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Brewers bullpen clutch with season on line
Saito, K-Rod pave way to Axford, who earns Game 5 win
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
A leadoff double by Gerardo Parra — his first hit of the series — followed by a bloop single and a bunt single tied the game at 2.
“I knew these guys were going to go out there and give us their best,” Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. “He made that one bad pitch to Parra at the start of the inning, and the guy made him pay for it.
“It’s a little shock, kind of unexpected because you expect him to go out and get it done every night. But sometimes he’s going to make mistakes. And he’s human, he can’t be perfect. So he did a hell of a job for us.”
In the most important game of the Brewers’ season, Axford finally blew a save.
But he recovered.
Axford came out in the 10th — just the second time this season he’s pitched more than one inning — and retired the D-backs in order, getting a flyout to left, a groundout to shortstop and a called strike three to end the inning.
Said Axford: “I felt really good, I felt calm going back out there for the 10th, I felt the same way as well.”
Did manager Ron Roenicke give any thought to not sending Axford back out in the 10th?
“We talked about it,” Roenicke said. “He had 17 pitches. We felt pretty good about him going back out.”
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said he actually felt relaxed when Axford came back on for another inning.
“Once I saw him going out for the 10th, I actually got calm,” Attanasio said. “I knew, having been out there already, he was going to put them down.”
With his dominant 10th, Axford not only made up for his blown save in the ninth, but also capped a night that featured the Brewers’ bullpen coming through when it was needed most.
All season, and especially since Rodriguez was acquired at the All-Star break, the bullpen has shortened games with Saito, K-Rod, and Axford closing out the final three innings. In Game 5 on Friday, starter Yovani Gallardo did his part, going six innings to lay the ground work for the ‘pen.
With the Brewers leading 2-1 after Yuniesky Betancourt’s go-ahead single, the Crew’s bullpen trio did what it has done so many times this year.
“Everybody pitched in. Unbelievable,” said a champagne-soaked Doug Melvin, Milwaukee’s general manager. “Axford pitching two innings, big outs by K-Rod. It was a team effort.”
Saito got a flyout, a strikeout and groundout to do his part. Rodriguez then came on and walked the leadoff batter before getting Justin Upton to strike out. Rodriguez allowed a hit, but got another strikeout. A walk made things interesting, but another groundout to Betancourt allowed K-Rod to get out of the jam.
His innings haven’t always been pretty or easy, but Rodriguez was acquired to shut the door on opposing offenses in the eighth, and eventually, he did just that Friday.
“I think they’re important every game they go out there,” Lucroy said. “But tonight it was kind of an exclamation point of how important they are, because they come in and they shut the door.”
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 notes 10/6
Weeks to remain in lineup unless ankle acts up
MILWAUKEE — As long as his ankle is fine, Rickie Weeks is going to stay in the Brewers’ lineup.
Despite his struggles offensively in the first four games of the National League Division Series, it is not likely Weeks will come out of the lineup unless he tells manager Ron Roenicke there’s something wrong with his left ankle, which he severely sprained in late July.
“You guys still see the ankle, it isn’t right. We knew it wouldn’t be,” Roenicke said. “But we were hoping offensively that he would get locked in and be able to really hold down that fifth spot, which we’ve talked about all year.”
Weeks has batted just .067 (1-for-15) through four postseason games, including an 0-for-5 performance Wednesday in Game 4 in which he left six runners on base.
In 14 games, Weeks hit .243 in September with one home run, one double and six RBIs. Weeks returned Sept. 10 after missing 41 games with the ankle injury.
But while Weeks hasn’t provided the type of protection the Brewers would like in the No. 5 spot behind cleanup hitter Prince Fielder, it remains up to the health of his ankle whether he’ll play in Game 5 or any other games this postseason.
“Unless he comes in and unless something is going on with the ankle that he would say, ‘You know something, I’m really not close to 100 percent,’ then maybe something would change,” Roenicke said. “Those things are hard to do.”
Greinke to be available in ‘pen for Game 5
MILWAUKEE — If needed, Zack Greinke will be available out of the Brewers’ bullpen Friday for Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the D-backs.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke opted to bring back Game 1 starter Yovani Gallardo on extra rest for the final game of the series, rather than pitch Greinke on regular rest. But with it being an elimination game, Greinke will be one of the top options out of the bullpen if needed.
