BREWERS WIN 1-0
Today was fun.

When I arrived at the stadium two and a half hours before the game there was all ready traffic backed up from the parking lot onto the freeway. Today definitely had an opening day-type atmosphere. I'd say "playoff game" atmosphere, but since I've never attended something like that in baseball I can't really say what that is like.

CRAIG COUNSELL provided all the offensive output for the Brewers today with a solo homerun in the bottom of the first. BEN GRIEVE continued to look good at the plate, drawing three walks in his only three plate appearances. As a team the Brewers drew six walks, but when you only have three hits (one of them a solo homerun) and with a team that strikes out so much it's difficult to score a lot of runs.

GEOFF JENKINS looked absolutely brutal at the plate...again. It seems like just when he appears to be turning the corner he goes back into another slump. In his final at-bat he took a fastball down the middle for strike one. He then worked the count to 3-1 and took a fastball down the middle for strike two. Then he chases a high fastball out of the zone for strike three and the hat trick. WES HELMS also had the silver sombrero. Not to blame today's offensive struggles squarely on the Brewers hitters, I mean MATT CLEMENT had good stuff...But I've seen the likes of JOSH FOGG and DENNY STARK shut this team down a few too many times so I guess a little frustration might be setting in.

KEITH GINTER has been swinging the bat better as of late, but continues to leave lots of runners on base. Today he left six runners on and grounded into a double play. Here is the thing with Ginter. Much has been made about the Brewers' inability to drive runners in, and I don't know if it's some sort of mental block, a flaw in their approach or just a little bad luck...Whatever it is it doesn't seem to be going away.

Now let's talk about the really good stuff. The pitching. All-Star BEN FREAKING SHEETS. Seven innings, four hits, twelve K's, one walk, ZERO runs allowed. Good for him that he got the win to show for his tremendous outing today. He threw a lot of pitches, which is why he only went seven innings.

LUIS VIZCAINO threw the ball well, despite having some runners on base in the 8th and things getting a little interesting. He retired the first two batters he faced on strikeouts. He gave up a solidly hit ball to rightfield that BRADY CLARK got a bad read on and let fall infront of him for a single. Then SAMMY SOSA swung at the first pitch he saw and rolled it over but it took a high hop and Helms wasn't able to field it cleanly. I don't think Helms would've been able to get an out even if he picked it cleanly, because his momentum was taking him directly towards second where RAMON MARTINEZ was all ready sliding into the bag. Vizcy got behind DERREK LEE 2-1 but battled back and struck him out. Lee and COREY PATTERSON each had 3 K's for the bad guys.

All-Star closer DAN KOLB picked up his 25th save. He recorded two strikeouts, bringing his total to 11 in 32 innings of work. I know his low K totals are a bit worrisome, but as long as he doesn't give up a lot of hits and walks it shouldn't be a big of a problem. I can't believe I didn't notice this, but Kolb has yet to allow an extrabase hit this year. I haven't heard anybody talking about that either, which makes me wonder if maybe others haven't quite noticed either. 32 innings and he has only allowed 21 hits, all singles. There is your to why he is able to be successful without striking batters out...
...0 extra-base hits
...a WHIP of .081
...OPP BA of .194
...GB/F ratio that is over 4

It's really remarkable what Dan Kolb is doing this year.

Let's hope the Brewers can go for the series win tomorrow when MARK PRIOR (2-1, 3.38 ERA) faces off against VICTOR SANTOS (7-3, 4.02 ERA).