MILWAUKEE -- Three up and three down from the Brewers' 13-4 win over San Francisco Friday at Miller Park:

THREE UP ...

How about Bill

Bill Hall scuffled through the series in Chicago with two hits in 12 at-bats, but that became a distant memory with his two home runs and career-high six RBIs on Friday.

M-V-P, M-V-P

OK, it's way too early to start thinking that, but for the first four games of the season, the offseason signing of catcher Jason Kendall looks like the steal of the year. Kendall, hitting ninth, reached all three times (a walk, a single and a run-scoring double) and scored two runs. Kendall is hitting .500 (6-for-12) with an on-base percentage of .600 (9-for-15) through four games.

Forgotten man

The Brewers' bullpen has enough hard throwers to stock a fastball convention, but it was the softest thrower of the bunch, Brian Shouse, who proved the most effective. The low-throwing lefty relieved starter Carlos Villanueva with two on and one out in the sixth and struck out pinch-hitter Ray Durham with one of his low 80 fastballs. Shouse then retired pinch-hitter Dan Ortmeier on a liner to second to squish the Giants' threat.

... THREE DOWN

Slow start

Shortstop J.J. Hardy was the one of only two regulars (the other was Ryan Braun) not to get a hit in the 13-4 victory, leaving Hardy 1-for-17 (.059) on the season.

Ugly inning

Giants right-hander Brad Hennessey was beaten up in the Brewers' five-run sixth. He threw 30 pitches, gave up six hits and walked one. After two appearances this season, Hennessey is lugging a 37.80 ERA around with him.

Speaking of pitching

The Giants' staff allowed just nine runs in San Francisco's first three games, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and then gave up 13 to the Brewers. Does that say more about the Brewers' hitting, the Dodgers' hitting or the Giants' pitching? Well, here's one answer. The Giants' staff ERA zoomed from 3.16 to 5.88 in one game.