The very talented C.C. Sabathia struck out 3 of the first four Brewers including his good buddy Prince Fielder.  Ryan Braun extended his career best hitting streak to 20 games with a single.  The New York broadcasters said that C.C. told him that his three months in Milwaukee was the highlight of his career.  That is pretty cool considering he has won a title in New York.

They also asked Sabathia if he could see Fielder joining the Yankees as a DH next year.  He said no adding that Prince is a first baseman who is way to young to be a DH.

Randy Wolf walked the first batter who then stole a base.  He walked the second dude as well.  Four pitches later and the Yankees stole two more bases.  I would also like to say Mark Teixeira has a sweet jerk face when he is up to bat.  The announcers spent way to long talking about the “fact” that people with blue eyes can’t hit during the day.  I considered going outside and slamming my finger in the car door to make the pain they caused in my head go away.  Robinson Cano drilled a double to make the walks pay off and saved me the effort.  Wolf then walked number three in the first.  Wolf threw 36 pitches in the first inning.  Whoa.

In the third Yuniesky Betancourt and Carlos Gomez singled before Braun walked to load the bases with two out.  Fielder struck out on three pitches.  Jerk faced Teixeira hammered his 300th career homerun to make it 3-0.  The Yankees scored another run and then Casey McGehee robbed them of one with a great play to end the inning.

Mat Gamel looked pretty helpless against the left hander.  He will probably need a platoon partner next year.

C.C. Sabathia was straight up dominant.   He pitched 7.2 innings and shut the Brewers out.  He tied a career high with 13 strikeouts.  He improved to 11-4, 3.05.

Randy Wolf settled in after a rough start and went 7 innings.  He allowed four runs and fell to 6-5, 3.33.

Almost lost in this dreadful series is the fact that Ryan Braun is as hot as they come.  In addition to the hit streak he was 3-3 with a walk raising his average to .321.  Betancourt added two hits.

John Axford worked the 8th and gave up an unearned run.  That ended a streak of 15 appearances without allowing a run.  It was game 16 of not allowing an earned run.

Prince Fielder went 0-4 with three strikeouts and ended n 11 game hitting streak.

I am shocked the Brewers got swept.  I guess Spanky from AM1250 was right.  The final was Yanks 5 Crew 0.

It did not take long for Ryan Braun to extend his career best hit streak to 19 games.  In the first he singled in a run to put the Brewers up 1-0.  I watched the game on the YES network and they shared some interesting Braun trivia.  I was aware that he went to the University of Miami.  I did not know he was on an academic scholarship.  They also pointed out that his mother works in the brewing business.

Braun went 3-4 raising his average to .314.

The Yankees scored four runs in the 4th off of Shaun Marcum including a three run homer by Russell Martin.  Marcum went 5 innings and gave up 4 runs.

The Crew loaded them in the 6th with one out.  Prince Fielder hit a soft grounder that scored a run.  That only happened because Fielder busted it down to first beating the double play.

Tim Dillard relieved Marcum and Jorge Posada hit it off the top of the wall and it turned out to be a homerun after instant replay.  Whatever.  That made the score 5-2.

Not too many other interesting things happened.  Oh, the Yankees broadcasters made fun of Zach Braddock for taking a long time in between pitches.  Well announcers your mothers are……….ahh never mind.

The Brewers lost 5-2 and again out hit the Yanks while losing.

Just like that the Brewers division lead is down to 1 game because the Cardinals won again tonight.  Tomorrows game is in the early afternoon.  Randy Wolf against Big Baby C.C. Sabathia.

I finally figured out a contribution that tool bag former Yankee Roger Clemens has made to society.

From the Urban Dictionary

I am not going to get all up in his cool aid but when Nyjer Morgan fell down and the ball flew past him that was exactly the nightmare start the Crew did not need.  That play scored the dude that was on base only because Zack Greinke nailed him in the foot and left Curtis Granderson  on third.  He scored on a grounder to second to give the Evil Empire an early 2-0 lead.  Casey McGehee made a diving stop and tried to tag Alex Rodriguez who was running past to third.  He missed and the bases were all loaded up.  Casey was injured but stayed in the game.  Greinke got a fly ball to end the inning.  It is not like him but Bob Uecker pounded on Morgan the entire inning.  He did not say his name directly he just mentioned over and over that those two runs should not have scored.

A wise friend named Chad posted this on facebook.  ”Ya looked like a bunch of  scared (edited-female dogs) in that inning crew……..”

Welcome to New Yankee Stadium.

