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Brewers recap 5/22
Brewers’ five-run ninth all for naught
MINNEAPOLIS — For once, the Brewers were the ones that rallied from four down to take the lead in the ninth. That lead lasted all of four batters in the bottom half of the inning.
The Brewers batted around in the ninth and tagged a pair of Twins relievers, including closer Jon Rauch, for five runs on five hits to carry a one-run lead with three outs to go.
But it just wasn’t enough. The Twins tied it up in the bottom of the frame to send it to extra innings and added another run in the 12th inning to hand the Brewers a tough loss on Saturday, 8-7, at Target Field.
“We just can’t seem to get over the hump,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said. “This thing’s going to turn sooner or later.”
And it could have been even worse. Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo opened the game up much the same way Dave Bush did on Friday night, surrendering four runs with two outs and two runners on in the first inning.
Gallardo got out of the inning, however, retiring eight of the next nine batters he faced. But the Brewers’ offense struggled early as just three runners reached base through the first four innings.
They didn’t get a lot of help from the Twins’ defense, either.
Minnesota turned a double play in four of the last six innings, including three that ended the inning. Making it even more impressive was the fact that not one of the four double plays came easily for the Twins.
“They made some big plays that maybe at the time didn’t seem like they were that big but turned out to be huge,” said Milwaukee third baseman Casey McGehee, who drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. “It’s kind of what they do — it’s Twins baseball. You know they’re going to pitch, you know they’re going to play defense, they’re going to run the bases well and when they throw some hitting in there, they’re pretty darn good.”
The first double play came with two on and one out in the seventh, on a hard hit ground ball by Carlos Gomez to third. Twins third baseman Nick Punto stepped on the bag at third and fired to first to retire Gomez and end the inning.
In the ninth, the Brewers finally strung together a few hits, as the first five batters reached base in the inning. Ryan Braun ripped a low liner to the opposite field. Alexi Casilla — who entered the game in the eighth for an injured Orlando Hudson — snagged Braun’s line drive and caught Gomez too far off first to record the first two outs of the inning.
With the Brewers trailing, 6-5, at the time, a single from Braun could have made an already big inning even bigger for the Brewers.
“Brauny comes up and absolutely tattoos one there [but] can’t get it through the hole,” Macha said. “It’s just the way things are going right now.”
After getting a runner on with one out in each of the next two innings, the Brewers grounded to first baseman Justin Morneau, who started and ended both double plays.
But the Brewers still had a chance. Despite yet another early deficit, they continued to battle into the 12th. Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn’t hold on long enough, something that has become all too familiar for the Brewers this month.
Reliever Marco Estrada was tagged for two runs in the seventh, which came just after the rally-killing double play in the top of the inning. In the ninth, Carlos Villanueva — who has assumed the closer’s role in Trevor Hoffman’s absence — allowed the Twins to tie it up at 7 before escaping.
Finally, in the 12th, lefty Manny Parra — who was originally scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale — was the reliever who took the loss. Parra (0-3) entered in the 11th with the Brewers out of options in the bullpen and promptly shut down the Twins in order.
His final inning, however, was a different story.
Parra sandwiched two walks around a Joe Mauer single, loading the bases with none out in the inning. After getting Michael Cuddyer to ground into a fielder’s choice, Parra allowed the winning run to score on a sacrifice fly to right field by designated hitter Jason Kubel.
“I put myself in that situation walking two guys,” Parra said. “That’s brutal. You just can’t walk two guys. I mean, I gave them [the game].”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Hoffman note 5/21
Hoffman still out; role in limbo
MINNEAPOLIS — Brewers manager Ken Macha opened the door Friday to veteran closer Trevor Hoffman returning in a different role when he returns to game action, saying Hoffman is “open to anything that will help the club.”
Hoffman, Macha, and pitching coach Rick Peterson talked Friday afternoon about Hoffman’s progress in what Macha characterized as a “very constructive conversation.” Hoffman and Peterson will take part in another bullpen session on Saturday, Hoffman’s second such trip to what Macha referred to as “the repair shop.”
