Bush Takes No-No Into 8th

See what happens when you like Mike Rivera catch a game? I'm only (half-) joking, but the fact of the matter is that was a great performance by the Brewers battery today. Dave Bush becomes the first Brewers pitcher this season to last into and through the 7th inning of a ballgame, going 7 2/3 innings, giving up just one earned run off of two hits. Both of those hits came in the 8th inning, after Bush had gone 7 1/3 innings without allowing any. 

I feel like this is about the 30th time Dave Bush has flirted with a no-hitter, and I think one of these days it will finally come. But for today, we still must give Bush a standing ovation for throwing a gem that was much needed, especially as the Brewers are beginning a stretch of 20 games in 20 days.

As for the break-up of the no-hitter, you can blame Fat Stairs for that one. The former Brewer took a Dave Bush pitch into the right field seats, delivering with yet another pinch-hit homer. Fat Stairs isn't much for a ball-player, but the man sure can crank them out of the park. If I'm starting a baseball club, I'd take Fatty as my designated go-to pinch-hitter. But with the homer, the no-no was broken, and Juan Nieves remains the only Brewer to ever toss one. 

A great effort by Bush though, and I was glad to see many of the Philadelphia fans give him a well deserved round of applause when he left the game in the 8th. 

I started thinking no-hitter at the beginning of the 6th inning, and was progressively nervous as the game went on. It's amazing how superstitious and nervous I can become even though I'm hundreds of miles away from even being close to having an impact on the game. I finally started to believe that this was indeed happening when Bill Hall made a spectacular play after Greg Dobbs hit a chopper down the left field line. 

I don't even know how Bill made this play, and I wish I had some video to show you (on second thought, here it is). Hall somehow threw the ball as his momentum was heading towards the Brewers dugout, and he was already past the foul line. Just a fantastic baseball play, and I thought for sure he saved the no-hitter. Unfortunately, the Fat Stairs home run came on the very next play, so it was all for naught.

The performance by Bush and the defense did seem to help reignite the offensive sparks as well, as the Brewers put up six runs en route to a 6-1 victory. The scoring came on big plays as opposed to the small-ball stuff we've been seeing lately. First, Ryan Braun hit a 2-run bomb in the 4th inning. Prince Fielder brought in a few more runs with a 3-run double in the 5th, and Bill Hall added his first home run of the year in the 8th inning to cap the scoring. It was really a treat to watch the Brewers finally hit on all cylinders, and hopefully they can carry this momentum into Houston.

So look at that, Brewers fans. It took a couple of weeks, but the Brewers finally won a series, and it was against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. They've also finally won two games in a row for the first time this season, and now look to go into Houston and finish out a winning roadtrip (3-3 so far), which is all I wanted from this nine game stretch. Their next game is Friday night, with Yovani Gallardo on the hill.

Don't look now, but is this optimism I'm feeling?

Player of the Game: I think Dave Bush is a pretty safe bet.

Our stepmom, we did everything to hate her, she took us down to the edge of Decatur.