Brewers visit The Moon

Who on this team can hit? Can't win with gooseggs...

"we" have a great chance of stealing one here MC.

Never seen a hitter who can look so over matched or so in control than Rick. .... If Overbay gets a hit here I'm buy..... Fuk yeah!!!!!!!!!!?

You guys are missing a really good game. Go Go!!

Continue to be proud. Gets hard Game 2. Really???? Kershaw has won 11 straight. Geez

The Brewers haven't had a lot of games this year where they've stolen a game late but that's exactly what they did against Greinke and it's good to see because the Dodgers are not an easy out.

 

It sucks that they get Kershaw once again and Gallardo is going to have to pitch very well for them to have a shot

Overbay who has been a wasted AB all year, strikes a ball up the line to change everything. 

 

I still think Jean and Braun can have a day off today. 

Tyler Thornburg's & Jim Henderson's seasons are over. Thornburg had PRP injection in elbow. Henderson may be headed for shoulder surgery.

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) August 16, 2014

Well this was a pleasant surprise to wake up to!

Overbay hitting the first pitch was a theme all night. The Dodgers do not have a great pen, so making Greinke throw strikes paid off. As many first pitch swings as we saw, there were a lot of walks, too. Good approach all night, hiding time until they could get around on a couple.

Nice win ... The kind you get if you think you are winning division. Nice contributions all around,  the catch by Gomez in the 8th was awesome.

When I visited family back in May, I asked them about the Brewers and wondered if they thought they could win the division.  The reply - to a person - was that they would fade starting at or near the all star break.  That hasn't exactly happened.  The Cardinals can't hit either.  The pitching has done well enough to win.  The bats?  I am surprised they aren't in last place.  Oh wait, the Cubs have life time reservations for that spot. 

there's this

 

and this

 

and this

 

and this (might explain why Pit is catching up)

 

and this

 

 

Very discouraging to hear about  Thornburg and Henderson not returning.  Ron Roenicke didn't handle the Thornburg situation well at all by overworking him and I do have concerns about the bullpen holding up down the stretch. 

Fiers and Nelson have pitched great but I don't know we can expect that the rest of the year.  They need Lohse and Garza back and the bats need to get better. 

Still, if they can take 2 of 3 from LA that would be awesome

If RR ain't pullin' 'em too early he's overworkin' 'em. I will also note that if there is consternation with RR on the handling of the staff, one also needs to look at Kranitz. The same was also the case back in the day with Yost and Maddux (a very highly respected pitching coach). These pitching coaches work hand-in-hand with the manager, especially the ones who weren't pitchers.

 

Personally, I think Kranitz has done a pretty good job overall.

Braun goes deep after a Gomez double. This was after Kershaw went 9 up and 9 down in the 1st 3 innings.  2-0 Brewers, Dodgers batting in the 4th.   Yovanni looks pretty good too. 

 

Oh Go!

3-2 Brewer VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gallrado goes 8 strong innings, K-Rod gives up a homer in the 9th but gets the save.  Anybody still want to throw dirt on this team? 

Haven't we been waiting for this shoe to drop for a while now?

Coming off a series that they went anemic for 2 games against one of the worst teams in baseball, yeah, it felt like the shoe was dropping. They woke up, and beat two of the best pitchers in baseball... wow! I know it's the ups and downs of baseball, but I did not expect them to have a shot at a sweep of the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine...

Why not? They  did it in 2012 and that was a 4 game series. 

Two great defensive play by Reynolds.  Also nice plays by David and Rami.  The D has been much better this year.  The difference between winning and losing that game against a great pitcher.  

The double play call on Rickie was one of the worst judgment calls blue has made this year.  Davis made a stellar catch.  Aram making great plays at third has really become expected.  If anyone remembers his defense when he came up with the pirates, this is a totally different game. 

 

Good win. 

Might we be seeing Yo putting the staff on his back down the stretch like in 2011?

first time this year Yo went 8.  Impressive performance

Maybe they just have extra mojo playing the Dodgers, who knows?   I certainly did not expect them to beat Greinke and Kershaw back to back but we've all seen this team is fully capable of doing it.

 

 

Would love to see Wily bulldog it up and get the W and a sweep today. I've been watching this series on MLB.TV. - if anyone gets the chance, catch Vin Skully while you can. An encyclopedia on every AB. Takes you back to the days of Saturday afternoon baseball on NBC.