“[Hoffman] wants to make sure that it wasn’t just go out there and do one thing and say, ‘OK, I’m fixed,'” Macha said.
While Macha did not give any specific plans for the date or role in which Hoffman would pitch when he returns, he alluded to the fact that it could be as soon as this weekend in Minneapolis.
“We’ll see how things work out,” Macha said. “But he’s open to anything that will help the club. … If he says, ‘Yes, I’m OK,’ for Sunday, then we’ll see.”
Brewers beat 5/16
Gomez working his way back
MILWAUKEE — After a relatively injury-free five weeks to open the season, the Brewers’ list of injured players is beginning to add up.
Fortunately for the Brewers, many of those players look to be on their way to returning in the near future.
Among those is center fielder Carlos Gomez, who is on track to return Friday — as the Brewers visit the Twins, his former club — when he is eligible to come off the disabled list. Gomez, who is out with two injuries, a strained rotator cuff in his left shoulder and a strained left knee, which has been an issue since Spring Training.
“Gomez, if all goes well between now and then, will go on a rehab assignment to Wisconsin on Wednesday,” assistant general manager Gord Ash said. “He will not be in Cincinnati or Pittsburgh. He’ll go up there Tuesday and workout, play Wednesday and Thursday, and go to Minneapolis Friday if all is well.”
Gomez ran through the full gamut of pregame exercises on Sunday, including batting practice and running and throwing drills. He will work out again at Miller Park on Monday before traveling to Appleton on Tuesday.
“Fifteen days, no action. I feel bored,” Gomez said. “I’ll be happy to come back to the lineup.”
When Gomez suffered his shoulder injury he was also dealing with a sore left knee. The knee now feels, “awesome,” Gomez said.
In addition to Gomez, another pair of Brewers is scheduled to rehab this week in Brevard County, the club’s Class A Advanced affiliate.
Pitcher Josh Butler, who is recovering from a right elbow injury, is scheduled to start for the Manatees on Monday.
Third baseman Mat Gamel is expected to join the Manatees on Wednesday to begin his rehab assignment as well. Gamel suffered a slightly torn muscle just behind his right shoulder during Spring Training, and has been in extended spring training rehabilitating his shoulder injury.
Despite the growing nature of the Brewers injury report, which also includes the recent addition of lefty Doug Davis, Ash chalked it up to being part of the “nature of the game.”
“We get some guys back or on the road back and then you get some guys who are hurt,” Ash said. “This is an unusual circumstance with Doug. It’s nothing something you can plan or work toward. So we just have to make the best of it.”
Edmonds hopes to avoid DL stint
MILWAUKEE — Veteran outfielder Jim Edmonds was sore on Sunday after straining a left rib-cage muscle in the Brewers’ loss on Saturday, but was hopeful he could avoid a trip to the disabled list.
Edmonds, 39, strained his left oblique on a check-swing in the bottom of the second inning, but played another inning in center field before being replaced by Jody Gerut in the top of the fourth.
“The first day it’s usually pretty sore, so hopefully after this day with some work it’ll start to feel better,” Edmonds said. “It’s starting to loosen up a bit already, but it’s still pretty tender.”
With Edmonds unavailable and Carlos Gomez on the disabled list until at least Friday, Gerut got the start in center for the Brewers in Sunday’s series finale against the Phillies.
While he felt the injury following a particular swing in the second inning, Edmonds admitted the injury may not be entirely unrelated to the back injury he suffered earlier this season.
“I think it could be partially related to my back problem that I had,” Edmonds said. “I still was battling that a bit, and this is just around the corner from it.”
Despite the potential lingering nature of the injury, Edmonds hopes to be out on the field again as soon as possible.
“Usually, when you hurt yourself, it’s the opposite side from your throwing arm and this is on the same side. So that’s a good positive thing,” Edmonds said. “As soon as I can swing a bat, I’m going to get back in there.”
Stern’s travel route a short one
MILWAUKEE — Back with the big league club after being optioned the day before, outfielder Adam Stern had about the shortest trip to the Minors as possible this week.
