I have not seen any really solid rumors concerning any specific trades that the Brewers may be working on.  You can find talk of deals for an OF, a 3B, a SS and a LH reliever.  I even saw a new one pop up for starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.  I hadn’t thought of anything close to that.  While I doubt that will happen it is very interesting.  That dude is pretty good.  I wonder what he will cost.  Hmmmmmm.

My prediction is that GMDM will make a deal today.  He has a history of striking early and if memory serves he likes to do it on days off.  I have had a feeling he will make a second deal all along and today makes sense.  Of course it takes two to disco…….

If I had to go out on a limb I would say it is going to be a left side infielder.  I think Melvin thinks he absolutely has to do something in addition to F-Rod.  This late in the season being tied with two teams in a 4 team race he is feeling some pressure.  Given everything the Brewers organization has wagered on this season they need to add to the club.  

I think it will happen today.

Ryan Braun stepped to the plate with 2 outs in the first and cranked his 20th home run of the season.  That makes 4 HR in his last 5 starts.  Nice.

Brett Carroll made a really nice diving catch in the 2nd inning.  You do not need to look real hard to find evidence that he has a really good defensive ability.  If he can hit a little that will be sweet.

Yovani Gallardo started the 3rd by knocking a double to left.  Corey Hart bunted him over to third.  Josh Wilson struck out on three pitches.  That is a frustrating non productive at bat.  I do not want to wet my pants about this but in my opinion that is something a bench guy needs to get done.  Score the dude on third with one out.  Ryan Braun struck out to strand the pitcher on third base.

Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner matched Yo’s double in the 3rd.  It was the first hit Gallardo allowed.  A two out single scored the run to tie the game at 1.

In the 4th Gallardo gave up a sun aided single on a pop up to third.  I think Wilson should get an error for not wearing sun glasses.  He did not.  A single and a wild pitch put men on 2nd and third with one out.  A sac fly to center put the Giants up 2-1.

The 6th inning started with a Ryan Braun single.  Prince Fielder popped out.  Rickie Weeks hit it hard but it ended the inning on a double play.

Bob Uecker said that the Dodgers once walked him intentionally.  Two days later they received a letter from the commissioner saying “don’t ever do that again.”  Bahahahahahaha.

Gallardo pitched a good game.  He went 7 and allowed 2 runs.  He falls to 11-7, 3.91.  Takshi Saito worked a two walk one hit scoreless 8th.

Weirdo Brian Wilson saved it for the Giants for the second straight game.

The Brewers finished the road trip at 5-6.  They started it and ended it losing 2 games.  Today they were one swing away from being shutout for the 4th time on the trip.  That is something.

Pittsburgh beat St. Louis today.   The Brewers loss makes it a three way tie for the division lead once again.  Tomorrow is a day off and then the Chicago Cubs come to Miller Park.

FTC.

Tonight’s game featured Randy Wolf against 2011 all star Ryan Vogelsong 7-1, 2.01.  I mention it because San Francisco grabbed him off of the garbage heap in the off season and abracadabra he is good.  The 33 year old entered the season with a career major league record of 10-22.  He spent 3 years in Japan before returning in 2010.  Hmmmmmm.

He kept the Brewers off of the board until Ryan Braun crushed a hanging breaking ball over the fence in the 4th.  His 19th made the score 1-0.  The Brewers added three more hits in the inning but did not score any more.  Ricky Weeks got thrown out at the plate. (he looked safe to me)  It ended in an odd play when Casey McGehee was thrown out trying to steal home. (technically)

In the same inning Randy Wolf put on a one out walk and then gave up three straight hits that scored 2.

Corey Hart had a 2 out triple in the 5th.  Nyjer Morgan brought him in with a double to knot the score at 2.  Morgan tried to take third on a ball in the dirt and was gunned down.  The Giants went back up 3-2 in the inning.

Randy Wolf went 6 innings allowed 3 runs.  His ERA is now 3.62.  It is a shame his record is 6-8.  His performance deserves much better than that.

LaTroy Hawkins worked a scoreless 7th.  Corey Provus announced that Mitch Stetter had a setback with his injury.  He is back in Milwaukee being examined.

