MIL 8, PHI 7: As my Brewers gently sweep

Win: Blazek (5-2)
Loss: Garcia (2-3)
Save: Rodriguez (18)

HR: Asche (4)

Boxscore

There's an unofficial motto about Madison, that it's "77 square miles of paradise surrounded by reality." I think there's a baseball equivalent when a team plays the Phillies. That this series was "four games of paradise surrounded by reality".

Because for the first time in 2015, the Brewers truely looked like the best team in a series. For the first time since mid-August 2014 in a series against the Dodgers, the Brewers have swept an opponent. Of course, it came against the Phillies -- the only team in baseball worse than the Brewers -- but a four-game sweep of any major league team is still a feat.

Besides, it's nice to have something go right in 2015. This season has been a gutpunch for a lot of us. Sure, we knew the Brewers weren't frontline contenders, but it was a pretty reasonable thought that they would be at or above .500. Instead, so many things went wrong and perfomance dropped off a cliff. The Brewers right now are a boardroom meeting in a cartoon with a chart that reads "STOCKS" and the zig zagging arrow needing additional taped-on paper because it's going so low.

But the Brewers got this one. Even though today's game wasn't, you know, a tour de force or anything. Matt Garza wasn't very good because it's 2015 and Matt Garza isn't good this year -- he gave up four runs on 10 hits and a walk over six innings. Jonathan Broxton also gave up two runs, because, again, 2015 and it's Jonathan Broxton so of course.

At first the Brewers had this one pretty well in hand: Five runs total in the first three innings and two in the fifth gave them a 7-4 lead as Garza exited the game following the sixth. Broxton let the Phillies within one, though, and Will Smith gave up the tying run in the seventh.

That brought us to extra innings. After a scoreless 10th, Jonathan Lucroy led off the 11th inning with a double. Two batters later, Adam Lind singled to bring him home and take the lead again. Francisco Rodriguez was then able to lock down his 18th save to secure the win.

Lucroy had another great game today, going 3-6 with a pair of runs scored. Jean Segura also broke out of his slump a bit with a 3-5 game. Scooter Gennett, Aramis Ramirez, Gerardo Parra and Lind all had a pair of hits. Parra and Gennett also walked as they both reached successfully three times.

The Brewers finally got a sweep, but now it's probably back to reality. Up next is a series with the Reds. First pitch tomorrow is set for 6:10 CT.