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Milwaukee Brewers: 250 Words or Less: 8/15/11
The Milwaukee Brewers, playing their first game against a non-division opponent in 3 weeks, beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 to continue their lead in the NL Central.
The Crew played their best defensive game of the year in a close battle that didn’t feel comfortable until late. A total of 4 double plays, 2 plays at home plate, 1 triple play and a number of web gems turned what could have been a rough day for Randy Wolf into an excellent day. Wolf fought through 8 innings, giving up a total of 11 hits and walks. His 3rd shutout effort of the year was also his second straight game going 8 innings.
Still, it was the defensive plays that helped Wolf through. The Brewers turned a triple play in the 2nd inning, with Josh Wilson flipping to Yuniesky Betaucourt at second, to Prince Fielder at first, and to George Kottaras at home to get out of a jam. Jerry Hairston had a number of pinpoint throws and diving catches in center field to form his own highlight reel, and it was certainly a great turnaround for a team not known for its defense. If Milwaukee could find a way to maintain this effort in all parts of the game, they’d be near unstoppable.
The Dodgers had their own well-pitched game that ended up decided in the 4th inning with a solo home run by Ryan Braun. Jonathan Lucroy and Corey Hart each hit solo homers in the 8th to add some safety runs, but it was a quiet day offensively that the Brewers won simply by being the better team.
Yovani Gallardo takes the mound tomorrow as the Crew now sits 20 games over .500 at 71-51, the first time they’ve been 20 over since September of 2008.
Follow me on Twitter (@MilwaukeeBrian) and don’t miss the Brewers’ “A Simple Kind of Fan” each Tuesday from Pocket Doppler’s Brew Town Boozer.
2 Comments
First time 20-over since 2008? Why does it feel like longer than that?
All year long we’ve complained that the Brewers defense has cost them runs….don’t tell that to Randy Wolf. But wouldn’t you know that on a night they turn a triple play, the Brewers get upstaged by Jim Thome’s 599 & 600 home runs. (sigh)
[...] A month or so ago if you’d had said the Brewers’ defense would have helped win them a game, people would thought you were nuts. Last night 4 double plays, 2 plays at home plate & a triple play were instrumental as the ‘Crew dropped the Dodgers 3-0. [...]