Stern, who was sent to Triple-A Nashville on Saturday to make room for right-handed reliever John Axford, was recalled on Sunday as the Brewers sent lefty Doug Davis to the disabled list with pericarditis, an inflammation of lining around his heart.
Though he was sent down, Stern never left Milwaukee before being recalled.
“I was scheduled to fly out today,” Stern said. “But they told me to hold tight yesterday until they figured everything out. So, I just kind of hung out and waited for the call.”
Before being sent down, Stern got his first at-bat with the Brewers and his first Major League at-bat since 2006 on Friday, which resulted in a strikeout.
Now, he’ll get an opportunity to make the road trip with a big league club for the first time in a few years as well.
“The last time I was on a team charter was in ’06. It’s definitely better than flying commercial on Southwest getting Group ‘A,'” Stern said. “Any time you get to put a big league uniform on you look forward to it. I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Brewers recap 5/15
Narveson solid, but bullpen allows six runs
MILWAUKEE — After losing their seventh straight at home, the Brewers are beginning to run out of answers for their struggles.
Lefty Chris Narveson threw a Major League-high 130 pitches on Saturday, but lasted just 5 2/3 innings as the Phillies beat the Brewers, 10-6, at Miller Park.
Phillies starter Joe Blanton, on the other hand, was efficient through six before giving up three runs on two hits in the seventh. Blanton (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, pitching seven innings and allowing five runs on six hits while striking out five.
Team meetings with the manager are rare for the Brewers, but after yet another loss, Ken Macha got his team together for a short pep talk, as he hoped to keep his team positive after a tough week so far at home.
“We’re going through a rough patch here and the only way to do it is to fight our way out of it,” Macha said. “These guys are going to battle all the way. That’s what we did, and we’re going to have to battle our way out of it.
With starters struggling to pitch more than six innings a game, the bullpen has already been worn out to the point of needing to call up an additional arm from Triple-A in John Axford. The offense has been inconsistent, but even when it has scored five or more runs, as it has in each game against the Phillies, the pitching staff allows twice as many.
On the homestand, the Brewers have surrendered 9.4 runs per game, with 26 runs allowed by the bullpen in just five games.
Narveson (3-1) surrendered four runs on eight hits while striking out nine and walking three. Things didn’t get out of hand though until Narveson was removed with two outs in the sixth after hitting Chase Utley with a pitch.
With 130 pitches in the game, Narveson threw the most by a Brewers pitcher since CC Sabathia threw 130 against the Astros on Aug. 18, 2008. Prior to that, the last Brewers pitcher to eclipse the 130-pitch mark was Jamey Wright on Aug. 30, 2000.
“Sometimes you have to extend yourself, try to get the out,” Narveson said. “I really wasn’t looking at the pitch count. I knew that in the first couple innings I had to throw a lot more pitches than I wanted to. [But] I knew I had to go a little bit deeper in the game — I wanted to go deeper in the game.”
It was another case of the Brewers handcuffed by their pitching woes.
Macha likely would have preferred to remove Narveson around the 100-pitch mark, but with his bullpen being so overworked and performing so poorly lately, he gave the young left-hander an extra inning.
But in the sixth, Narveson allowed a two-run home run to Shane Victorino, leaving the Brewers down 4-1 as he exited.
When Vargas followed Narveson, the Brewers hoped he could repeat his performance from the previous night, when he needed just eight pitches for one inning of relief. Instead, Vargas was tagged for five runs on five hits in just one-third of an inning pitched as Philadelphia opened up a 9-2 lead.
“I thought Narveson did an outstanding job today,” Macha said. “Then we had a little letdown there in the seventh. The seventh inning kind of blew up on us.”
With the way the Brewers battled back to cut the lead to just four runs in the ninth, they likely could have won had Vargas not allowed the Phillies to blow the game open.
But as the Brewers dropped to 4-13 at Miller Park this season, Macha doesn’t want anybody pointing fingers while the team continues to struggle at home.
“We’ve got to pull together and continue to root for each other and continue to work hard,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get ourselves out of this jam.”
Offensively, the Brewers hit three home runs for the second consecutive night, this time off the bats of Prince Fielder, Alcides Escobar and Corey Hart. Fielder and Escobar each hit solo home runs, leading off the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.
