Recap On Tap: Brewers 7, Diamondbacks 1

I don’t want to say that the staff at Reviewing the Brew can control the Brewers with our minds, but as of this week it is looking more and more like that’s the case. Ben and I discussed how the Brewers have to get hot now, and just a few minutes before game time Curt said that Arizona is where the Brewers can start to make a move.

Both of those things JUST HAPPENED.

Yovani Gallardo looks like he’s finally settled into a groove (also mentioned in our podcast, FYI) in a beautiful 7.1 inning showing to get his third win of the season. He surrendered only one run – a two-out home run by Arizona left fielder Jason Kubel – in the fourth inning. It would end up being the D-Backs’ only extra-base hit on the night. He managed to strike out five and only gave up five hits. It was the performance we’re used to seeing from Yo. He was perfectly poised and in command of all of his pitches.

The same could not be said for his opposing hurler, Ian Kennedy. It was a match-up that, on paper, looks like an ace-on-ace pitching duel. It was a game that probably should have been won with no more than two runs. But Kennedy came under fire early and often, including a two-out home run from Rickie Weeks in the second, and a two-run shot from Braun that effectively ended the embattled pitcher’s day. Kennedy slipped to 3-5 on the year and hasn’t won a decision in over the month. Ian Kennedy also hit both Travis Ishikawa and Corey Hart, which helped bring Milwaukee’s HPB count up to 29, second highest in the Major Leagues.

The relief core for Arizona didn’t fare much better, as the usually reliable Collmenter gave up the Brewers’ third home run of the night, this one belonging to Corey Hart. Hart hit the bomb with former Diamondback Cody Ransom on base to bring the lead to 6-1. Ransom, by the way, went 1-2 on his Milwaukee debut against his former team. Breslow would earn the seventh and final run for Milwaukee on Ishikawa’s sacrifice fly.

The offense, thought spectacular, was not the biggest story of the night. The patchwork infield put

together by manager Ron Roenicke stepped up big and defended their lead and pitching staff Friday night. The Arizona Diamondbacks were hamstrung into four double plays, which not only alleviated every possible threat to the Brew Crew’s victory, but made the defense look downright spectacular. Everything on the defensive side of the ball seemed to click tonight, which will no doubt help to ease the concern of Brewers fans the world over.

It’s hard to say anything negative about the performance Milwaukee put in tonight – winning big in a tough road stadium. It’s a position the Crew doesn’t often find themselves, and being able to really put the hurt on a good pitcher on the road is something that not only builds confidence, but also gives them two straight wins as they dive headlong into a very long road trip. If they win tomorrow, that’s called a winning streak. And that, my friends, would be a wonderful thing.