Final
Gallardo strikes out 11 in Brewers win
Jul 30, 2009 - 10:31 PM By COLIN FLY AP Sports WriterMILWAUKEE(AP) -- Mike Cameron knew the ball had beaten him to the plate.
"You still have to make the tag. I was safe," he said.
Cameron slid under catcher Wil Nieves for the go-ahead run in the seventh and Yovani Gallardo showed a flash of emotion striking out 11 in seven innings, lifting the Brewers to a 7-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday.
Cameron's play helped Milwaukee salvage a split and win consecutive games for the first time this month after a miserable 8-16 start to July.
"I was pretty shocked," Nationals starter J.D. Martin said. "I know the ball beat him there so I just kind of figured he was out."
But plate umpire Joe West, working his 4,000th game, called Cameron safe because Nieves' tag wasn't low enough. Nieves didn't like the call, jumping around in disbelief, but said after the game that West was correct.
"I just tagged him too high. I should've blocked the plate," he said. "It's one of those plays you've got to make sure won't happen again. You see the replay and it was clear that he got in there."
Prince Fielder hit his 25th homer and Craig Counsell added a homer and three RBIs to extend his hitting streak to 12 for the Brewers, who now will go on a nine-game road trip that starts in San Diego.
"During the season, you just kind of put your head down and keep going," Counsell said.
The reality is it'll be just as tough on the road with stops in Los Angeles and Houston. After the game, Jeff Suppan (oblique) joined Dave Bush (triceps) on the disabled list for an already beleaguered starting rotation and slumping third baseman Bill Hall accepted an assignment to Triple-A Nashville.
No corresponding roster moves were announced and general manager Doug Melvin has been actively seeking pitching help before Friday's trade deadline.
"We'll patch it together," Brewers manager Ken Macha said. "It will be a challenge for us."
Gallardo (10-7) has been the one stabilizing presence for the Brewers, who came into the month with a two-game lead in the NL Central and needed to rally behind their promising young right-hander.
He struck out a batter in every inning but one, but allowed a three-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman in the fourth that made it 3-2. Fielder answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning to tie it.
"After I gave up the lead with the three-run home run, I just said to myself, 'We've got a good team, we're going to turn around and put some runs up on the board,"' Gallardo said.
Cameron started the seventh with a double off Martin (0-2) and advanced to third on Casey McGehee's single. Jason Kendall followed with a grounder to third and Zimmerman made an accurate throw, but Nieves couldn't make the timely tag.
Nieves was upset, but cooled down quickly after West earlier tossed Nationals manager Jim Riggleman for arguing.
"The disappointment they feel after that ballgame I think is a great thing. They're not just saying 'Ah it's another loss,"' said Riggleman, now 6-9 since taking over at the All-Star break for Manny Acta. "There's a lot of disappointment in there that we didn't win at least three out of four."
Counsell's two-out, two-run homer in the third gave Milwaukee a 2-0 lead. It was his fourth this season after hitting four over his previous two seasons combined. Zimmerman gave Washington a brief lead before Fielder erased it.
In the sixth with score still tied 3-3, Gallardo struck out Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn to strand Nyjer Morgan at third and left the mound with a spring in his step. Dunn threw his bat toward the Nationals' dugout in frustration, part of many this season for the team with the worst record in the majors (32-70).
"With the three and four hitters up there, you've just got to step it up," Gallardo said. "I was able to do that today and get two big strikeouts in that inning."
NOTES: Hall had been hitting .201 this season with just 17 at-bats in July. He turned down an assignment earlier this month, but said he chose to go this time and expects to be back in a week. Hall is in the third year of a $24 million, four-year deal with $8.9 million remaining on his contract. ... Nationals OF Josh Willingham (neck strain) was a late scratch.
- NL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
WASHINGTON 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 0
MILWAUKEE 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 2 x 7 9 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: WAS - J.D. MARTIN, SEAN BURNETT (7TH), MIKE MACDOUGAL (8TH) AND WIL
NIEVES
MIL - YOVANI GALLARDO, TODD COFFEY (8TH), MITCH STETTER (9TH) AND
JASON KENDALL
WP - YOVANI
Jul 30 4:50 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY MIKE MACDOUGAL ALLOWED COREY HART TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, F CATALANOTTO ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3
MILWAUKEE 7 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J KENDALL (.237, 0-FOR-3, RBI)
Nationals 3, Brewers 7 Bot 8, 0 OutsJul 30 4:32 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY MIKE CAMERON SCORED PRINCE FIELDER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C HART ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3
MILWAUKEE 6 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: T COFFEY (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Nationals 3, Brewers 6 Bot 8, 0 OutsJul 30 4:30 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
FORCE OUT BY CRAIG COUNSELL SCORED CASEY MCGEHEE
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C COUNSELL ON FIRST, J KENDALL ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3
MILWAUKEE 5 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R BRAUN (.316, 0-FOR-3)
Nationals 3, Brewers 5 Bot 7, 0 OutsJul 30 4:12 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
1B/FAILED FC BY JASON KENDALL SCORED MIKE CAMERON
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KENDALL ON FIRST, C MCGEHEE ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3
MILWAUKEE 4 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: Y GALLARDO (.179, 0-FOR-2)
Nationals 3, Brewers 4 Bot 7, 0 OutsJul 30 4:06 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY PRINCE FIELDER (25) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF J.D. MARTIN.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3, MILWAUKEE 3
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C HART (.264, 1-FOR-1)
Nationals 3, Brewers 3 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 30 3:18 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY RYAN ZIMMERMAN (19) TO CENTER WITH 2
OUT IN THE 4TH OFF YOVANI GALLARDO SCORED NICK JOHNSON AND
NYJER MORGAN.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 3, MILWAUKEE 2
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: W HARRIS (.232, 0-FOR-1)
Nationals 3, Brewers 2 Top 4, 0 OutsJul 30 3:14 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CRAIG COUNSELL (4) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH
2 OUT IN THE 3RD OFF J.D. MARTIN SCORED FELIPE LOPEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 0, MILWAUKEE 2
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R BRAUN (.318, 0-FOR-1)
Nationals 0, Brewers 2 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 30 2:56 PM
Related News
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Getting more pitching in 2024 + more... Dec 26
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Keibert Ruiz, CS% and more… Dec 22
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Stephen Strasburg retirement?; 40-man spot + more... Dec 21
- Brewers trade Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor to Mets Dec 20
- Brewers sign catcher Eric Haase Dec 20
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Joey Meneses & DH duties vs playing the field… Dec 19
- Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Targets: Outfield Dec 18
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Dylan Floro looks to bounce back after down ‘23 campaign... Dec 18
- Devin Williams named to All-MLB Second Team Dec 16
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Nick Senzel talks joining Nats, playing third every day + more... Dec 15
- Brewers acquire reliever Taylor Clarke from Royals Dec 14
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Nationals’ rotation plans; 6-man rotation talk + more… Dec 14