Braun and Fielder struck out in the 8th.  Kam Loe worked the 8th inning.  He allowed a lead off walk.  A one out single put dudes on the corners.  Another hit made the score 4-2 in favor of the Giants.   Marco Estrada came in to relieve.   Rickie Weeks made a great diving play to end the inning.

Weirdo Brian Wilson saved the game for San Francisco.

With the loss the Brewers fall back into a tie with St. Louis.  Pittsburgh is one game back.  A win tomorrow will still give the Crew a winning record on this tough road trip.   Gallardo Vs. Bumgarner.

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
2B Rickie Weeks
3B Casey McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
C George Kottaras
LHP Randy Wolf

Ryan Braun is out of the lineup again tonight.  No need to worry it was by plan.  That is very good to hear.

San Francisco took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.  Shawn Marcum got smashed in the back on a batted ball but he appears to be OK.   39/140

In the 2nd Prince Fielder singled and then Rickie Weeks walked.  A Casey McGehee fielders choice left men on first and third.  Yuniesky Betancourt roped a run scoring double.  Jon Lucroy then went down and stroked a single to score two.   The bottom of the order does it again.

I know I keep pounding on the fact that Betancourt is doing a decent job the last two months and noboby A) notices or B) wants to admit it…….I can’t stop pointing it out when people keep writing things  like this.  If you read it you will notice it was written today by someone in Milwaukee.  The man is hitting .279 since June 1.  Not many SS can say that.  I wonder if that smarmy dude watches the games?  I hope he just came out of a 7 week coma.  He calls him “shitty at professional baseball.”  Which is similar to being “shitty at checking his facts.”

On to the game.  The Brewers threatened in the 5th when Marcum and Corey Hart produced back to back hits with one out.  Nyjer Morgan smashed the ball but it was caught for a double play to end it.

The Yuni Bomber did it again in the 6th.  With two out he knocked a single to left driving in Rickie Weeks to make it 4-1.  Jon Lucroy followed with a single to load the bases.  Marcum struck out.

Marcum served up a home run to pinch hitter Aaron Rowand in the 6th.  The solo shot made it 4-2.

Nyjer Morgan made a nice running grab in a full sprint in the 7th.  Morgan, who grew up a Giants fan, pointed to the crowd who booed him for his effort.  That dude is fun.  As the boos continued Nyjer conducted them like they were an orchestra.  Bahahahahaha.

Shawn Marcum went 7 and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits.  He was awesome and improves to 9-3, 3.35.

F-Rod came in for the 8th inning.  He worked a perfect inning.

John Axford got the call to close this one.  He picked up his 27th save.  That is 24 in a row.

Betancourt and Lucroy were the offensive standouts in the game.  Both were 2-4 with 2 RBI.  Yuni also turned a double play.

The Brewers are now 5-4 on this road trip.  Not bad after starting 0-2 in Colorado.  The Crew takes a lead of a full game over the Pirates and Cardinals.

Just for giggles.  Former Brewer Nelson Cruz had 8 RBI for the Rangers this evening.

Their just is not a whole lot to say about tonight’s game.  Zack Greinke pitched a real good game.  In the 4th Kelly Johnson hit one to the wall and Ryan Braun caught it while in contact with it.  The next guy, Justin Upton hit one just a little bit further.  After a ground out catcher Miguel Montero hit one as well.  The two solo shots made it 2-0 D-Backs.

Greinke falls to 8-4 and improves his ERA to 4.84.

Ian Kennedy kept the Crew scoreless on 4 hits.  Their was some hope when reliever Bryan Shaw came in.  Corey Hart welcomed him with a single.  Morgan squared to bunt and got hit hard.  Ryan Braun bounced into the rally stalling double play.  A left hander was summoned to face Fielder.  He struck out for the third time.

Prince Fielder went 0-4 and was 1-16 in the series.  That is going to cost him at least $1.50 this off season.

Kelly Johnson smoked a two out two run homer in the 8th.  LaTroy Hawkins gave it up

The final score was 4-0 Arizona.  This was the third time the Brewers were shutout on this road trip.  Ron Roenicke said he was surprised they were shutout the first time in Colorado.  Hmmmm.  Wonder how he feels now.

