Crew's 7-Game Losing Streak Comes to an End
All it took was a gem from Victor Santos. Santos dominated the Giants in his first MLB complete game, as the Brewers snapped their losing streak by winning 6-1 at SBC Park. After a particularly brutal spring and a healthy dive in production the second half of 2004, everybody was skeptical about Santos. So far in 2005 though he has been the most consistent starter on the staff.

Manager Ned Yost decided to "shake up" the lineup by moving Damian Miller to the 2-spot, Geoff Jenkins to 3, Lyle Overbay to 5 and Junior Spivey to 6. Most likely this had very little to do with the six runs the Brewers scored, but can you really blame a manager for trying something like that? Yost can't go out and swing the bat, so other than sub people in and out, he can't do anything but change the order in which they hit. Spivey has a little higher SLG% in his career over Miller, but nothing that is substantial.

I know computer simulations show that very little is accomplished by changing the lineup. There are things that aren't accounted for in those simulations--such as how players are pitched when their hitting 1st as opposed to 8th. Or how a player is pitched with a base-stealer on in a running situation. I doubt that these subtleties would make a huge impact, but again it is something that cannot be quantified. Just because something cannot be quantified doesn't mean it should necessarily be minimized or dismissed altogether.

Here is your expert analysis for the game: The Brewers won because they scored more runs than the Giants.

Brady Clark and Damian Miller have been off to a good start in 2005. Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins look as though they are coming around finally. It would be nice to see the Crew run off a nice string of wins here to get back near .500. They'll have their work cut out for them as they have two more vs. San Francisco before heading to St. Louis for three.

This afternoon Milwaukee sends Chris Capuano (0-1, 4.41 ERA) to the mound against Brett Tomko (0-3, 6.75 ERA).