The unthinkable was happening: the Cincinnati Reds, at 46-49, were ready to sweep the Milwaukee Brewers (52-43) at Miller Park. Up 2-0 in the third inning, and with new Milwaukee pitcher CC Sabathia scuffling, it appeared as though the Crew were going to limp into the All Star break coming off a mediocre 5-5 homestand. But something clicked that Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee, and Sabathia turned in one of the finest performances in his storied career, as the Milwaukee Brewers fended off the Cincinnati Reds in a wild, low-scoring affair. In the top of the second inning, CC gave up a leadoff single, a double, and plunked center-fielder Corey Patterson to load the bases with nobody out. Catcher David Ross cashed in on a sacrifice fly to score Edwin Encarnacion and gave the Reds a 1-0 lead. The next batter, twenty-one year old pitcher Homer Bailey grounded into a huge double play, however, to allow Sabathia to keep the game right where it was. In the third, Cincinnati tacked onto their lead via an Adam Dunn sac fly, but managed nothing else in the inning or in the game.
In the bottom of the inning with one man out, Sabathia crushed a fastball and sent it flying into the stands in right field to enthrall the sellout crowd of 42,108. Milwaukee would not score again until, the sixth, when Prince Fielder was walked by new Reds pitcher Bill Bray, sending J.J. Hardy (who had reached on a fielder’s choice) to third. In a great clutch performance, Gabe Kapler (filling in for right-fielder Corey Hart, who had the day off) smacked a two-out double to tie the game at 2. Sabathia yielded no further runs, and danced out of danger in the sixth and eighth innings, stranding a Red in scoring position both times.
Then came the ninth, and in a surprising move, manager Ned Yost elected to keep the wheelin’-n’-dealin’ southpaw in the game. Running on fumes, and pitch count up to 111, he worked some magic reminiscent of his Cy Young 2007, and struck out the side on 11 pitches. In the bottom of the ninth, with David Weathers on the mound, Bill Hall singled to start things up, Mike Cameron lay down a perfect sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Weathers and thrown badly, allowing the limber center-fielder to reach first. Jason Kendall was walked intentionally, setting things up for pinch hitter (and one of the team leaders) Craig Counsell. Francisco Cordero, disliked by the majority of the Milwaukee fanbase for leaving this past off season for a slightly bigger contract from the Reds, trotted onto the mound to a shower of boos. One pitch later, it was a shower of cheers, as Counsell lined a pitch to right field that was caught by Jay Bruce but allowed Bill Hall to touch home for a thrilling 3-2 victory.
My Take:
Rarely have I seen a Brewer pitcher change the game with his bat as well as his arm, but on Sunday afternoon, CC Sabathia managed to keep my faith in the Milwaukee ball club strong and alive, when it looked as though they could have actually been swept by the lowly Cincinnati Reds at home. This is a fantastic way for the Crew to finish the “first half” of the season (though the mathematical midway point came days and days ago). Milwaukee’s starting pitching has been phenomenal this year, but few of their hurlers aside from Ben Sheets have been able to earn complete game victories. Sabathia gave the fading bullpen an extra day of rest thanks to his gritty performance. He now has a 2-0 record as a Brewer, though the team has actually lost ground on the Chicago Cubs since his arrival. Look for G.M. Doug Melvin to acquire a proven reliever via trade very soon.
