Pirates-Brewers: Ghost of 2008 Visits, Milwaukee Pounds Pittsburgh Pitchers

MILWAUKEE, April 27—History was not on the Pirates side as they went against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first of a three-game set Monday night.  The Brewers took 14 of 15 games played against the Pirates in 2008 and started 2009 off 1-0.

The Brewers pounded Jeff Karstens (1-0, 3.60), getting three home runs, including a three-run blast by Ryan Braun, leading to a 10-5 victory.  The game tasted a bit like last year with the Pirates' batters producing runs but nowhere near what the pitchers were giving up.

The Pirates went right at Brewers ace Braden Looper (2-0, 2.12) in the first.  Nyjer Morgan, hitting .329 in the leadoff spot, opened with a walk.  Freddy Sanchez came out swinging, singling to right, moving Morgan to second.  Craig Monroe then singled to right, scoring Morgan and putting runners on first and second.

Adam LaRoche followed with a single to center, but Sanchez was thrown out at home trying to score.  Mike Cameron made a solid one-hopper throw, easily getting the first out.  Eric Hinske hit a hard grounder that J.J. Hardy could not handle cleanly, to load the bases.  Andy LaRoche then hit an infield fielder’s choice, scoring Monroe, Pirates 2-0. 

Karstens took the mound for only the third time in 2009 for the Pirates.  With two quick outs, Braun came up and hit a solo homer over center field.  Prince Fielder then tripled to center, bouncing one of the wall.  Mike Cameron then popped out to right to end the inning, with the Pirates leading 2-1.  It seemed like the Brewers might have figured out that Karstens was tipping his pitches, the way they were able to hit him so hard in the inning, including the first hit that was also a deep fly to center.

Later, inn the top of the third, with one out, Hall doubled down the base line, getting his fifth double of the year.  Then former long-time Pirate Jason Kendall walked.  Looper then sacrificed the runners to second and third.  Karstens' pitches that were hit hard in the first inning were all strikes, high and a bit inside, and it seemed like he did not make the adjustments he needed to, as Ricky Weeks came in and hit a hanging curve ball deep over left center, scoring three runs, giving the Brewers a 4-2 lead.  Hart then grounded to third.

Karstens needed to get his pitches down if the Pirates were going to have a chance in this one.  With his first pitch in the third, he hit Ryan Braun right between the shoulder blades.  Braun hit the first home run that got things started for the Brewers.  Brewers manager Ken Macha came out to lobby the home plate umpire, suggesting that the move was obviously intentional, and it certainly looked suspicious. 

To add insult to injury, literally, Karstens threw to first and picked off Braun, erasing the angry baserunner.  Fielder, swinging hard, struck out hard.  With two outs, however, the Brewers still had Karstens' number, as Mike Cameron hit a solo homer to left field, for a 5-2 Brewers lead.  Hardy struck out to end the inning.

Morgan singled to get things going for the Pirates in the fifth.  Sanchez walked.  Monroe and Adam LaRoche struck out in a couple of long at-bats.  With the baserunners showing steal, Looper was taking his time.  Hinske then came up and hit a first-pitch single, scoring Monroe.

Later, with the bases loaded, Jaramillo again failed to produce with runners in scoring position.  He got the last out with two baserunners in the first inning as well; Brewers 5-3.

In the eighth, Jaramillo opened with a single to left, getting his first hit of the night.  Bixler could not do the same (0-4), striking out on a high fast ball right over the plate.  Pinch-hitting Brandon Moss popped out to third, before Morgan singled to right, moving Jaramillo to third.  The Pirates had the tying run aboard. 

With Sanchez coming to the plate, the Brewers had Todd Coffey warming up, but it was too little, too late.  Sanchez hit his ninth two-bagger of the year, a double to the deep left corner, scoring Morgan and Jaramillo. All of a sudden it was a new ball game at 5-5.  Monroe struck out for the third time to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Bill Hall drew a walk from Tyler Yates, and Kendall was looking to sacrifice him to second but instead was hit by a pitch, his second of the game.  Pirates fans will remember that Jason Kendall used to lead the Majors in being hit by pitches.  Journeyman Craig Counsell sacrifice-bunted the runners to second and third, and the Brewers were once again threatening. 

Weeks followed with a single, scoring Hall, that Sanchez knocked down and tried to get the runner at the plate but was too late.  Hart got his first hit of the game, a double, scoring Kendall and sending Weeks to third.  Braun was intentionally walked, and Fielder singled, scoring Weeks and Hart.

Cameron then sacrificed Braun home.  Grabow walked Hardy, and the Brewers had batted around in the eighth.  Burnett relieved Grabow, striking out Hall to end the inning, but not before the Brewers took a 10-5 lead.

The Brewers, who love crowding the plate, have been hit by 14 pitches this year, but it has helped them in hitting 23 four-baggers so far.

The second-place Pirates fell to 11-8, while the Brewers improved to 9-10.  Paul Maholm (3-0) will be going up against Dave Bush (1-0) on Tuesday.