On a beautiful Monday night at the Sportsplex the Brewers and Braves had a back and forth, tight game where every run was crucial. Momentum swings were frequent along with runners left on base as each team had many chances to blow the game open but couldn`t come up with the big hit.
Braves starter Daren Keating kept the Brewers off balance all game. After the Brewers scored an un-earned run in the top of the first, Keating went on to allow just 2 more un-earned runs through the next 4 innings. Meanwhile, Brewer starter Chris Ivany ran into trouble in the first as well, in the form of Ryan Hobbins who fouled off 5 or 6 pitches before hitting an RBI double to tie the game at 1.
In the second inning, after the Brewers stranded the bases loaded, the Braves looked to break open the game as they loaded the bases with nobody out. After an infield RBI single by Kevin Sleigh, the Brewers escaped as Ivany got a pop out and then 2 strike outs.
In the third, the Brewers had runners on second and third thanks to a couple Braves errors, and then tied the game via an RBI single by Joe Beelen. The Braves took the momentum right back in the bottom of the 3rd off of new Brewers pitcher Jason Krottner as they scored a run on Jose Hernandez` RBI double. In the fourth inning, the Brewers once again stranded the bases loaded. The Braves then looked to put the game away again in their half of the inning as they took advantage of two Brewer errors and an RBI double by Brian Samuel to score 2 runs and make the score 5-2.
In the 5th, the Brewers cashed in an un-earned run and again left the bases loaded. Geoff Magnus now pitching for the Brewers pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 5th. Due to time restrictions, the 6th inning would be the last. The Brewers then for the first time in the game, got two hits in a row to begin the inning as Sean Lecuyer doubled and Krottner singled. Steve Gilroy then came on to pitch and try to clinch the win. Magnus then hit an RBI sac fly to deep center to make the score 5-4 and then Joe Beelen hit a bloop single to center to tie the game. After a Frank Macera single, a wild pitch scored Beelen to let the Brewers take the lead. Gilroy then struck out the final two batters to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Magnus pitched another 1-2-3 inning despite a close call off the bat of Samuel to give the Brewers a lucky 6-5 victory.
Player of the Game: Geoff Magnus...2.66 IP...0 hits, 0 walks, 3 K`s.
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