Brewers Dine on Kuwata

At meal time in Japan it is customary to say 'tadakimasu' - I shall receive - before eating, and Monday night the Brewers certainly needed a prayer.

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With the score 3-3 after six innings, and the Brew Crew having managed just three hits up to that point, Kuwata took the mound. Two singles, two doubles, a sacrifice bunt, one strike out, a passed ball, two intentional walks, and a grand slam later, Kuwata was dragged off the field with the score 10-3 and the Brewers saying 'gochiso-sama deshita' - that was a feast.

It's not that Kuwata was hammered so hard that was so bad, because that happens to every pitcher at times. What was really offensive was that Jim Tracy had Kuwata issue intentional walks to every left hand batter that came to the plate in the inning, and two of them were aboard when backup catcher Miller hit the granny.

And even stranger was the fact Tracy had Kuwata give up the intentional walks to get to Miller when 7% of all his home runs have been grand slams and he had already hit a solo shot in the game.

How bizarre.

But Kuwata didn't look good from the second he took the mound as he was mainly throwing very straight, and very hittable, fastballs. Rarely did he throw his offspeed stuff making me wonder if he is hurt.

John Van Benschoten had little to no command or control in this game as I expected from him (he's in our red flag notebook and should remain there after throwing yet another 31 pitch inning in the second).

To give you an idea, at the end of the 4th, JvB had thrown 70 pitches and only 38 were strikes. But the Brewers seemed content waiting him out sitting back and letting him heave pitch after pitch after pitch. The second inning was so bad, Colborn had Wasdin already up and throwing in the pen.

Obviously the Brewers game plan was to wait to get to the Pirates bullpen, and then explode.

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The Pirates bats were flat once again. Paulino, who wails finesse pitching, was on the pine so that Doumit could catch JvB, Bay was put in the six-hole to try and jump start him, but that did no good considering he was a career 4-29 hitter against Suppan anyway, and only Bautista, Davis, and LaRoche were able to get a hit besides..

Nate McLouth, who went 3 for 5 with an rbi double scoring JvB who had walked, and two runs scored.

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Jim Tracy said the 7 games this week were pivotal but then used Kuwata who had only warmed up for half and inning and got mauled. When he went to the mound to remove Kuwata, Tracy was met with a resounding chorus of boos from the fans.

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It was the second game in a row the Pirates got beat by a backup catcher after Flores hit his two-run blast Sunday.

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Franco Harris was brought in to give the team a rah-rah chant before the game. Maybe Franco should have stayed home?

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Go vote for Gorzy!

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In the 4th Doumit was hit by a pitch where he stuck his elbow out into the zone to be hit. He wasn't called back despite a mild protest by the Brewers.

The box score will show two Brewers were also hit by pitches but they weren't retaliatory in nature - it was just JvB's inability to repeat his delivery and being wild.

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Hardy was hit by a pitch with one out in the 5th and then Braun hit a routine double play groundball to Wilson who flipped to Sanchez for one out, but Sanchez's relay to LaRoche was weak and Braun was safe. That allowed Fielder to come to the plate in a tie game and a couple of pitches later Braun stole second. But JvB got Fielder to strikeout swinging at a pitch nearly over his head.

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Hall singled to left field in the 9th and attempted to stretch it to a double on Bay. The umpire - Jim Wolfe - called him out after Bay tossed to Kata covering, but Hall was clearly safe and he just got up smiling and walked away.

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There were 212 pitches thrown by the end of the 6th inning. It was a very long and boring first half of the game.

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Only 14,451 Pirate fans were at this game and the park looked nearly empty at the start of the contest.

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Duke had an arthrogram Monday that revealed no ligament damage. The Pirates suggested he will be fine with rest. Instead, Duke will exercise his right under the CBA to seek a second opinion when he visits Dr. Andrews Friday in Birmingham.

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Go vote for Gorzy!

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Going to the game tomorrow? Present this flyer (PDF) to the box office and you might get $2 off your $24 field box seat tickets.

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Four Curve players were selected to be in the EL All-Star game - pitchers Luis Munoz and Matt Peterson, first baseman Steven Pearce (named EL PLayer of the Week) and third baseman Neil Walker.

Speaking of the Curve, I was sent Walker and McCutchen bobbleheads by a couple of my readers. I might be getting some more that I have been asked to plan a giveaway on. More when I know it. I am blessed to have a great group of readers here.

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Now go vote for Gorzy!