Photo Courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
On a day that started with so much promise after a 1st inning home run by Yasmani Grandal, and the possibility of the NL Central Crown still in play, the Brewers wound up blowing a three run lead and proceeded to be swept by the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
The game began promising, after Trent Grisham drew a walk, Yasmani Grandal proceeded to come in and knock a 0-1 fastball out to deep right field and set the tone for a team that would have to fight hard without 3 of its top players.
Hernan Perez added on another run with a solo homer in the sixth to put the Crew up 3-0, but the bats would go silent after that, only managing four hits over the next seven innings and leaving eight men on base, three of which were in scoring position with less than two outs. Missing big-bats from Moustakas, Braun, Cain, and Yelich really showed over the last half of the game.
The bullpen continued to struggle at Coors field, after a strong start from Adrian Houser(four one hit innings), and good innings from Ray Black and Devin Williams in the fifth and sixth respectively, Corbin Burnes and Taylor Williams allowed three runs to score over three innings to allow Colorado to get back into the game and tie it up in the ninth. It is the third lead that the bullpen has blown in as many days, and should have manager Craig Counsell worried as the bullpen has lost its form from earlier in the month and has returned to how it looked in the dog days of June and July.
The Brewers couldn’t get any offense going in extras, failing to score even after they loaded the bases with no one out in the 11th. Jimmy Nelson went two scoreless innings before handing the game to Jake Faria who gave up a walk and a single before throwing a wild pitch to allow Colorado outfielder Sam Hilliard to come home and walk it off for the Rockies.
The Brewers finish the regular season a slightly disappointing 89-73, but will look to continue a hot September in the Postseason. Brandon Woodruff will start in the Wild Card Game on Tuesday when the Brewers square off against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.