Sabathia Delivers, Brewers Make Playoffs

Shapecity · Sep 28, 2008

MILWAUKEE (AP)—CC Sabathia and Ryan Braun put the Milwaukee Brewers on the verge of their first playoff appearance since 1982.

Making his third consecutive start on three days’ rest, Sabathia pitched a four-hitter and Braun hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning to lift the Brewers over the Chicago Cubs 3-1 Sunday.

Milwaukee and the New York Mets began the final day of the regular season tied for the NL wild-card spot. As Sabathia (11-2) got Derrek Lee to ground into a game-ending double play, the Mets were losing in the late innings to Florida.

The Brewers stayed on the field as the Mets game was shown on the stadium’s video monitor, and thousands of fans stayed at Miller Park to watch.

If Milwaukee and the Mets wind up even, there will be a one-game tiebreaker Monday at Shea Stadium.

Should the Brewers win the wild card, they would face Philadelphia and the NL Central champion Cubs would play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round. Sabathia pitched his NL-leading seventh complete game—those came in just 17 starts after the Brewers got the big lefty in July from Cleveland. The only run he allowed was unearned after an error by first baseman Prince Fielder, and he finished with a 1.65 ERA for the Brewers.

Sabathia struck out seven, walked one and threw 122 pitches.

The Brewers couldn’t get much of anything going offensively against Cubs manager Lou Piniella’s by-committee approach to pitching the final game of the regular season—until Braun’s towering two-run homer off Bob Howry (7-5) broke a 1-all tie.

Conventional wisdom figured that the Brewers got a break by facing Angel Guzman instead of Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano on Sunday. But Guzman mowed through the first two innings, giving up a leadoff single to Mike Cameron but retiring six straight, including four strikeouts.

And the rest of the Cubs’ bullpen combined to keep the pressure on the Brewers. Piniella used four pitchers in the first six innings, who combined to retire a whopping 18 straight Brewers batters after Cameron’s first-inning single.

Milwaukee tied the game in the seventh, but squandered a chance to take the lead.

Milwaukee’s Ray Durham led off the seventh with a double off Sean Marshall, and advanced to third on a groundout by Ryan Braun. After an intentional walk to Fielder, Michael Wuertz relieved Marshall and walked J.J. Hardy on four pitches to load the bases with one out.

Corey Hart struck out on three pitches, but Wuertz walked Craig Counsell to score a run to tie the game. Jason Kendall grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Sabathia made a stunning play in the field to end the top half of the eighth inning, barehanding a ground ball from Koyie Hill and throwing to first for the out.

Sabathia was allowed to hit for himself to lead off the eighth, and struck out looking. Cameron followed with a single.

With the crowd cheering as Florida’s 4-2 lead over New York was posted on the scoreboard, Durham flied out deep. Then Braun hit the first pitch he saw from Howry into the second deck in left field, triumphantly holding his fist in the air as he rounded the bases.

Milwaukee Brewers starting pit…

AP - Sep 28, 2:53 pm EDT
Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the second, thanks in part to an error by Fielder.

With Aramis Ramirez on first base with one out, a ground ball from Micah Hoffpauir squirted between Fielder’s legs, allowing Ramirez to advance to third. Ronny Cedeno then hit a potential double-play grounder, but was called safe on a close play at first as Ramirez scored.

Zambrano actually did end up making an appearance Sunday—as a pinch-hitter for Guzman to lead off the third. Zambrano, one of the best-hitting pitchers in the league, struck out swinging against Sabathia.

Sabathia nearly homered himself in the sixth, narrowly sending a long fly ball foul down the right field line.

If Sabathia was feeling any pressure Sunday morning, he certainly wasn’t showing it.

Sprawled out on a couch in the Brewers’ clubhouse, Sabathia boisterously debated college football with teammate Rickie Weeks and flipped through channels on a big-screen television, eventually settling on “America’s Funniest Pets.”
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Source: Yahoo Sports

TheBeef · Sep 29, 2008

Good for the Brewers and for PackAttack....once you are in, who knows what will happen....with Sabbathia going twice, you have to think they have a shot to advance....they need Parra to step up though and pitch like the young ace he once looked to be....

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Sabathia Delivers, Brewers Make Playoffs

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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Sabathia Delivers, Brewers Make Playoffs

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TheBeef Commish of FUN!

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