Hart, who was 2-for-4 on the day with a season-high four RBIs, hit the first pitch he saw from Blanton in the seventh out to left-center, bringing the Brewers within five. His double in the ninth made it a four-run game and set up a dramatic finish.
Still, as close as they made it in the ninth, the Brewers struck out twice to end the game, taking their fifth straight loss overall as Jose Contreras picked up his first career save.
“It’s frustrating because we keep looking up and we keep getting reminded how bad we are at home right now,” Hart said. “You want to get out there and get the early leads and try to get something going and it’s been hard for us to get anything going lately.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Bulaga hits 14 homers in BP session
MILWAUKEE — When he got the opportunity to take batting practice at Miller Park before Saturday’s game, Bryan Bulaga — the Green Bay Packers’ top draft pick — just hoped he could hit a few balls hard into the outfield. He did a lot better than that.
Bulaga, who played baseball into his high school years, took batting practice pitcher Dale Sveum deep 14 times out of roughly 50 swings. With the Brewers’ position players looking on during their pregame stretch, Bulaga even hit a few into the second deck in left field.
“It took me about 10 pitches to even start hitting the ball,” Bulaga said. “I was hoping just to hit a couple solid ones, maybe just not make myself look like an idiot. But I did pretty well I guess.”
Not only did the offensive tackle out of Iowa impress those in attendance, he blew a few of his Packers teammates’ numbers out of the water.
When they took their swings two weeks ago, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher combined for just three home runs. Linebacker A.J. Hawk had two home runs a year ago when he had a similar opportunity.
Bulaga, who brought his girlfriend, brother and brother’s girlfriend with him to the ballpark, said having the Brewers players watching gave him some added motivation.
“I had to step it up,” he said. “I couldn’t not hit one out with everyone watching.”
As a native of Crystal Lake, Ill., Bulaga admitted he was a Chicago White Sox fan first and Milwaukee Brewers fan second.
“No Cubs fans in this family,” Bulaga said. “The Brewers are my second favorite team. I can’t lose faith in my White Sox though.”
Brewers beat 5/14
Brewers being cautious with Capuano
MILWAUKEE — Chris Capuano dazzled in his Triple-A debut, but the Brewers are taking a cautious approach with their rehabbing left-hander.
After being promoted to Triple-A earlier in the week, Capuano pitched eight scoreless innings on Thursday night in the Nashville Sounds’ 8-0 home win over the Tacoma Rainiers. He is looking to work his way back to the big leagues after his second Tommy John surgery.
“It’s an intriguing story, but he’s going to come back when he’s going to come back,” assistant general manager Gord Ash said. “He’s been a marvelous worker, and his results so far have been tremendous — but one Triple-A start does not a season make.”
In four Minor League starts, Capuano is 3-0 with a 0.79 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in 22 1/3 innings. In eight innings against the Rainiers, he scattered three hits while walking a pair and striking out five.
Capuano’s fastball velocity has gradually worked back to normal, though Ash cautioned against putting any focus on that, saying, “Velocity is not part of Chris Capuano’s game.”
Manager Ken Macha liked Capuano’s efficiency.
“[He had 84] pitches in eight innings; that’s amazing,” Macha said. “Let’s see how he holds up to the workload. I think we’ve all — the organization as a whole — had our fingers crossed, and we’re hoping that he is [an option for the big leagues at some point].”
One of Capuano’s closest friends on the Major League club is fellow left-hander Doug Davis. The two have not had a chance to talk since Capuano started working his way back through the Minors, but Davis is thrilled for the success of his friend and groomsman.
“He’s been pitching lights-out, hasn’t he? He’s getting back to the old Chris,” Davis said. “He knows he has the talent and that he’s capable of doing it. It’s just a matter of him being healthy. Because when he’s healthy, he’s good. He’s a big league pitcher.”
Macha not worried about sign-stealing
MILWAUKEE — Manager Ken Macha is not worried about the Phillies stealing his team’s signs.
Even if it happens, Macha believes the blame should be placed on the Brewers for letting it happen rather than on the Phillies for doing so.
