For the second straight day, Milwaukee's playoff fortunes came down to a couple of mistakes and a couple of missed opportunities. The Brewers head home for Game 3 Saturday, and they will need to find a way to generate some offense in order to avoid a sweep.
-The Brewers couldn't have asked for a better way to start tonight's game. Braun doubled (just missed a home run) with one out to move Durham to third. Philadelphia intentionally walked Fielder, and then Hardy drew a walk to drive in a run. Brett Myers was visibly rattled. Then Corey Hart walked up to the plate. Swinging at the very first pitch, Hart weakly tapped a grounder back to Myers who started an inning-ending double play.
The Phillies start a lefty in Game 3 (Jamie Moyer), so it will be unlikely that Hart will be removed from the lineup. It's a shame that Gabe Kapler was unable to play in this series, because I really think he could have been a good alternative to the struggling Hart.
-CC Sabathia had a pretty good start too. In the bottom of the first CC struck out 2 batters to strand a runner at third base. But it was all downhill from there. In the next inning, Brett Myers had what may become the biggest at-bat by a pitcher in the 2008 postseason, drawing a walk and setting up Shane Victorino's grand slam. 5-1 Phillies after 2 innings. CC didn't look tired. He just left too many pitches up and over the middle of the plate, and the Phillies all worked long at-bats to drive his pitch count high.
-Another good job by Milwaukee's bullpen tonight. Tonight it was the combination of Mitch Stetter, Seth McClung, Eric Gagne, and Saloman Torres. The bullpen allowed 3 hits and 3 walks, but no runs in 4 1/3 innings. So far in the series, the bullpen has gone 8 1/3 innings, allowing 4 hits and 4 walks, and 0 runs, while collecting 8 strikeouts.
-Milwaukee's offense has just 7 hits in 2 games. 7! The offense has also walked just 5 times, which means the team has averaged 6 baserunners in the 2 games.
-It's Dave Bush for Milwaukee Saturday night, as the Brewers seek their first playoff win in 26 years. As a franchise, the 0-2 hole is nothing new. Back in 1981, the Brewers fell into a 0-2 hole to the Yankees in the ALDS. Milwaukee went on to win 2 games at Yankee Stadium to force a fifth game in New York. In 1982, the Brewers fell behind 0-2 to the Angels in the ALCS, before coming back to win 3 games and the series.
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Either a new batting coach or give the existing one a 2X4 to help drum into batters' heads DON"T SWING AT THE FREAK'IN FIRST PITCH!!!
Corey Hart must be as dumb as a box of rocks, and Ryan Braun isn't much smarter. He swings at the first pitch after Durham walked on FOUR STRAIGHT PITCHES!!!
Too bad the pitch that hit Hart in the back missed his head; might have woke him up.
Get ready for a big shakeup in off season.
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