Brewers Dominated by Cards 3-2
Does that title sound a bit over the top for a game with a final score of 3-2? If it is, then only a little. How does a team seem to dominate while only winning by 1 run? Well it was the defense, then the defense again and still more defense. Very few outfielders make the play Peter Bourjos does in the late innings on Logan Schafer's deep fly out to center field. Throw in a couple of stellar catches by Jon Jay, one coming in and the other over the shoulder, and the Cardinals kept squashing what appeared to be promising innings by the Brewers.
On the other side it was a missed opportunity to advance a runner on a bunt play by the Brewers with no one out that helped seal their fate. Maybe that is just how things go when your trying to break up an 8 game losing streak that is now extended to 9 games. I kept thinking that Roenicke might put on the butcher boy play and let Maldy swing away. Maldonado is a decent hitter, .258 BA with some power, .433 SLG with 4 homers in only 97 at bats. Once he popped the bunt up, one could sense the Brewers would not bring a run across. They have now averaged 2 runs per game over the last 9 games. Scoring more than 2 runs only 1 time over that span.
Some are calling this a great collapse. Cardinal trolls exclaim it to be the biggest collapse sine the 1964 Phillies. I don't think of it as a collapse, rather, it is just a poorly timed losing streak. All teams go through them, they just get magnified when they happen in September when you were at least 2 games up on everybody. If the Brewers are to compete for the Division title, they need to win the next 3 games against the Cards. If not, they are still in it for a Wild Card spot, but they need to turn things around fast. If they continue to fade I think there will be some serious questions about team leadership.
The thing is the Brewers played well tonight and still lost. I think that says a lot about the Cardinals.
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