In a playoff race where your direct competition for the postseason seemingly never loses (Cubs and Cards both won today), you need to win every game possible. That includes games against below-average competition, which appeared in Miller Park Sunday in the form of the Pittsburgh Pirates.It took 12 innings, but the Brewers were able to come away with the 4-3 victory. They had a lot of chances to blow this thing wide open, however, as the Brewers stranded the bases loaded in both the 3rd and 4th innings. But the got the runs when they needed it, including a Mike Cameron solo shot in the 8th, and a J.J. Hardy game winning RBI in the 12th.
CC Sabathia had a similar performance to his last outing, giving up a handful of hits but somehow keeping the runs off the board. He was only able to last six innings, as Yost pinch hit Gabe Kapler for him in the 6th. Yost's decision paid off, and the Brewers took a 2-1 lead at that point in the game.
The Pirates came back, and headed into the bottom of the 8th inning, we had a 2-2 contest on our hands. That's when Mike Cameron blasted a shot out of the ballpark to take the 3-2 lead. Mike Cameron ended up with four singles and a home run on Sunday, his first ever 5 career hit game. He also raised his batting average from .245 to .257 in just one game.
Salomon Torres couldn't hang on for the save though, and we were treated to some free baseball. Carlos Villanueva picked well in his first inning, but started to collapse and loaded the bases with no outs in the 12th. Enter: Guillermo Mota. Many of us were calling for his head earlier in the year, but he pitched brilliantly to get out of a jam in which the Pirates seemed destined to score. Thank you, Guillermo, and sorry about everything I ever said about you before.
For the game heroics, the Brewers turned to J.J. Hardy. It was his bobblehead day, after all, and he was given the chance to bring Rickie Weeks home for the game winner. And that he did. Weeks, and then Hardy were mobbed by their teammates, all shirts untucked, as the Brewers swept the Pirates in front of another sell-out crowd at Miller Park.
Thank God.
Box Score.
TBC's Player of the Game: Oh man. FSN went with Hardy, and Mota is a good choice, too. But if you think about it, it's gotta be Mike Cameron.
(AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
5 comments:
Why Cameron? Because of the HR? or the throw in to home to prevent a Sac Fly?
5 for 5, what shoulda been the game winning homer if not for the torres blown save, and the throw to prevent a run.
Thanks b2, I meant to explain that. When I give these, I like to think "which one player could the Brewers NOT have won with?" Today, even though J.J. came through late, that answer was Mike Cameron.
word, its gotta be cameron.. good choice winks.
I didn't mean to seem to be arguing against it, I was just wanted your justification.
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