Game 30 Recap: Brewers 12, Cubs 6

First things first. Aramis Ramirez was back in Chicago earlier today to have an MRI on his dislocated left shoulder. Ramirez will be in a sling for a week and will not do any baseball activities for three weeks after that, but isn’t expected to need surgery. There is no word yet on the severity of the damage done or a definite timetable for a return, but it is similar to the injury he incurred on Aug. 28, 2000, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, after which Ramirez missed the rest of the season. The likely timetable for return is four to six weeks, pending the results of the MRI. X-rays taken at Miller Park showed the shoulder had been returned to the socket without additional damage.

On to game two of this three game set with the Wisconsinites. Ryan Braun picked up where he left off last night, doubling to deep left off Ryan Dempster in the first inning to put the Brewers up 1-0. Braun then stole third base and scampered home on Geovany Soto’s throwing error to make it 2-0.

Dempster recouped and got the first four outs via the strikeout, and five of the first six, well, six of the first six actually. Jason Kendall, though he looked like a 2 year old fool swinging at the third strike – still got to run down to first base because the pitch went wild and past Soto to the backstop with two outs in the second. Dempster then struck out the pitcher to end the four out inning. DUMBEST. RULE. EVER!!!

Ryan couldn’t find the strikezone in the third, giving up an infield single to Rickie Weeks before walking the bases loaded with nobody out. Prince Fielder hit a sac fly to center to make it 3-0 before Soto made a great play on a foul pop by Hardy and Fontenot followed with a spectacular play from behind second on a ball that deflected off Dempster.

The Lamborghini (Gallardo) wasn’t necessarily cruising along, as Bob Brenly mentioned with two down in the fifth that he has just reached 94 pitches. Two pitches later Milton Bradley blooped one in to right center for a single and then the following exchange took place betwix Len and Bob:

Bob: Well Len I don’t do this often but I’m makin’ the call. I think Micah Hoffpauir is gonna hit one waaay back right here.
Len: Yeah he’s just missed he does have a double tonight, flied to center his last time…and a high drive to right. Are you gonna be right?? You…CALLED IT PARTNER!! On the very next pitch, 3-2! Nicely done.
Bob: (Chuckles)

With the way Hoffpauir is swingin’ the lumbar, and with Jake Fox absolutely destroying minor league pitching, offers for D-Lee need to start being weighed. Gallardo finished the fifth to put himself in position for the win, leading 3-2 after five.

Dempster started off the fifth inning by letting one get away from him up and in to Ryan Braun. Braun dodged it, but it caught his bat – though umpire Jerry Crawford claimed it hit him in the head… Braun tried stealing second and was erased from the basepaths via a laser from Soto. Dempster then struck out Fielder and got Hardy to fly out to center.

Seth McClung relieved The Lamborghini (4-1) and worked a 1-2-3 sixth before Dempster came back out and navigated the sixth to give his offense another chance to get him a lead.

The Cubs loaded the bases with only one down before Mitch Stetter relieved McClung and got Hoffpauir to swing at three pitches Paul Bunyan couldn’t have made contact with and then Carlos Villanueva got Soto to ground out to end the threat.

For some reason Dempster (2-2) then came back out and after getting Rickie Weeks to fly out to center gave up back-to-back JACKS to Craig Counsell and Ryan Braun. From there the bullpen blew up.

Neil Cotts walked Prince Fielder and gave up an infield hit to J.J. Hardy before giving way to David Patton, who promptly allowed Corey Hart to single home a run, Jason Kendall to single home a run, Rickie Weeks to single home a run and then Kendall to score on a wild pitch. This made it 9-2 Brewcrew.

The Cubs put together a two-out four-run rally in the eighth to cut it to 9-6, but Miller Park went dark and a 20 minute delay cooled the Cubs bats as Todd Coffey ended the rally by striking out Hoffpauir.

Then Chad Fox threw out his arm and Heilman had his second strait terrible outing, giving the Brewers three more runs in their half of the eighth to provide the final margin of 12-6.

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