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Stairs’ pinch-hit blast sets MLB record
MILWAUKEE — It was just his third home run of the season, but Matt Stairs’ two-run eighth-inning blast meant a lot more than that, and it did a lot more than simply cut the Padres’ deficit to one run in an eventual 6-5 loss to the Brewers on Saturday.
Stairs’ towering home run was his 21st career pinch-hit homer, which established a new Major League record. After tying the record on July 7, Stairs passed Cliff Johnson on Saturday, belting a 1-1 fastball from Brewers reliever Kameron Loe just beyond the seats in right field.
“It’s a great accomplishment, it really is, for a couple reasons,” manager Bud Black said. “Matt has maintained a level of play for a long time. Also, one of the hardest roles on a team is the pinch-hitter.”
Given Stairs’ history with the Brewers, it was only fitting for his record-breaking home run to come in Milwaukee. Stairs spent one season with the club in 2002, joining all-time pinch-hits leader Lenny Harris on the roster. He hit just one pinch-hit home run that season, however, as he started 75 games and got just 29 pinch-hit opportunities.
Stairs also hit a pinch-hit blast against the Brewers last season as a member of the Phillies — one Brewers fans, and starter Dave Bush, likely remember. On April 23, in Philadelphia, Stairs came to the plate with one out in the eighth and his solo homer off the right-field foul pole broke up Bush’s no-hitter.
Before the season, Stairs considered retirement until receiving an offer to sign a Minor League contract with the Padres. In 72 at-bats this season for San Diego, Stairs has 15 hits, with three home runs, 12 RBIs and 26 strikeouts. His home run Saturday put him two behind Brewers utility man Joe Inglett for the Major League lead in pinch-hits this season.
“I was never really an everyday guy,” Stairs said in Spring Training. “I think that only two years I was an everyday guy. I think it’s all mental; if you accept your job of being a pinch-hitter, you’re going to do well at it.
“I enjoy coming off the bench in the late innings. I love it. I don’t want to be an everyday guy anymore. I’m 42. It’s for the younger guys.”
After 18 seasons spent with 12 different Major League clubs, Stairs’ 262nd career home run made him the all-time leader in pinch-hit homers.
Yet, just as a pinch-hit role takes more of a team-first mentality, Stairs was unavailable to comment after the game, likely to keep the spotlight off himself after the Padres’ loss.
“He’s taken that role now for the last number of years in his career,” Black said of Stairs’ pinch-hitting. “To be able to perform at the level to break a Major League record, it’s an outstanding accomplishment.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Hawkins opts for right shoulder surgery
MILWAUKEE — Following the results of another MRI on his right shoulder Friday, veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins has opted for arthroscopic surgery to repair his rotator cuff and labrum.
Hawkins, 37, will leave the team Sunday to fly home and spend some time with his family before flying Wednesday to Los Angeles, where Dr. Lewis Yocum will perform the scope on his shoulder.
“It’s scope, but he said if he sees anything else, he’s got to fix it,” Hawkins said. “We’re praying and anticipating he won’t have to do anything else but just clean up. When I wake up on Friday, I’ll know exactly what he had to do.”
The recovery process for Hawkins will vary, depending on whether the arthroscopic procedure is sufficient in repairing the “fraying” on his rotator cuff and labrum. If it is just a scope, Hawkins said he could be throwing again before Thanksgiving.
“If he has to put a stitch in there or something, it’ll be a lot longer,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins, 37, has struggled with shoulder issues all season, which has kept him on the disabled list for much of the year. The first indication of injury came in Spring Training, when Hawkins reported tightness in his shoulder after pitching March 11.
That issue seemed to have resolved itself shortly thereafter, as Hawkins was lights out through his first four appearances of the regular season. Hawkins was tagged for seven runs on six hits in his next two outings before giving up just one run in his next six appearances.
Finally, after he gave up a walk-off grand slam to Andre Ethier at Dodger Stadium on May 6, the Brewers sent Hawkins to the disabled list with right shoulder weakness.
Hawkins remained on the DL until pitching again July 30, in Houston. He pitched five times after his return, including an ugly outing in a 15-3 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, where he allowed three runs on four hits in one-third of an inning.
“I threw that pitch in Spring Training — I felt tight,” Hawkins said. “Then I recovered again and I threw the ball well, and then [went on the DL]. Just like I recovered this time, it breaks back down again.”
Hawkins said he initially planned to rehab in Dallas, saying the Brewers had a “guy they work with in Dallas that’s going to work with me.” After working in Dallas, he planned to be back in September to spend time with the club and let trainer Roger Caplinger look at the progress on his right shoulder.
Regardless of the length of recovery, Hawkins now has his eyes set on pitching in 2011 the way he was expected to this season after signing with the Brewers.
“If we get it right and I can be back next year and pitch the way I’m accustomed to pitching — being out there and being able to be used once every three days, that’s not what they signed me for,” Hawkins said. “They signed me to pitch the way I’ve been able to pitch, three out of four days, five out of seven. I just haven’t been able to do that.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Frustrated Hart out with tight hamstring
MILWAUKEE — He hasn’t spent a day on the disabled list this season, but the minor injuries continue to pile up for Corey Hart. If it’s not his hand, it’s his back. If not his back, his leg.
Hart added to that list of injuries on Friday night, leaving the Brewers’ 10-6 win over the Padres for precautionary reasons with tightness in his right hamstring. On Saturday, the pain kept Hart out of the Brewers’ starting lineup, and manager Ken Macha said he “could be in the lineup” on Sunday.
“It’s one of those things that I think we’re just kind of nervous to play and go out there and make it really bad and miss a lot of time instead of taking it easy for a few days,” Hart said. “I think it’s trying to play cautious and that way I don’t push it and miss more time than I need to.”