Yuniesky Betancourt went 2-5.  I wonder how many bloggers and writers will lie about him tomorrow?

The Brewers are now 4-4 on the trip.  They are tied with Pittsburgh for the division lead.  St. Louis is one back.

Glass half full?  That is the third straight very good start by Greinke.  If he continues like this things will work out fine.

Just like last night Ryan Braun went deep in the first inning.  The solo shot was his 18th of the year.

Corey Provus mentioned that the D-Backs called up pitcher Ryan Cook who can hit triple digits with his fastball.  Bob Uecker stated that he has never seen him but he is sure he could hit him.  I have no doubt he could.  I have also given strong consideration to burying cans of vegetable in my garden.

Carlos Gomez made another spectacular play in the 4th.  He was injured on the catch.  It was another one of those plays where he needed every bit of his speed to get there.  It was a broken left clavicle. Gomez was replaced by Nyjer Morgan.  Damn I will miss watching him play.

Chris Narveson pitched very well and was really efficient.  He entered the game averaging 16.6 pitches per inning.  For a reference point Yovani Gallardo is third highest in the NL at 17.4 per.  Tonight Narveson needed only 87  pitches to get through his 7 innings.  Horicon High School teachers will be impressed that I know that is just more than 12 pitches per.  Narveson did not allow a run on 4 hits and  stays at 6-6 while improving his ERA to 4.45.  Nice job Mr. Narveson.  What a shame that you got screwed out of the victory.  Please read on.

In the 7th Casey McGehee produced a two out single and moved to second on a Yuniesky Betancourt walk.  A Jon Lucroy single scored a run.  That was a huge run and made it 2-0.  The bottom of the order has been pretty darn productive lately.

In the 8th Ryan Braun smoked one over the right field fence that was initially called fair.  It was overturned by replay.  Instead he had to settle for a hard hit double.  The D-Backs then walked Prince Fielder intentionally and it worked as Rickie Weeks bounced out.

F-Rod came in for the 8th.  He allowed a lead off single that was a tough play that went off Fielders glove.  He recorded two outs then walked a man.  The D-Backs put in a pinch runner on first.  Good move for them as Willie Bloomquist cranked a double to deep left center that tied the game at 2.  I suppose you will hear arguments that with the way Narveson was cruising he should have worked the 8th.  You will not hear that from me.  It did not work out but that was the correct move in my book.

Takashi Saito worked the 9th.  He immediately allowed a ground rule double to the speedy Justin Upton.
Saito uncorked a wild pitch moving him to third.  Manager Ron Roenicke then did his goofy Ryan Braun added in the infield shift.  It worked for the first out hit right at Casey McGehee.  It worked again as it was hit right at McGehee a second time.  They shifted the fielders back to the conventional spot.  Saito then walked Kelly Johnson intentionally.  Many people complain about some of Roenicke’s silliness. Their is even a blog dedicated to doing it.  If I am honest I like his silly moves.  That is why I do not complain when they fail.  Either way it worked tonight as Saito got out of it with a deep fly out to Morgan in center.

Mark Kotsay started the 10th with a pinch hit single.  He moved to 2nd on a wild pitch.  Corey Hart walked.  The runners moved to 2nd and 3rd on a balk?  Nyjer Morgan is probably the guy I would most want up in this spot.  I just like how he handles the bat.  I was expecting a bunt.  Instead he singled to right and drove in Kotsay with the lead run.  Braun singled in another run to make it 4-2.  Fielder grounded into a DP.  Weeks singled to score Morgan and extend the lead to 5-2.  Go to George Web’s and get your 6 burgers for 5 bucks if you can.

Axford came in to pitched the 10th.   He walked the all star catcher Miguel Montero and then induced a double play.  He ended it with a strikeout.  He recored his 26th save.

The Cards blew a 4-0 lead and lost in the 10th.  Thank you Mets.  The Pirates lost 3-1 to Cincinnati.  The Reds only scored three runs in the entire 3 game series.  Milwaukee moves a half game ahead of the Pirates for the division lead.