How do we get back to Milwaukee?

This is something that has been bothering me since Monday night.  How can the Brewers get this series back on it’s home turf?  I refuse to let this season end with a 12-3 pounding in front of the Brew Crew nation.  We need to look at these next three games and figure out where we are going to pick up at least 1 win.  That’s all we need to get it back to Miller Park, just one win.  It can be done, the question is how.

Before I dive into that, be sure and boo your tv tonight when Jeff Suppan throws out the ceremonial first pitch.  That guy is the bane of my existence.

Game 3:  Yo Gallardo  vs.  Chris Carpenter

     Only hope for us in this game is to walk Pujols every at bat.  As we all witnessed on Monday, that guy is a one man wrecking ball.  Gallardo has been destroyed by Pujols over the course of his career, how destroyed?  Try this on for size, Pujols is 12 for 27 (.444) with 4 HR’s and 11 RBI’s against Yo.  Chris Carpenter is not going to give up very many runs.  The only way the Brewers can win this game is to not let it turn into a slug-fest.  Easiest way to achieve that mission, minimize the Pujols.  Even if you do not want to intentionally walk him, pitch around him on every pitch.  If Yo leaves anything (and I do mean anything) over the plate, Albie is going to give us an encore of Game 2.  And to be perfectly honest, it took every fiber of my being to not throw my television out the window during his 4th AB.  3 for 3 with a HR and 2 doubles…might as well keep pitching to him.  This game should be our best option, but I don’t think it is going to happen with Carpenter on the mound.   Lou’s Vegas bet – St. Louis

Game 4:  Randy Wolf  vs  Kyle Lohse

     If Randy Wolf can get back to the way he was prior to September, this could be the window we need to take the series back to Milwaukee.  However, should he choose to put on his best Jeff Suppan impression (p.s. again,  Suppan is throwing out the first pitch tonight), this game will turn into a blood bath quickly.  If Randy can keep his pitches low in the strike zone, he can win this game.  Kyle Lohse is good, but not great.  This is a match-up designed for a veteran pitcher to capitalize.  The Cardinals are really aggressive and Wolf can counter that, if he can locate his pitches.  Lohse went 1-1 this year against the Brewers giving up 4 runs in 11 innings of work, so he can be beaten.  The Brewers offense just needs to put the pressure on him early and then push his throat to the floor…with our shoes…their shoes…err…cleats.  If you ask me, this is the game to win and send this series back to Milwaukee.   Lou’s Vegas Bet – Milwaukee

Game 5:  Zack Greinke  vs.  Jaime Garcia

     This is a rematch of Game 1 (tentatively).  Neither pitcher was particularly good, so this one is a total crap shoot.  If I were the manager of the Brewers, I would probably send out either Estrada or Narveson in order to preserve Greinke for Game 6.  Then if the Brewers win Game 6, you have Yo pitching Game 7.  As of this moment, that does not appear to be a part of RRR’s plan.  I digress.  This could also be the game, although I would rather it not be…unless we also won Game 4.  In which case, I will probably be dancing naked through my living room.  Neither pitcher has an edge.  Each lineup was able to hit the other teams pitcher with relative ease, so this game will come down to lucky bounces and hops.  Lou’s Vegas Bet –  Draw

Tonight’s game might get rained out.  If that happens, both skippers will have to figure out how to handle their starters.  I think the Brewers have the upper hand here, with Narveson and Estrada as viable options out of the bullpen as a stop gap.  In all honesty, I would not mind seeing Narveson out on the mound for 5 or 6 innings, just to see if he can handle the pressure of starting a playoff game.  Although, the NLCS is probably not the ideal time to give it a try. 

On a completely unrelated note.  I saw this today and was laughing so hard that I got in trouble from my boss for not doing work.  Follow the link and watch this video.  It is only 2 minutes, but it will be well worth it.  Hilarious.

As of moments before this article is published, there is still no word from MLB about tonight’s game.  The Weather Channel App on my phone made it look less than promising though. 

If there is a game tonight, make sure you wear as much Brewers apparel as you can.  I mean it, put jerseys on top of jerseys.  I for one will be wearing three hats, 4 t-shirts, a jersey, and a pair of Brewers shorts.   True story.

Go Brewers!!!