Estrada outstanding in spot start

From Saturday, August 13th, 2011
Brewers 1, Pirates 0
W: Estrada (3-7) L: Correia (12-11) SV: Axford (34)

Five Brewer pitchers combined for nine shutout innings to beat the Pirates. It was easy going until the ninth, when things got a little intense. John Axford allowed a lead off triple that Nyjer Morgan misplayed in center field. It almost spelled disaster, but the Axe-Man was able to shut it down.

Marco Estrada got the spot start in replace of the injured Chris Narveson, who hurt himself cutting his glove with scissors. Manager Ron Roenicke had to be pleased with Estrada who dominated the five innings that he was in for. Marco felt he could have gone further in the game, considering he only allowed one hit and struck out five, but Roenicke made up his mind that he only wanted Estrada pitching half the game. Needless to say, it was a dominated half. No one could have done better and it was exactly what the Brewers needed.

Yuniesky Betancourt scored the only run of the game in the second inning on a solo shot to left field. Yuniesky dialed in on a 0-2 fastball and crushed it out of the park. A few months ago nobody would have ever guessed the Brewers would win a game with the only offense coming from a Betancourt home run, but now nobody is surprised. We are all witnesses to the talent and now we expect it. The best part is he expects it as well.

It has to be comforting that Roenicke knows he can turn the ball over to his bullpen in a one-run game and be confident they can give him a win.

Saito, LaTroy Hawkins, and Francisco Rodriguez all recorded a hold in this game. K-Rod was the only one of the three to allow a batter to reach base, but he made up for it with two strikeouts. Saito and Hawkins both struck out a batter as well.

The only trouble came in the ninth inning when Axford gave up a triple to Xavier Paul. To be perfectly honest, Morgan should have been able to make the play if he had not overran the ball. Instead of turning around over his left should to make the grab, he continued to look over his right shoulder which gave him no chance.

With zero outs and the Pirates hottest batter at the plate in Andrew McCutchen, Axford really had to concentrate. McCutchen swung at the first pitch and grounded it right to Betancourt, who looked back Paul before making the play at first. On the very next pitch, Matt Diaz grounded out to Jerry Hairston who kept the runner at third before recording the out at first. At this point the Miller Park crowd became eccentric. Axford made things a little more nerve-racking by walking Garrett Jones, but made up for it when he struck out Neil Walker to end the game. The fans went into a frenzy as the Axe-Man garnered his 31st consecutive save.