Brewers fall in extras

From Saturday, July 9, 2011
Reds 8, Brewers 4
W: Bray (2-1) L: Estrada (2-6)

This is a game the Brewers never should have lost and now it could cost them deeply. Three errors, botched fundamentals, and multiple chances to win the game sums up the loss.

Once again, Milwaukee got some early run support for Shaun Marcum. Rickie Weeks led off the game with a line drive single to center field. A throwing error by Cincinnati starting pitcher Johnny Cueto on the pickoff attempt moved Weeks to second. Nyjer Morgan's fly out sent Rickie to third and Corey Hart's single brought him home. Mark Kotsay would later single to score Hart.

Marcum pitched a pretty decent game as he only gave up three earned runs on six hits in six innings pitched. He even contributed to his own cause as he got an RBI on a sacrifice bunt that scored Yuniesky Betancourt in the second inning.

With the game tied up in the eighth, Casey McGehee led off the inning with a walk and the Brewers had a good opportunity to do some damage. Betancourt had one purpose at the plate and that was to move McGehee over to second. Manager Ron Roenicke gave the signs to bunt and unfortunately Betancourt bunted right back to the pitcher, which turned into a detrimental double play. To make matters worse Jonathan Lucroy singled the next at-bat which left Brewer fans wondering what could have been.

In the ninth inning the Brewers once again had a great chance to win the game as Weeks led off with a single. A throwing error on the pickoff attempt moved Rickie to second and now the win seemed to be set. Nyjer Morgan tried hard to bunt Weeks over but he just could not do it as he struck out on a foul bunt. The next at-bat Hart flew out. After the Red's intentionally walked Prince Fielder, Kotsay lined out to center field on a hard hit ball to end the threat.

Marco Estrada came in to pitch the tenth inning but quickly gave up a home run to Jay Bruce. The one run lead quickly turned to five and the game was without a doubt over. A game that seemed so promising fizzled out right in front of everyone and it was not a sight to be seen. Milwaukee had their chances to win so they have no one to blame but themselves.