Brewers 6, Astros 9

Win: Brandon Lyon (1-1)
Loss: Sean Green (0-1)

HR: Lee (2), Pence (3), Braun (7)

MVP: Prince Fielder (.551)
LVP: Sean Green (-.461)

Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph

The Brewers kept coming close to winning, but just never could get over the hump. After Shaun Marcum gave up three runs in the first, RIFT Platinum the Brewers countered with a run of their own in the second. Houston then scored one more in the third to make the score 4-1, but the Brewers would score two runs in the bottom of the inning to come within a run. rift gold Then, in the seventh, the Astros scored two more runs after three consecutive hits with two outs. Once more in the bottom of the same inning, Milwaukee also did some damage, keeping the game within a run by scoring two of their own.

Then the bottom of the eighth happened.

Following a Yuni single, which is unlikely enough, the Astros had a bit of a defensive meltdown on the next play. Jonathan Lucroy laid down a poorly hit sacrifice bunt that Houston appeared to have a chance to get the lead runner on. RIFT Platinum Instead, Brett Wallace fielded the ball and promptly tripped over pitcher Mark Malancon. Instead of cutting his losses there, Wallace threw the ball away trying to get Lucroy at first, allowing Betancourt to reach third. So with runners on the corners and no outs down by one, the Brewers looked in pretty decent shape right?

Well, Erick Almonte then came up as the pinch hitter. After working the count a bit, he hit a soft bouncer to the left side of the infield. Rift Gold Instead of throwing to first or, even more likely, getting the double play, Houston SS Angel Sanchez threw home and managed to get Yuni in a rundown, during which Betancourt tried to wave Lucroy over to third to at least gain something positive from the gaff. Unfortunately, Lucroy ended up just standing between second and third base and getting in a rundown of his own after Yuni was tagged out. To top it off, Almonte almost got thrown out off of first for a triple play after Lucroy was tagged out. He wasn't, though, and Craig Counsell grounded out to end the inning.


Except none of that mattered, because Ryan Braun singled with an out in the ninth and Fielder drove him in with a double down the right field line. Braun ran like the dickens around the bases to reach home before the throw. The Brewers had a chance to win it in the ninth with the bases loaded, but failed to capitalize.

And that in turn allowed the other team to score two runs in the tenth inning on a ground rule double from Humberto Quintero of all people off of stupid Sean Green. Brandon Lyon--no, seriously, Brandon Lyon--then drove in a run as the Astros kept him in to work the bottom of the tenth after he had already pitched the ninth inning.

The Brewers had no answer in the tenth. What a rubbish recap to write.

Tomorrow is another day, and the Brewers will be playing again at 1:10 CT. We'll have the gamethread and pitching matchups and lineups and all that good stuff, just like normal.