Final
Nationals-Brewers Preview
Jul 26, 2009 - 11:33 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior WriterWashington (29-68) at Milwaukee (49-48), 8:05 p.m. EDT
Nothing has been going right for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have dropped from first to fourth in the NL Central in a matter of weeks.
Their upcoming schedule, though, gives them a chance to make up ground in a hurry.
The Brewers look to get back on track with consecutive series against the two worst teams in baseball, beginning Monday night with a four-game set versus the Washington Nationals.
Milwaukee (49-49) opened July with a two-game lead atop the division but is 7-14 this month, dropping three games back of the first-place Chicago Cubs.
In Sunday's 10-2 loss to Atlanta, the Brewers had 10 hits but left seven runners on base. They've been unable to get key hits, batting .191 (13 for 68) with runners in scoring position in 10 games since the All-Star break.
"We're not pleasing a lot of people so we've got to figure out a way to get it going," said Corey Hart, who hit a two-run homer Sunday after going 4 for 17 with seven strikeouts in his previous six games.
Although the Brewers are one loss away from falling below .500 for the first time since they were 9-10 on April 27, their schedule puts them in position to stay above the break-even mark.
After playing Washington (30-68), owner of baseball's worst record, Milwaukee has three games at San Diego, which is a major league-worst 4-19 this month.
The Brewers have had no trouble beating the Nationals lately at home, outscoring them 35-10 in winning the last seven meetings at Miller Park.
Washington arrives in Milwaukee following Sunday's 3-2, 10-inning win over the Padres, its second straight victory.
The Nationals are trying to win three in a row for the first time since a season-high four-game run from June 17-20, but it won't be easy considering the way they play on the road. Washington has dropped nine of 10 away from Nationals Park and is a major league-worst 10-35 on the road.
While the Nationals have had no luck in Milwaukee lately, slugger Adam Dunn is batting .371 (13 for 35) with six home runs and 15 RBIs in 12 games there over the past two seasons. He is also 13 for 27 (.481) with one homer and six doubles lifetime versus scheduled starter Jeff Suppan (5-7, 4.71 ERA).
Suppan yielded five runs and seven hits - four home runs - in a season-low 3 1-3 innings in Milwaukee's 8-7 loss at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Since beating the Chicago White Sox on June 12, the right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.12 ERA in seven starts with the Brewers winning just twice in that span.
Suppan also hasn't had much success against the Nationals lately, allowing nine runs - five earned - in 10 2-3 innings in losing his last two starts versus them. This will be his first start of the season against Washington.
The Nationals counter with rookie Craig Stammen (3-5, 4.14), who makes his first start against the Brewers.
After going 1-3 with a 5.44 ERA in his first eight career starts, Stammen is 2-2 with a 2.15 ERA in four outings this month. He has yielded just four runs over 13 innings in those two losses, getting one run of support.
On Wednesday, the right-hander allowed one run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 3-1 win over the New York Mets.
- ** CONFIRMED **
NL
WASHINGTON 14
MILWAUKEE 6 FINAL
Jul 27 11:18 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN ZIMMERMAN (18) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 8TH OFF R.J. SWINDLE.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 14, MILWAUKEE 6
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: A DUNN (.278, 2-FOR-3, BB, 2 RBI)
Nationals 14, Brewers 6 Top 8, 0 OutsJul 27 10:46 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JODY GERUT SCORED JASON KENDALL
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J GERUT ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 13
MILWAUKEE 6 BOTTOM,6TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: F LOPEZ (.308, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Nationals 13, Brewers 6 Bot 6, 0 OutsJul 27 10:24 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY JOSH WILLINGHAM (16) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF MARK DIFELICE SCORED NICK JOHNSON, ADAM
DUNN AND RYAN ZIMMERMAN.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 13, MILWAUKEE 5
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: J BARD (.258, 0-FOR-2, BB)
Nationals 13, Brewers 5 Top 6, 0 OutsJul 27 10:13 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY ADAM DUNN SCORED CRISTIAN GUZMAN
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, A DUNN ON SECOND, R ZIMMERMAN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 9
MILWAUKEE 5 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: N JOHNSON (.296, 0-FOR-3)
Nationals 9, Brewers 5 Top 6, 0 OutsJul 27 10:08 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY CRISTIAN GUZMAN SCORED NYJER MORGAN AND ALBERTO
GONZALEZ
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C GUZMAN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 8
MILWAUKEE 5 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: R ZIMMERMAN (.282, 0-FOR-2, HBP)
Nationals 8, Brewers 5 Top 6, 0 OutsJul 27 10:04 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY RYAN BRAUN (20) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 5TH OFF CRAIG STAMMEN SCORED FELIPE LOPEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 6, MILWAUKEE 5
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: P FIELDER (.305, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
Nationals 6, Brewers 5 Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 27 9:48 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY FELIPE LOPEZ SCORED JASON KENDALL
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, F LOPEZ ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 6
MILWAUKEE 3 BOTTOM,5TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C COUNSELL (.300, 1-FOR-2)
Nationals 6, Brewers 3 Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 27 9:43 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY JOSH WILLINGHAM (15) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 5TH OFF JEFF SUPPAN SCORED ADAM DUNN, RYAN
ZIMMERMAN AND CRISTIAN GUZMAN.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 6, MILWAUKEE 2
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: J BARD (.260, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Nationals 6, Brewers 2 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 27 9:36 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
BASES LOADED WALK TO ADAM DUNN SCORED NYJER MORGAN
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A DUNN ON FIRST, R ZIMMERMAN ON SECOND, C
GUZMAN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 2
MILWAUKEE 2 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: N JOHNSON (.297, 0-FOR-2)
Nationals 2, Brewers 2 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 27 9:34 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY NYJER MORGAN SCORED ALBERTO GONZALEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, N MORGAN ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 1
MILWAUKEE 2 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: C GUZMAN (.295, 0-FOR-2)
Nationals 1, Brewers 2 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 27 9:27 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY COREY HART (11) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
2ND OFF CRAIG STAMMEN.
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 0, MILWAUKEE 2
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J HARDY (.231, 11 HR, 43 RBI)
Nationals 0, Brewers 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 27 8:40 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY PRINCE FIELDER SCORED RYAN BRAUN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, P FIELDER ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 0
MILWAUKEE 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: M CAMERON (.255, 14 HR, 43 RBI)
Nationals 0, Brewers 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 27 8:25 PM
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