Nationals and Brewers Split Series In The Land Of Beers

The Nationals and Brewers played a very tense series in Milwaukee Tuesday night. Considering that the games going on next door in Colorado were wild, high scoring matches, Jeff and I just had to laugh at the fact that there were 17 runs scored between us the whole series. That's not to say this wasn't an entertaining bout--there was still a lot to enjoy.

Game 1: Nationals 4, Brewers 1

W: Dylan Cease

L: Jameson Taillon

SV: Carlos Estevez

The stat of the game? Together, both teams totaled seven hits. The Brewers' only run came from the very first batter of the game, Jackson Chourio, with a solo home run. No Milwaukee runs followed. It was a very cut-and-dry day at the office for Dylan Cease and co, allowing only three hits from the Brewers. Taillon and Bryan Hudson shouldn't necessarily quibble, as they only allowed four hits themselves, but the small-ball piled up. Jurickson Profar scored a sac-RBI after Taillon walked two men on in the first. LaMonte Wade Jr. singled home Pete Crow-Armstrong, who'd tripled aboard one moment before. The only real traditional power hitting came from a solo shot in the third from Max Muncy. A pitcher's duel if there ever was one. 

Game 2: Brewers 3, Nationals 2

W: A.J. Puk

L: Carlos Estevez

We learned a lot in this game. First of all, we learned how to wake up Heliot Ramos, who'd been dreadful, even in matchups against lefty pitchers. Facing Ramos in the fifth, Jeff debated whether or not to take out Carlos Rodon, and I just remarked 'I mean, at this rate you probably shouldn't have anything to worry about'. So he kept Rodon in. You can probably guess what happened next. Diamond. Gone. Ramos also was responsible for a double later on. So apparently taunting works. We also learned that despite giving up a home run to Matt Chapman, Ben Lively has been quietly providing some stability for the Brew Crew this year. The game was close throughout, and some smart hitting by PCA and Profar gave the Nats a 2-1 lead in the eighth, only for a Travis D'Arnaud RBI to tie it up. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the game still tied, Jeff put his trusty closer, Carlos Estevez, on to face the top of the order. Estevez didn't make it through one batter. For his second homer of the series, Jackson Chourio walked it off and pulled the Brewers over the edge of a truly tough game. 

Game 3: Nationals 2, Brewers 1

W: Grant Holmes

L: Bryan Hudson

SV: Carlos Estevez

Bailey Falter has been the scapegoat for a lot of Brewers losses this season, but honestly this was one of his better outings. Only one earned run in 5 innings, allowing only 5 hits. The sole run was the latest in a series of singles in Inning 2, polished off by Victor Robles. The Brewers evened in inning 4 with a Carlos Santana RBI double off of Jesus Luzardo, one of a surprising amount of doubles this game. But that was really the only time anything happened with runners in scoring position for me. Lots of big moment strikeouts, lots of bad rolls, Isaac Paredes getting thrown out at home. Just a ton of missed opportunities. Credit to the Nats bullpen as well. Grant Holmes, Carmen Mlodzinski and that man Estevez again all shut the Brewers down. An 8th-inning Tyler Stephenson homer off Bryan Hudson, a rare Milwaukee reliever generally doing his job well, put it away.

Game 4: Brewers 3, Nationals 1

W: Chris Sale

L: TyLor Megill 

SV: A.J. Puk

Any hope for a higher scoring game from Jeff was immediately foiled by the realization that Chris Sale would be starting for my team. "Oh no" was uttered I believe. Which, judging by Sale's performance, was the correct reaction. Here's his line through 5 and 2/3rds: 7 hits, 10 strikeouts, 3 walks. Jeff did manage to figure out a few things that many others hadn't, including how to end Sale's day a little earlier by getting men on base and singling people around. He also figured out how to give Sale his first earned run of the season, thanks to an RBI double from Matt Chapman in the fifth. But in these numbers, you will find a startling truth about the Nats from this game: they left a lot of men on base. 7 hits and 3 walks under Sale, and only one guy got home. I will also refer you to this stat: in addition to Sale's 10 Ks, the bullpen struck out 7 more, bringing the Nats' grand total to 17 strikeouts in this game. Neither Sale, nor Victor Vodnik, nor A.J. Puk, nor even Michael Kopech, the Brewers' usual game-blower, had much trouble with this lineup. To make matters worse, the Nats will be without Victor Robles for a bit due to an injury sustained during this game. 

As for the Brewers, they matched up very well against Tyler Megill, leading to 6 doubles off the Washington starter, as well as Chourio's third home run of the series. One of Jeimer Candelario's two doubles got Heliot Ramos home, as did a 5th inning Isaac Paredes double. Even if Derek Law shut down the Brewers towards the end, the big rolls Jeff was counting on didn't happen, and the Brewers squeaked out of there with another close win. 

Nationals reliever Carlos Estevez was busy trying to keep the Brewers bats from stealing a victory. He managed two saves and one loss in the series.