Grienke win streak ends

From: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Cubs 12, Brewers 7

Zack Greinke did not pitch great. He gave up a season high six earned runs and never really had any control over his pitches, despite striking out ten (his average per game). You can't really blame him for the loss though, considering how bad the rest of the team played. That is pretty much how the Brewers game went after losing the series to another sub-.500 team.

Ryan Braun hit a two run home run which gave fans hope that a victory was in sight, especially with Greinke pitching. George Kottaras got the nod one day after being called up from AAA Nashville. He had a passed ball, wild pitch that could have easily been a passed ball, and a two run home run to show for it. Rickie Weeks had a terrible error that went for a run and two blunders on the base paths. If I had not seen him play before I would question whether or not he had any business running extra bases. After attempting to stretch a single into a double after the Brewers were already down runs, Fukudome threw him out with ease. The next inning the Brewers were in an even bigger hole and with two outs Weeks singled again. Of course he had to test the arm of Fukudome once more (the best arm on the Cubs), which resulted in getting thrown out again. Weeks got up in disbelief. He was the only one as cameras showed several Cub players smiling and shaking their heads as they jogged off the field. "I talked to Rickie," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I like for these guys to be aggressive, but I just told him when we get down in runs or late in the ballgame, that's a time we need to make sure what we're doing."

At least surprise call up Daniel Ray Herrera, who arrived from Nashville just hours before game time for team optioned Zach Braddock, got to get some work in during the game. Oh wait, that's right, he got into the game trailing 6-5 and runners in scoring position. Of course he had to give up a three run homer to make things interesting.

As a fan of the Brewers I saw this coming. Milwaukee swept St. Louis over the weekend just to lose three out of four to a team that is ten games back of them. When the going is good expect something bad to happen real soon. That is just the game of baseball. It is a roller coaster ride to the sweet/bitter end. I guess the good news is the Cardinals are now on a six game losing streak, therefore keeping the Brewers in first place by themselves. Now all we have to do is keep it that way until October.