9/17/03 - Brewers (Sheets) @ Cardinals (Stephenson)

[950opsLHcatcher]

From ESPN:

 

The St. Louis Cardinals try to win three straight games for the first time in over a month as they continue a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

 

One night after belting his 42nd homer, Pujols reached the 200-hit plateau with a fifth-inning double as the Cardinals edged the Brewers, 6-5, on Tuesday.

 

The 23-year-old is only the second player in franchise history to record 40 homers and 200 hits in the same season - Rogers Hornsby did it in 1922 when he hit 42 homers and had a club-record 250 hits. He has 113 career home runs, one shy of Ralph Kiner's major league record for most in the first three seasons of a career.

 

Edgar Renteria added a two-run double and Scott Rolen had an RBI single as the Cardinals improved to 10-2 against Milwaukee this season. St. Louis has not won three in a row since a four-game skein from August 9-12.

 

Wes Helms hit a two-run homer and rookie Scott Podsednik had a two-run single for the Brewers, who have lost their last five meetings with the Cardinals.

 

Garrett Stephenson (7-13, 4.54 ERA) makes his first start since August 26 for the Cardinals. He has made three relief appearances since allowing six runs and five hits in three innings of a loss to the Chicago Cubs. In his three relief appearances, the righthander has allowed one run and seven hits in six innings.

 

Stephenson is 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in four career starts vs. the Brewers.

 

Milwaukee's Ben Sheets (11-12, 4.22) tries to win consecutive decisions for the first time since winning three in a row from July 19-29.

 

Sheets snapped a five-game losing streak and matched a career-high for victories Thursday against Houston, when he allowed three runs and eight hits in eight innings.

 

The righthander is 3-4 with a 3.93 ERA in eight career starts vs. the Cardinals.

[rluzinski]

Sheets just getting rocked. I guess that's good for the Brewers. I mean, how much is a starter with a 4.39 career ERA really worth in abry? I know he's young, but he's still not gonna break the bank.

 

After taking two of three from the pathetic Reds to start the month, the Brewers have been 2-11 the rest of the way. While it was a nice suprise to see the Brewers have a nice August, they are back playing typical Brewer baseball.

 

I guess they ran outa Bucs and Reds to play...

[rluzinski]

Maybe if the umps didn't F&CKING weight 300 lbs, they could get their fat @ss in position to make a call in the outfield.

 

Brutal

[AJAY]

Ned, get off your butt.

 

If I were the manager, I would have been all over the umpire. Then I would have kicked dirt, and thrown a few bases just like Lou Pinella.

 

Also, why did the umpire object to showing the replay on the scoreboard? If it really was catch, then why would you object to showing a replay of a great catch on the scoreboard. Every ballpark shows replays of good catches.

 

The umpire had to have known that he blew it.

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/other/ajay.jpg

[edod]

I chime in and say the scorers are being extremely kind to the home team. Helms should have an error. Ben should have 3er's.

 

Defensive replacements are doing some damage.

 

ROY needs just 8 more runs.

[endaround]

Why is Clayton batting in the 9th? Are we trying to avoide extra innings?

[burniebrewer]

BROOKS!!!http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif

[rluzinski]

That Brook's fella sure is interesting.

 

He has shown himself to be a WONDERFUL pinch hitter, and another year of pitching might make him decent in teh pen. Let's remember, he's really a MLB rookie as a pitcher!

[burniebrewer]

Those PH numbers, along with his versatility, make him a major asset to this team. Let the Brooks love fest continue.

[rluzinski]

My earlier pessimism aside, regardless of their final standings this year, the Brewers are a HELL of alot more fun to watch these days.

[burniebrewer]

Brooks and now Conti (again). Talk about unsung heroes night. Conti has 5 RBI. Let's win this one and knock the Cards further out of the race.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Even if he can't pitch at all (at the very least, he can certainly be a mop-up man), Brooks has shown the distinct ability to hit the ball for power. That'll win him a spot on almost any team.

[xisxisxis]

Sweet!

[molitor fan]

I would love to savor LaRussa's pain after this one....

[danzig6677]

Brooks is a trip,the guys looks like he stumbled on to our team from some softball bar league.He has a dumpy build,sweats like a pig,makes Gorman Thomas look like a smooth athlete,his swing is pure hack no matter the count or situation,and the guy can pitch also.

 

Nice pickup by Melvin

[endaround]

I'm imagining a team of Brooks, Matt Stairs,Jeremy Giambi, and of course Rod Beck.

[brewmann04]

This team this season has been different that previous teams in that each game they seem to fight and Scratch

till the final out.They have impressed me with their ability to get back in games and get contributions from alot of key Reserves.Hope this will be the start of the brewers finally getting back to winning again.

[lend d money]

I realize I am kind of late in chiming in on this one. I was extremely impressed with Sheets effort(not to be confused with his pitching performance) on the ball that hit his wrist. He hit the dirt and made an attempt at getting the runner at first while sprawled out on the ground. The guy has thrown a ton of innings, plays for a losing team and was getting roughed up that night. He could have easily let it go without much effort and probably not have anyone say much about it.In addition, he stayed in the game. I thought to myself "that's the type of guy you don't mind seeing make the big dollar." I think it was Jopal that made some gripes about Ulice on a different thread. Clearly, the attitude within that clubhouse is immensely better than last year. They put together a three-run ninth inning rally against a top-flight closer. Earlier this year, they got to Billy Wagner. Management deserves some credit for this as they hired Melvin/Ash, who in turn hired Yost, who collectively demanded constant effort from the players. I realize it was only one win. Given what we didn't have to play for and what the Cardinals had to gain, I was proud(at least for a day) to be a Brewers fan.