“Zack would be available, and not just if Yo isn’t pitching well,” Roenicke said. “Who knows, [Gallardo] could get a line drive back off a leg or something, and he’s got to come out. So Zack will be available tomorrow.”
Roenicke said he already has had a conversation with Greinke about a potential relief appearance in Game 5. Greinke pitched as a reliever in 2007, when after eight starts he was moved to the Royals’ bullpen for nearly four months.
Greinke is 5-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 41 career relief appearances, picking up one save. He last pitched out of the bullpen on Aug. 20, 2007.
Performer of the game: Brewers slugger Braun
MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun is starting to make a habit of consistently performing well in big games. And the more he does it, the more it comes to be expected.
When Braun crushed a 2-1 pitch from D-backs right-hander Daniel Hudson over the fence and just under the scoreboard in center in the first inning, it hardly came as a surprise. His two-out double to start a rally in the third? That’s just what Braun does.
A lot of things have been written and said to describe Braun, but Brewers starter Zack Greinke, a man of few words, summed it up nicely after Sunday’s 9-4 victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
“When he gets hot, it’s just a little hotter than he normally is,” Greinke said. “But that’s really good. Because when he’s normal, it’s better than most people when they’re hot.”
The most unlikely thing Braun did Sunday came in the fifth inning, when he worked the count to 2-1, and then 3-2, before being called out on strikes. An inning later, when he came up with two on and one out in the middle of the Brewers’ five-run sixth, he delivered, singling to drive in a run.
Braun finished 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs and two runs scored and fell just a triple shy of the cycle. With consecutive three-hit games, Braun is 6-for-8 this postseason with a homer, two doubles, three RBIs and four runs.
In six career playoff games, Braun is batting .458 (11-for-24) with one home run, four doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored.
“He doesn’t stop,” said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. “That’s a good pitcher they have out there, and he really puts quality at-bats together to get those hits.”
The obvious gameplan for the D-backs, and any other team that might face the Brewers this season, is to not let Braun or Prince Fielder beat them. That has not exactly worked for Arizona so far as the duo has nine hits, two homers and six RBIs between them in two games.
“They’re good hitters,” said D-backs manager Kirk Gibson. “There’s not much room for error when they’re swinging the bats the way they are right now.”
Down the stretch and in the postseason in 2008, the key for the Brewers was CC Sabathia — although Braun also delivered a few timely hits and home runs.
This year, Braun has arguably been the Brewers’ most important player. He put up numbers worthy of NL Most Valuable Player honors with 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, 33 stolen bases, a .597 slugging percentage and an OPS of .994.
Through two games, he has certainly made his case for being the most valuable player in this NLDS as well.
“Talking about the difference between ’08 and now, we were all kind of young and looking for that impact. And Ryan’s been our impact,” Brewers right fielder Corey Hart said. “He’s stepped up his game, [and] that’s helped us as a team. He’s a big reason why we’re at 2-0. He wants the big situation, and we like to give it to him.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Hairston gets nod at third base again in Game 2
MILWAUKEE — It is going to be a tough decision every day of the postseason for Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. And for the second straight day, he decided Sunday his starting third baseman would be Jerry Hairston Jr.
Hairston was impressive in Game 1, playing solid defense at the hot corner and driving in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. That went a long way in helping Roenicke decide to start him again in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the D-backs.
“With Jerry’s nice ballgame [Saturday], both ways — defensively and offensively — I think that was the right thing to do,” Roenicke said.
What made the decision surprising was the fact that Casey McGehee has gone 5-for-5 with a double and a home run in his career against right-hander Daniel Hudson, Arizona’s starter for Game 2.
Roenicke said he was more concerned with how Hairston and McGehee have performed recently, rather than focused on the past.
“[I’m] just going with who I think is hot,” Roenicke said.
McGehee started 140 games this season for the Brewers, but batted just .223 with 13 homers and 67 RBIs. It was a disappointing drop in production from his totals from 2010, when McGehee batted .285 with 23 home runs and 104 RBIs, providing the Brewers with a solid bat in the sixth spot in the lineup.
It became clear over the final games of the regular season that Hairston would likely be favored over McGehee in the postseason. Roenicke has said that McGehee understands the decisions made by the manager and the third baseman just wants what gives the Brewers the best chance to win.