Lucroy 5 Dodgers 0.  Yep thats right Lucroy has 5 RBI with a 2 run homer in the 1st and a bases clearing double in the 2nd. 

LuCroy playing like an AllStar.
Good win today.
Go Crew!!!

Pretty good road trip, eh? 5-2, including a sweep of the Dodgers in their park. Didn't think for a second they could hit the ball this well against that team.

And maybe it's the past shortcomings, I don't know- but even after such a tremendous weekend of baseball where they raised their game and took it to the consensus pick for the NL representatives in the WS, I still have this fear they're going to implode. It isn't rational. It's been such a great season, why am I hafibg such a hard time enjoying it? Man... this sweep should illicit confidence, shouldn't it???

I think it's kind of like Red Sox and Cubs fans.  Obviously not the extended history, but the continual heartbreak year after year.  In just kind of becomes ingrained.

 

Same thing happened for decades with the Packers until Wolff and Holmgren.  Now there is an expectation of winning.

I'm just enjoying the ride.

Beat me to it B K. Instead of worrying what may or may not happen just enjoy each game as it's played, win or lose. The journey is the reward.  People just need to put their big girl pantries on and let the season play out. We are going to the playoffs, whether it's as division champs, wild card 1 or wild card 2 I don't care. 

That's a typical response from you, ammo. I know it's hard to suppress stupid and a-hole at the same time, but ya gotta give a try.

Bo, I think your pretty close to the mark. I would be more than thrilled with a playof berth. I'm no negative Nancy, and this team is doing what I thought it would if the pitching held up, but there's still that little part of me preparing for the letdown. Trying to enjoy it, anyway. 6 weeks to earn their spot...

Well, I wasn't specifically posting in reply to you but if you get your panties in a wad I guess there is nothing I can do about that. 

I think it's going to come down to the wire.  If Fiers and Nelson can hold up until Lohse and Garza return they have a very good shot at holding on and making the playoffs.  If they falter I think the Cards can overtake them. 

The good news is that we keep waiting for STL or Cincy to go on a run and they have not.  Pittsburgh has or will run out of gas and it will be tough for then to overcome the loss of their best player. 

I am certainly enjoying the ride but this seems much more like 2008 than 2011.   It took them right until the end of the year to punch their ticket.

Wow, swept the Dodgers at LA with two of the starters Greinke and Kershaw.

 

Awesome, man!!!

Whew.  Thanks Bo.   Thanks for writing what I've been thinking for awhile.   I do believe there are a majority of Brew Crew fans thinking the same thing.  It will take a few years of consistent winning and making it to the playoffs -- eerily similar to the Packers -- when they came out of their 2 decade doldrums. 

 

My turning point came when the Packers beat the Whiners in the '95 playoffs.  I thought they had no chance and it would be just like the previous 2 years of making the playoffs and getting killed by Dallas.  Similar to the 1980's Bucks....either losing to the Celtics or 76er's in the playoffs....yet, a team capable of winning a Championship.  But, in playing on a beautiful day at the Stick,  Newsome returns the fumble for a TD and the rout was on.  Then, I was in Dallas for the Championship game and saw the Packers get screwed by the refs...and Bert's horrible pass in the 4th quarter.  But I knew at that point "they were there".   They were over the hump and on the road to continued success.

 

I thought the Brewers were there in the tough loss to the Cardinals LaRussa's last year.

 

For the Brewers, the key is the front office...just like the Packer's resurgence.  The fans will be there.  The ball park is there.   The city is making strides to become a small "big city", too. 

 

I also think it will take the Bucks to become relevant in the NBA to help put Milwaukee as a "sports city" and a place players want to be, too.  Hopefully, they are turning the corner, too.

 

 

Agreed- pretty on the mark. I think that's why the skepticism. You come off a disaster of a season like last year, you just don't know to feel, I guess. Braun gets busted, Prince leaves, Braun gets caught lying- 2011 seems like a long time ago. It was a tough season, even though they made a decent run in 2012.

If they can complete this journey, it'll restore someone that pride we felt in 2011, I think. Maybe it's just me, but the controversy that followed Braun really took a lot of wind out of my sail. It'll be great wth this very different team to have a big run and then who knows?