Game Thread- 4/4/05- Pirates v. Brewers

[Witlon]

Lineups to follow.

[Witlon]

Final Game Box Score

Batting

Milwaukee
Clark, Brady CF 1-3, BB, R, HBP, 2 SB, 3 R, 2 RBI
Spivey, Junior 2B 1-5, 4 K
Overbay, Lyle 1B 1-4, BB, 2 K, RBI
Lee, Carlos LF 1-4, BB, R
Jenkins, Geoff RF 1-5, K, R
Cirillo, Jeff 3B 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
Moeller, Chad CA 1-4
Hardy, J.J. SS 1-4, R, 2 RBI
Sheets, Ben P 0-3, K
--Magruder, Chris PH 0-1
---Phelps, Tommy P 0-0
----Wise, Matt P 0-0

Pittsburgh
Lawton, Matt RF 3-4, 3 Singles, 2 R, K
Wilson, Jack SS 1-4, 2B, RBI
Redman, Tike CF 1-4
Bay, Jason LF 2-4, RBI
Ward, Daryle 1B 0-3, 2 K
--Wilson, Craig PH-1B 0-1
Wigginton,Ty 3B 0-4, 2 K
Castillo, Jose 2B 0-3, K
--Vogelsong, Ryan P 0-0
---Hill, Bobby 0-1
Santiago, Benito CA 2-4, Triple, K
Perez, Oliver P 0-2
--White, Rick P 0-0
---Sanchez, Freddy 0-2

Pitching

Milwaukee
Sheets, Ben 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Phelps, Tommy 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Wise, Matt 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Pittsburgh
Perez, Oliver 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, HBP(Pitched to 2 batters in 6th)
White, Rick 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Vogelsong, Ryan 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

[Witlon]

Starting Pitchers

Brewers
Ben Sheets
Last Year: 12-14, 2.70 ERA
Career v. Pittsburgh: 15 starts: 4-7, 3.18 ERA, 74 K, 25 BB

Pirates
Pirates
Last Year: 12-10, 2.98 ERA
Career v. Milwaukee: 2 Starts: 1-0, 4.50 ERA, 18 K, 1 BB

Great pitching matchup for opening day, and these guys are two of the best young pitchers in baseball. Should be a good game, and I'll hope for a Pirates win, but I'm thinking Carlos Lee has a big game and Milwaukee wins the opener.

The game is on ESPN Alternate, and Fox Sports Pittsburgh.

[Witlon]

Top 1- Brewers facing Oliver Perez
Brady Clark flies out to deep left(J. Bay)
Junior Spivey stikes out(Strikeout #1 for O. Perez)
Lyle Overbay strikes out(Strikeout #2 for O. Perez)

Notes: Perez started all 3 batters with strikes. Missed call by home plate umpire on 0-2 pitch to Overbay.

Pitches to Strikes will be added in a moment.

[Witlon]

Bottom 1- Pirates batting against B. Sheets
Matt Lawton singled to left.
Jack Wilson grounded to first(L. Overbay), Lawton to second.
Tike Redman lined to left(C. Lee).
Jason Bay singled to left, Lawton scored. 1-0 Pirates
Daryle Ward fllied to right(G. Jenkins)

Notes:
- Lawton hit blooped between Hardy, Lee and Clark in shallow left.
- Wilson 15-42(.357 against Sheets in career).
- Wilson hit line drive to first, caught and then dropped by Overbay. Lawton was running on the pitch.
- Anyone wondering why Damian Miller isn't starting, Chad Moeller is the personal catcher of Ben Sheets.
- Craig Wilson is 0 for 13 against Sheets in his career, so Ward is getting the 1B start.

[Witlon]

Top 2- Brewers batting against O. Perez
Carlos Lee walked.
Geoff Jenkins popped up to center(T. Redman).
Jeff Cirillo doubled to right, C. Lee scored. Score Tied 1-1
Chad Moeller grounded to short(J Wilson-D. Ward), Cirillo to 3rd.
J.J. Hardy flew out to left center(J. Bay).

Notes:
- Perez started 2-0 on Lee. Didn't look promising to start the inning.
- The 2006 All Star game sign right behind home plate is so sexy.
- Hard to believe Cirillo is back on a major league roster. Good story.
- Pirates were 12-6 against Milwaukee last season.
- Cirillo's double off glove of diving Lawton in right field near the line. Wilson wouldn't have even gotten to the ball though, so...

[Witlon]

Bottom 2- Pirates batting against B. Sheets
Ty Wigginton struck out. (First strikeout for B. Sheets)
Jose Castillo flew out to deep right center(B. Clark)
Benito Santiago tripled to right.
Oliver Perez flew out to left(C. Lee)

-Nice play by Clark on the Castillo fly ball on the warning track. Showed some range.
-Jenkins dove for the Santiago fly ball, but missed. Seing Santiago chug around to third was amusing and got the fans into it.

