this is his last start in a Brewers uniform (probably not) it was a damn good one. He only lasted six innings after 106 pitches, but shutout the Cubs during that time on five hits and three walks. He also struck out six batters. Lohse has allowed one earned run in his last three starts and has a 2.29 ERA since the beginning of June. Not a bad guy to pick up at the trade deadline, other teams! I hear you're willing to trade Dylan Bundy, Orioles! (Note: Bundy is about as unrealistic as hoping the Brewers would get Profar for Greinke last year. [That is to say, they got someone totally better])
Michael Gonzalez didn't have any inherited runners, so he managed to make it through an inning with no damage other than a solitary hit. Brandon Kintzler and Rob Wooten shut down Chicago for the remaining two innings.
The Brewers and Cubs have a double-header coming up tomorrow. Yovani Gallardo (gulp) takes on Carlos Villanueva in the opener with first pitch scheduled for 1:20 CT. Then Tyler Thornburg goes against Jake Arrieta in the nightcap.