K-Rod Blows the Save, Braun Walks the Brewers Off

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Fresh off their sweep of the Colorado Rockies last week in Colorado the Crew kept the pressure on Thursday at home against the Rockies with a 7-4 victory.

They looked to extend that winning streak against Colorado tonight when they sent  Kyle Lohse (9-2, 3.20 ERA) to take on Tyler Matzek (1-2, 5.19 ERA) in a battle of the two highest scoring offenses in the National League.

With the offenses on display you’d expect a bunch of runs like the previous games in the season series, but that didn’t happen as Lohse and Matzek locked into a pitcher’s duel. In the end, the Brewers blew the save and cost Lohse the win but walked off in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-2 win on a Ryan Braun single.

Lohse worked around an infield single in the first, and Matzek put the Brewers down in order in his half of the frame.

Corey Dickerson led off the second with a single off Lohse but was thrown out by about 30 feet on a stolen base attempt for the only action in the Colorado half of the inning. Matzek worked around a Khris Davis double for the only Brewer action in the bottom half of the inning.

Lohse worked around a Michael McKenrey lead-off single in the top of the third, and escaped otherwise unscathed. Matzek picked up his second one-two-three inning in the bottom half of the inning.

The Rockies had their first real threat in the top half of the fourth when Troy Toluwitzki knocked a double down the line in left with one out, and moved to third on an infield single by Josh Rutledge two batters later. Ryan Wheeler flew out to end the inning with no damage done.

The Brewers offense had a similar inning in the fourth. With one out Jonathan Lucroy singled to right, and moved to third two batters later on a Ramirez single. But they would be left stranded when Davis flew out to center to end the inning.

Michael McKenry led off the Rockies’ fifth with a single to left but he was erased on a Charlie Blackmon double-play ground out to end the inning. Matzek came out and set the Crew down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Drew Stubbs walked to lead off the sixth but Lohse put down Justin Morneau, Tulowitzki and Dickerson in order to end the inning.

The Brewers finally opened the scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rickie Weeks led off with a double to center and scored two batters later on a Lucroy single to left to put the Brewers up 1-0.

The Rockies came right back in the top of the seventh. Rutledge led off with a double and moved to third on a Ryan Wheeler single. After a McKenry ground out moved Wheeler to second, Brandon Barnes came out to pinch hit for Tyler Matzek.

Barnes bunted a safety squeeze up the first base line to score Rutledge and was tagged out on a nice play by Lohse. Lohse struck out Blackmon to end the inning with the game tied.

The pinch hit ended the night for Matzek who tossed six innings and allowed one run on five hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three.

Nick Masset came on to pitch the seventh for the Rockies and Davis promptly led off the Brewer half of the frame with a double off the wall in left-center. Reynolds followed with a four-pitch walk.  Segura bunted them each up a base for the first out.

Lyle Overbay came in to pinch-hit for Lohse, ending his night. Walt Weiss called for a new reliever then, Rex Brothers. This prompted Ron Roenicke to call Overbay back and send Martin Maldonado out to pinch hit.

Maldonado followed with an interesting strike out. He bunted foul on a squeeze bunt, then he tried to walk to first on ball three. Finally on would have been ball four, he swung and missed to strike out.

Weeks followed with a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Braun.  Weiss called for another reliever, this time it was Adam Ottavino to face Braun. Ottavino hit Braun to drive in Davis and give Milwaukee the lead. Lucroy grounded out to end the inning.

The final line on Lohse was seven innings pitched, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks. He struck out four. He left in line for the win.

Will Smith came on to toss the eighth for the Brewers. After getting Stubbs to fly out to Gomez, Morneau knocked a single to center but was erased on a double play ground out by Tulowitzki.

Gomez led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and stolen second base with Ramirez batting.  Gomez appeared to be shaken up on the play, as his head-first slide was into the legs of Rutledge.

The Rockies challenged the stolen base and Gomez was ruled out; it looked like he beat the throw but came off the base. Ramirez and Davis struck out to end the inning with Milwaukee up 2-1.

Fransisco Rodriguez came on to get the save for Milwaukee. After getting the first out quickly Rutledge knocked a home run (2) over the wall in left to tie the game at a 2-2.

Rodriguez struck out Wheeler and McKenry to end the inning.

Against new Rockies pitcher Matt Belisle, Reynolds knocked a single to left to lead off the ninth inning.  He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Segura, and Scooter Gennett came in to pinch hit.

Belisle intentionally walked Gennett to get to Weeks. With Weeks batting, McKenry forgot how to catch and a pitch bounced off his glove for a passed ball advancing both runners and eliminating the double play.

Weeks struck out for the second out of the inning to bring up Braun who was 0-for-3. Braun finished the day 1-for-4 and he knocked a single up the middle to drive in Reynolds and the Brewers walked off with a 3-2 win.

Rodriguez earned the vulture win for the Brewers. Belisle took the loss for the Rockies.