I tried to make a list of things I like about the Yankees.  I came up with Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson and former manager Billy Martin.  I considered making a list of things I do not like about the Yankees and then I remembered google blogger has a limit on how many words I can write.

Mat Gamel made his 2011 debut and popped out to center field.  Gamel has a little brother who plays in the Yankees minor league system.  His name is Ben Gamel.  I think it would be sweet if he spelled it Benn.

Zack Greinke who is known for his control was very wild tonight.  He hit that dude in the first and walked a guy a few batters later.   I should add that the guy he hit in the foot, Brett Garner is one of the fastest guys in baseball.  He added a wild pitch in the 2nd.  He then walked the speedy Gardner and put him on for free again.  The Yankees then pulled off a double steal.  Uecker thought Lucroy threw the lead runner out but the ump did not agree.  Mark Teixeira grounded out and drove in the Yankees third run.  Greinke then walked his third batter of the game.  He entered the game having walked only 9 all year.  A Robinson Cano single made it 4-0. Soon Nick Swisher promptly smashed a 3 run round tripper to make it 7-0.  Being down a touchdown to anyone sucks, when playing baseball.  Against the Yankees it is brutal.  Not to mention it was only the second inning.  Greinke lasted only 2 innings.  He allowed 7 runs.

In the first three frames the Yankees had 11 baserunners  and stolen 4 bases.  A few weeks ago I wondered out loud on here when a team was going to figure out they can run on Lucroy whenever they want.  Looks like the Yankees have.

In the fourth Mat Gamel singled in Prince Fielder.  Yuniesky Betancourt drove in another to make it 7-2.

 In the 6th Gamel came up with two out and drilled another single.  Corey Hart who had doubled got gunned at the plate.  I hope Gamel does so well they can’t send him down.  How about giving him Mark Kotsay’s spot.  I know he will not be able to play every day.  He can get 4 games a week spelling the outfielders and maybe on occasion Fielder and McGehee.  I think he will prove he belongs up here.  Having his or the player he replaces bat on the bench would be huge.

Marco Estrada gave up a two run bomb to Teixeira in the 6th and then got injured, leaving with a bad ankle.  That made it 9-2.  Zach Braddock replaced him.

In the 8th Ryan Braun lined a double to center and extended his career high hit streak to 18 games.

Manager Ron Roenicke used the blowout to find a little rest for the teams super stars.  Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Ryan Braun all left late in the game.

In one of those baseball oddities the Crew out hit the Yanks 11 to 10 and lost 12-2.  Eight walks, a hit by pitch and 4 stolen bases will do that to you.

Tomorrows pitching match up is Shaun Marcum 7-2, 2.95 against A. J. Burnett 7-6, 4.15.

I feel silly saying the first place Brewers need this win.  So I will say this.  I need the win.  Lets go Crew.

The Brewers beat the Twins 6-2 to complete the sweep of the Minnesota Twins.   The other three division contenders lost allowing the Crew to take a three game lead in the division.

Minnesota starter Carl Pavano kept the Brewers off the board for four innings.  He also once dated Alyssa Milano. (glass half full)  Nyjer Morgan singled to drive in Jon Lucroy in the 5th.  Ryan Braun stepped to the plate and smashed a line drive over the fence.  It was his 16th of the year.  He also scored another run and stole his 17th base.  The blast extended his career high hit streak to 17 games.

Braun is so good it is easy to take him for granted.  I am going to right now.  The big story of this game is that the bottom of the order came up big for the second day in a row.  Yuniesky Betancourt went 3-4 stole a base and turned a double play.  I understand the stolen base was a cheap one but I do not care.  WoooooHooooo Yuni.  Jon Lucroy went 2-3 scored twice had an rbi and walked.  Starter Chris Narveson chipped in with a hit and an rbi.

Narveson improved to 5-5, 4.42.  John Axford worked the 9th and continued his long scoreless streak.

On to New York.

After the game I was in the Jetta and I had AM 1250 on to hear the wrap up of the game.  Some dude who goes by “Sparky” said the best the Brewers can hope for going into the Yankees series is winning one and he hopes they do not get swept.  I would ask “Sparky” a few questions.  First were “Spanky” and “Blinky” already taken?  No big deal it just seems like you might have settled.  Also do you really watch the Brewers games?  While the Yankees are very good and the Brewers have struggled on the road their are many things that indicate the Brewers can compete with the Yankees.  I would not be shocked if the Crew lost 2 of 3 but I also would not be shocked if they win 2 of 3.  I would be surprised if either team sweeps.  I think it is time to start expecting good things to happen against good teams.