“We want all of our pitchers to have a number of sets of signs,” Macha said. “My thought is, if they’re stealing your signs, it’s almost your fault. You should have a complicated enough set of signs and be able to change them enough so that they’re not getting [them].”
As for the specific incident that has been in the news, Macha doesn’t believe Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was using his binoculars to steal signs against the Rockies.
Macha, who was with the Angels organization during the same time as Billmeyer, noted the distance between the bullpens and home plate in Colorado.
“It’s about 500 feet out there,” he said. “You might need a spotting scope from out there.”
Macha added that the Brewers are no strangers to being on the same side of the issue.
Following the Brewers’ series sweep in Pittsburgh earlier this season, the Pirates were concerned that their signs may have been stolen. As a result, they made an effort to keep the Brewers from doing so when the teams squared off again in Milwaukee less than a week later.
“When they came in here to play us, after we played in Pittsburgh, that catcher was going out there like every other trip,” Macha said. “They were changing the signs. They thought we were stealing their signs.”
Lefty Chris Narveson knew all about the binoculars flap because he used the Rockies’ television feed to scout Phillies hitters this week. He will probably use multiple signs on Saturday, just in case.
“Talking to some of the other guys, Philadelphia has always been very conscious of helping the hitter out any way they can,” Narveson said. “You don’t change your approach. You just have to be smart, and that’s what the game comes down to. Everyone wants the advantage.”
How prevalent is sign-stealing today?
“A lot more than people think,” Narveson said. “The thing is, some [hitters] want to know, and some guys don’t. You have to negate the ones who want to know. It’s like a chess game.”
In regard to the Phillies’ incident, the use of binoculars was cited by many as the deciding factor as to whether it was acceptable. Though many believe it is OK to steal signs, they did not approve of using any additional “equipment” to do so.
Again, Macha does not see things quite the same way.
“When we played the Cubs a long time ago, I was with the Expos then, they’d just go in and look at the monitors,” he said. “We’ve got monitors everywhere here. Everybody’s got a video thing in the back there. You can find out what the signs are.
“So it’s your job to disguise the signs. If you don’t disguise the signs, then it’s like putting free candy out on the dinner table for your kids. What do you think is going to happen?” —Jordan Schelling
Braun back in action for Brewers
MILWAUKEE — After sitting out the final two games of the previous series, left fielder Ryan Braun was back in the lineup on Friday against the Phillies.
Braun was hit near his left elbow by a pitch from Braves starter Tommy Hanson on Monday.
“He said that he’s fine,” manager Ken Macha said.
With veteran lefty Jamie Moyer starting for the Phillies, it made for a favorable matchup for Braun in his return. In 10 career at-bats against the 47-year-old left-hander entering the game, Braun had six hits, including two home runs and a double, and four RBIs.
After being swept by the Braves with Braun on the bench for the majority of the series, Macha and the Brewers hope Braun’s return could help spark the struggling offense.
“The matchups, really — him hitting against those guys — he had favorable matchups. So maybe it would have had an impact on the game,” said Macha, referring to the potential outcomes had Braun faced Braves starters Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe. “Hopefully, it’ll give us a lift.”
Aaron’s final blast top moment of 1970s
MILWAUKEE — It was close, but Hank Aaron’s final home run, in 1976, narrowly edged the Major League debut of an 18-year-old Robin Yount in 1975 as the top Brewers’ moment of the 1970s.
In a vote open to both fans and the media, Aaron’s 755th home run received 27.8 percent of the ballots, 1.2 percent more than Yount’s debut. At 22 percent, Opening Day in 1970 — the Brewers’ first game back in Milwaukee — finished in third place.
The top three moments, which were chosen as a part of the Brewers’ 40th anniversary celebration, were revealed on Friday night at Miller Park and on Fox Sports Wisconsin.
Next month the same process will take place for the 1980s. In July and August, fans and media will vote for the 1990s and 2000s, respectively.
After the top three moments from each decade have been chosen, a fifth poll will choose the top moments in Brewers history. The top 12 will be announced, in reverse order, during the final homestand of the season, beginning Sept. 20.
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