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WP: Josh Hader (1-0) LP: Raul Alcantara (1-1) Save: none Home runs: Oak - Chad Pinder (3); Mil - Eric Thames (2)
The Brewers walked off the A’s with runs to tie in the eighth and win in the ninth, but other news overshadowed the outcome.
This afternoon’s ballgame between the Oakland Athletics (12-12) and Milwaukee Brewers (17-7-2) in Maryvale was not good for Brewers left handed pitchers. Wade Miley looked much sharper than his last 7-run, 3 inning start against the Reds, but while mis-fielding a bunt in the top of the fifth, Miley injured his groin and ended his day prematurely. Miley pulled up lame immediately and went for an MRI after leaving the diamond, as reported by JSO’s Tom Haudricourt:
We won't know the severity of Wade Miley's groin strain until the MRI results come back but suffice it say it changes the competition for the last two spots in the #Brewers rotation with one week remaining before the season begins.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) March 21, 2018
That loaded the bases with nobody out, and Miley’s injury replacement Matt Albers gave up a broken bat single to produce the A’s first two runs. Albers gave up a homer to the opposite field on an 0-2 pitch that leaked over the plate waist high in the sixth.
Boone Logan, the lefty reliever signed in the off season, came in with one down in the seventh and lasted just three pitches. He shook his arm and hand a bit after his second pitch and then signaled the dugout after the third. It looked like a hand or wrist problem. Here’s what Haudricourt had to say about that:
Now, there's something wrong with #Brewers reliever Boone Logan and he also leaves the game. When it rains, it pours.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) March 21, 2018
Leave it to Tom to get in a weather reference.
The Brewers finally got on the board and back in the game in the bottom of the sixth. Christian Yelich pulled a single to right on a groundball into the hole, Eric Thames followed with a long no-doubter into right center to pull Milwaukee back to 3-2.
The tying run came in the bottom of the eighth with the AAA crew coming through again. Singles by Kyle Wren and Corey Ray (remember him?) put runners at first and third with one out, and an infield single by Shane Opitz tied the game and put runners at first and second. An infield single loaded the bags, but a sharply hit groundball to first from Mitch Ghelfi turned into a 3-2-3 double play to send it to the ninth tied.
Josh Hader worked the ninth for the Crew and walked two but struck out two in a scoreless frame. Hader is unscored upon this spring. He was made the winning pitcher as the youngsters produced the walk-off run with a lead-off double by Blake Allemand, an infield out from Gilbert Lara (really!), and a sacrifice fly to right from Devin Hairston.
The Brewers have their split squad ballgame against the Mariners in Peoria. Tomorrow they host the Royals. Zach Davies tunes up for the regular season for the Crew against Kansas City’s Nate Karns.
By the way, the quality of the broadcast today was pitiful. The feed was in and out for the whole game.