Brewers prove there are no easy games

Jeremy Reeves
Special to The Capital Times  —  9/05/2008 6:56 am

MILWAUKEE -- Before Thursday night's game vs. the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost was asked if it's easier for teams to come from "out of nowhere" and win in September, like the Colorado Rockies did last season en route to the National League pennant and how the Houston Astros (eight-game winning streak) are presently doing to get back into the playoff chase.

"No, it's not. It's not easier any time. This time of year there's no easy games, no easy series," Yost said.

"Every game is tough, every game is hard. People think this time of year you can look at schedules, but throw that out the window right now because there's nothing easy about anything."

Spoken like a true Brewer.

After all, given the Brewers' lack of meaningful September games throughout their 39-year history, it's never easy for this franchise.

You certainly wouldn't have known that the Padres own the NL's second-worst record (54-86) after watching their 5-2 victory at Miller Park. Or conversely, that the Brewers (80-60) possess the league's second-best mark.

After rolling to a 20-7 record in August, Milwaukee is suddenly 0-4 on its 10-game homestand to start September.

But with a four-game lead over Philadelphia, a five-game cushion on St. Louis and six-game advantage over Houston in the NL Wild Card race, there's no hint of panic in the Brewers' clubhouse.

"It's not great but it's not real bad," shortstop J.J. Hardy said of the team's attitude. "I think we do a pretty good job of just forgetting about the bad things and going out there the next day and trying to win."

With fans having the opportunity to begin registering today for a chance to purchase postseason tickets, the Brewers do realize, though, that they better get it turned around quickly if they want to actually advance to October.

Because hitting 7-for-46 (.152 average) with runners in scoring position, as Milwaukee has in its four-game slide, won't cut it.

Neither will losing to journeyman pitchers like Shawn Estes (2-1), who despite missing most of the last three seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a fractured thumb, somehow held Milwaukee to one run on seven hits over six innings.

Estes must share some of the credit for that with Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, who took away a potential two-run double from Hardy by backhanding a sharply-hit grounder down the line to end the second inning of a 1-1 game.

"I don't know if that's what symbolizes (our recent offensive struggles) but it was a good play and it kind of saved the game at that point," said Hardy, who belted his 22nd home run in the seventh, one of only two Brewers' hits over the final five frames.

Added Yost: "You're looking for one hit. If you can get one hit, it kind of opens the door and kind of takes pressure off. Kouzmanoff made a great play on J.J.'s ball, a great reaction. That could have been the hit that got us going right there."

As if their offense hasn't been ineffective enough since Monday, it didn't help that Milwaukee's "Mr. September," right-hander Jeff Suppan suffered his first bad outing since late July.

After going 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in six August starts, Suppan (10-8) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

A huge reason why the Brewers signed Suppan to a four-year, $42-million contract after the 2006 season was because he has dominated in the stretch run in recent seasons.

Entering Thursday, Suppan had posted a 15-7 record and 3.15 ERA in 32 September and October starts (nine postseason) since 2004, including a 4-1 mark last year.

As one of Milwaukee's veteran leaders, Suppan readily admitted he must continue that trend for the Brewers to make the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

"As a pitcher, our job is to go out and do our job regardless of anything (else) that's going on in the game," he said. "For me, I evaluate my performance and I think if I was able to locate my fastball better, I would have kept the game a little closer."

And though Brewers fans might be getting a little nervous, Yost said he can't afford to feel that way.

"This time of year every game's important (in the standings) so you feel like you have to win every single game," he said. "But you don't worry about it. You don't dwell on it. We have a four-game lead in the Wild Card and we come back and try to win (today).

"That's the extent of our focus. If you start worrying about it, it starts piling up on you and it's weight that you don't need."

Suppan and Hardy both agreed that having played under playoff pressure last season should benefit the Brewers over the final weeks this year.

"It helps a lot. Just having been through it is something you can't go out and get," Hardy said. "For us, I think it's definitely going to help us down the stretch."

Said Suppan: "I think every player on this team, you're going to learn from every experience you have. There's really nothing to say. We're playing the game, we're playing hard. We're just coming up a little short right now."

At least Milwaukee has potential Cy Young candidate, lefty CC Sabathia (9-0, 1.43 ERA in 11 starts since joining the Brewers), taking the ball tonight in Game 2 of this four-game series.

"CC's been huge for us. Every fifth day, it just seems like we've got a great shot to win that ballgame and that could end this whole, four-game losing streak, hopefully," Hardy said.

If that doesn't happen, and with the prospect of facing Padres ace Jake Peavy on Saturday night, Brewers fans will really have something to start worrying about.

Jeremy Reeves
Special to The Capital Times  —  9/05/2008 6:56 am