“[Saturday] after the game, I stopped by and talked to him again, and he’s fine. He wants to start. He wants to get in there and help us,” Roenicke said.
“If I made a decision to go with Casey, I would have felt good with that decision, also. I just think this is a better decision, the right way to go.”
Braun sets the tone with arm, delivers with bat
The MVP candidate is best known for his heroics at the plate, but it was his defense that set the tone in the Brewers’ 4-1 victory, as Braun threw out Willie Bloomquist at the plate in the first inning to save a run.
“That was perfect,” said Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy. “For me as a catcher, I couldn’t ask for a better throw, it was right there. I just tried to get in front of the plate and wear it if I had to. … He made a heck of a throw right there.”
After Bloomquist singled to lead off the game and stole second base, Justin Upton delivered a one-out single to left. D-backs third-base coach Matt Williams sent Bloomquist, but Braun’s throw arrived well before the runner.
Lucroy, who said he expected the D-backs to try to score as soon as the ball was hit, caught Braun’s throw on two hops, dropped his knees to the ground and tagged Bloomquist for the second out of the inning.
It was just one of a few times that Braun drew a roar from the energized capacity crowd at Miller Park.
“It was big,” said Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo. “He made a great throw. That base hit by Upton, I mean, who knows? That run scores, it might be a whole different ballgame.”
Braun is certainly no stranger to performing on the big stage and coming up with big hits when the Brewers need them. Just a week ago, Braun delivered a no-doubt, three-run, go-ahead homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to help Milwaukee clinch the NL Central title.
In 2008, Braun delivered a similar home run when the Brewers clinched the NL Wild Card on the last day of the season. And in five career playoff games, Braun is batting .400 (8-for-20) with three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.
After popping out in the first inning, Braun singled to lead off the fourth Saturday, later scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jerry Hairston Jr. In the fifth, Braun singled again before doubling with one out in the seventh.
But just as important as Braun’s hits was the number of pitches he saw from D-backs starter Ian Kennedy. In four at-bats, Braun made Kennedy throw 24 of his 111 pitches on the night.
“Brauny got to him,” said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. “We got a little break there, too, with Brauny not squaring them up. Brauny, great day at the plate.”
After Braun doubled on the fifth pitch he saw in his fourth at-bat, Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder crushed an 0-1 curveball, driving it over the right-field fence.
That homer knocked Kennedy out of the game and all but sealed the Game 1 victory for the Brewers.
“Whenever Brauny is fouling pitches off, taking tough pitches, you know, that’s mentally tough on the pitcher,” Fielder said. “He’s making good pitches. And Brauny gets up there and sticks his bat out and hits a line drive. It will mess with the pitcher. I like it, because hopefully they’re exhausted by the time they get to me.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Miller Park’s roof a plus amid October elements
MILWAUKEE — After seeing Game 1 at Yankee Stadium suspended on Friday due to rain, the Brewers were grateful on Saturday to have the retractable roof at Miller Park.
While indoor baseball may not be ideal, playing in a climate-controlled 70 degrees is better than having a game delayed, postponed or suspended by rain. With a high of just 55 degrees expected, the roof was closed on Saturday for Game 1 between the Brewers and the D-backs. But the Brewers didn’t seem to mind.
“I heard the comment [Joe] Girardi made, it’s too late to put a roof on,” said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. “Really, if you’re a player, you’ve got to love being here. This is a great place to play. The weather is cold outside today. Inside, during the ballgame, it’s going to be really pleasant.”
Sunday’s forecast calls for a high of 66 degrees in Milwaukee, which is warm enough to merit opening the roof. But by the 4:07 p.m. CT start for Game 2, and certainly by the end of the game, it could be chilly enough to close things up again.
Either way, the Brewers and D-backs know they’ll play the game as scheduled.
That’s been the case all season for both teams, as the Brewers played just three doubleheaders, the D-backs had just one, and all four between the two teams were on the road. The Red Sox and Yankees each played a Major League-high six doubleheaders this season, including two each in September.
“You know, the new domes, the new stadiums, they’ve got some great stadiums out there,” Roenicke said. “But the new domes, being able to open them up when you want to, I think is a huge advantage for what you try to do every day and the consistency you have with your team. And staying away from doubleheaders, because they are really tough on a team.”
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