Hart, who had missed time earlier this month with back stiffness, did not think the two injuries were related.
Hart speculated that the hamstring tightness may have occurred on his first-inning triple to right field. Eventually, he realized the issue was significant enough to force him out of the ballgame in the eighth inning.
“I felt something kind of pull,” Hart said. “It just gradually kept getting tighter. After I went first to third on [Ryan Braun’s sixth-inning single], I came in right away and I was trying to wrap it up, trying to get away from it stiffening up on me.”
A few more inches on his triple, and Hart’s hamstring may never have become an issue. Hart’s ball hit high off the wall in right field, narrowly missing a home run.
Now, it’s another waiting game for Hart, something he’s grown accustomed to this season.
“It’s crazy — one after another,” Hart said. “My thumb was, like, five days, my back was a couple. It’s tough. I could go out there and try to play today, but if I do it, I might end up making it really bad and missing two or three weeks instead of a couple of days.”
Capuano picks up Gallardo as Crew wins
MILWAUKEE — As far as feel-good stories go, Chris Capuano’s comeback from a second Tommy John surgery ranks up there among the best of them. The Brewers lefty added another chapter on Friday night.
It was one of those nights at Miller Park, where nothing seems to go according to plan. It was also one of those starts for Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo, who was hurt by mistakes and struggled with his command.
Fortunately for Gallardo and the Brewers, they had a lefty in the bullpen ready to go. Capuano pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up just one walk while facing the minimum and retiring 10 of 11 batters faced as the Brewers defeated the Padres, 10-6.
With his stellar performance, Capuano made up for one of the shortest outings of the season for Gallardo. Capuano won at home for the first time since May 7, 2007, giving him the perfect belated birthday present, as the lefty celebrated his 32nd birthday on Thursday.
“It’s great to get a win anytime,” Capuano said. “We’ve been working on some stuff and today felt real good with the location and the different pitches. The arm strength feels like it’s starting to come back a little bit. It’s definitely a lot more fun out there pitching.”
On a wild night, the Brewers outslugged the Padres for their third straight win and fourth in five games. Third baseman Casey McGehee led the way, recording an RBI double and a three-run homer in his first two at-bats.
With the two hits, McGehee extended his franchise record streak to 11 hits in 11 straight home at-bats, shattering the previous mark of seven straight hits at home. After being unaware of the 9-for-9 against the Diamondbacks, was McGehee aware of the 11-for-11?
“Now I am,” McGehee answered. “That was nice for us to be able to have that kind of an offensive game, especially supporting Yovani, who’s pitched so well for us. For us to be able to pick him up one time, was really good.”
With a team ERA of 3.18, the Padres’ mark was 23 points lower than any other team in the Majors before Friday’s game. With that in mind, and Gallardo taking the hill for the Brewers, the formula for a pitchers’ duel certainly was there.
None of that seemed to matter, as from the outset, the game was nothing like anyone would have expected. Both starting pitchers, Gallardo and Wade LeBlanc, went just 3 1/3 innings, combining to allow 13 runs on 13 hits with six walks, four strikeouts and four home runs.
Recording just 10 outs to Capuano’s 11 outs, Gallardo surrendered six runs on six hits while walking five and recording just one strikeout.
In the first inning, Gallardo left two curveballs up, over the plate. Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley took advantage of those mistakes, sending them over the fence and giving the Padres an early 3-0 lead.
“He wasn’t as sharp as we have seen him before,” Headley said. “He wasn’t commanding his fastball and he left a few curveballs up. We did a good job coming out and getting on him early.”
After the Brewers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame, Gallardo surrendered two more right back to the Padres. Milwaukee’s offense never gave up, though, as the Brewers scored in each of the next five innings.
In the third, it was McGehee’s three-run blast. An inning later, rookie catcher Jonathan Lucroy added a two-run shot, which proved to be the eventual game winner.
“They picked me up,” Gallardo said. “It just was one of those days for me. It got out of hand. They put up some runs in the first inning for me after I gave up three, and they kept battling. I give them a lot of props.”
Todd Coffey and Zach Braddock joined Capuano in shutting down the Padres offense, which recorded just one hit over the final 5 2/3 innings on Friday night.
Even with that, the story of the day was Capuano, who continues to progress in his return to the Major Leagues.
With the bases loaded in the fourth following back-to-back one-out walks, Brewers manager Ken Macha had seen enough of Gallardo, calling for Capuano. Entering Friday’s game, Capuano had a 4.44 ERA, while opposing hitters had been batting .289 against him with three home runs.
Add five of seven inherited runners having scored in those 15 appearances, and Capuano didn’t exactly seem like the ideal choice in such a pressure situation as the Brewers trailed 6-5 at the time. He performed admirably, stranding all three runners with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
“Big crossroads there,” Macha said.
“Unbelievable,” Lucroy said. “That’s all you can ask out of a middle reliever: Come in and do something like that. He’s getting back to [the way he pitched before his second Tommy John surgery]. He knows exactly what he wants to do out there. It’s real easy to catch somebody like that.”
After the bullpen nearly blew Randy Wolf’s dominating performance on Wednesday, it was encouraging for the Brewers to see a reliever pick up the slack on an off night for their ace.
While Capuano would still like to see his name in the starting rotation again someday, Friday night’s win will suffice for now.
“It’s just a blessing to be healthy and feel good every day coming to the park,” Capuano said. “I would like to be starting, [but] the main thing is that I’m feeling healthy, my arm’s getting stronger and everything is feeling good.
“I’m just enjoying the opportunities I get to pitch right now.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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