[Witlon]

Top 3- Brewers batting against O. Perez
Ben Sheets struck out. (Strikeout #3 for O. Perez)
Brady Clark walked.
Brady Clark stole second.
Junior Spivey stikes out. (Strikeout #4 by O. Perez)
Lyle Overbay singled to center, Clark scored. 2-1 Brewers Overbay to second on error by T. Redman
Carlos Lee flew out to right(M. Lawton).

Notes:
- Clark was the second walk for Perez. Worked the count well and drew the walk, very nice, if you're a Brewers fan.
- On the steal, Santiago's throw was off to the left field side of the bag.
- Spivey strikeout was on check swing for curve ball in dirt.

[Witlon]

Bottom 3- Pirates batting facing B. Sheets
Matt Lawton singed to right center.
Jack Wilson flies out to shallow right(G. Jenkins).
Tike Redman grounded into a fielder's choice, Lawton out at second.(Hardy-Spivey)
Jason Bay lined out to center.(B. Clark)

Notes:
-Before the game, Jack Wilson recieved his silver slugger award. First Pirate short stop to recieve the award since Jay Bell in 1993.
- Sheets hits 98 on 1-0 pitch to Tike Redman.
- I'm kinda losing hope for this one, Sheets is giving up the base runners but we can't get anywhere. Perez really doesn't look in midseason form on the mound in the last 2 innings, either.

[Witlon]

Top 4- Brewers batting against Oliver Perez
Geoff Jenkins strikes out. (Strikeout #5 for O. Perez)
Jeff Cirillo hits a home run for center. Brewers lead 3-1
Chad Moeller grounds to 2nd(J. Castillo- D. Ward)
J.J. Hardy grounds to 3rd(T. Wigginton- D. Ward)

Notes:
- Jeff ****ING Cirillo is ****ing killing ****ing Oliver Perez. I'm sure everyone understands my distaste.

[Witlon]

Bottom 4- Pirates batting against Ben Sheets
Daryle Ward strikes out. (Strikeout #2 for Ben Sheets)
Ty Wigginton popped to shallow right(J. Spivey)
Jose Castillo flew out to right center.(B. Clark)

[Witlon]

Top 5- Brewers batting against Oliver Perez
Ben Sheets pop-bunted to pitcher(O. Perez).
Brady Clark hit by pitch.
Junior Spivey singled to center, Clark to 3rd.
Clark scored on O. Perez wild pitch. Junior Spivey to second. Milwaukee leads 4-1
Lyle Overbay struck out. (Strikeout #6 for O. Perez).
Carlos Lee flies out to shallow left(J. Wilson).

Notes
-Clark hit in foot by first pitch.
-Wilson made a basket catch on the Lee pop out to left.

[Witlon]

Bottom 5- Pirates batting against Ben Sheets
Benito Santiago strikes out. (Strikeout #3 for Ben Sheets)
Oliver Perez popped to center (B. Clark).
Matt Lawton singled to center.
Jack Wilson doubled to deep left, Lawton scores. Milwaukee leads 4-2.
Tike Redman singled to the pitcher, Jack Wilson to 3rd.
Jason Bay lined to third.(J. Cirillo)

Notes:
Benito strikes out on check swing.
Matt Lawton...is 3 for 3. Wow.
Redman hit right back up middle off Sheets. Sheets couldn't find it and everyone was safe.
Nice play by Cirillo, damn it, on the Bay line drive. It looked like a double down the line that would've scored two...

[Witlon]

Top 6- Brewers batting against Oliver Perez
Geoff Jenkins singled to left.
Jeff Cirillio walked.
Rick White relieved Oliver Perez
Chad Moeller bunt-singled to third.
J.J. Hardy singled to left, Jenkins and Cirillo scored. 6-2 Milwaukee.
Ben Sheets grounded to 2nd(J. Castillo- D. Ward). Chad Moeller to 3rd, JJ Hardy to 2nd.
Brady Clark singled to left, Moeller & Hardy scored. 8-2 Milwaukee.
Brady Clark stole second base.
Junior Spivey struck out. (First strikeout by Rick White)
Lyle Overbay walked.
Carlos Lee safe on Jack Wilson's throwing error. Brady Clark scored, Lyle overbay out at plate(D. Ward - B. Santiago) 9-2 Milwaukee.


Notes:
- Ricky Botallico up in Milwaukee pen.
- Rick White up in Pittsburgh pen.
- Final line for Oliver Perez...5.0(Pitched to 2 batters in 6th), 5 hits, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR Allowed, 1 HBP. Ouch. That's a
- White wearing number 88. Damn.
- Moeller's bunt over the head of charging Wigginton at 3rd.
- White throws pitch over Brady Clark's head. Runners don't advance.
- John Grabow up in pen.

[Witlon]

Bottom 6- Pirates batting facing Ben Sheets
Daryle Ward strikes out. (Strikeout #4 for Ben Sheets)
Ty Wigginton flies to left.(C. Lee)
Jose Castillo strikes out. (Strikeout #5 for Ben Sheets)

Notes:
- Ryan Vogelsong up in Pirates bullpen.