CHICAGO - Some highlights, and low points, from the Brewers' 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.
THREE UP ...
Prince still hot
It took awhile, in fact about 145 games, but Prince Fielder is hot. Fielder, who had two home runs in Tuesday night's loss, unleashed a bases-clearing double in the first that gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead. It was his ninth hit in 18 at-bats on the road trip and he added another double in the fifth and a single in the seventh.
Who'd a thunk it
Mark DiFelice was a nice story in May. At 31, he made his major-league debut after toiling for years in the minor leagues and even the independent leagues. He was a nice story this night, too, throwing two shutout innings in emergency relief for the injured Ben Sheets and protecting a 3-1 lead.
Refreshing honesty
In his pregame meeting with reporters, manager Dale Sveum was talking about the lineup changes he's instituted in the first two games to see if he can get the Brewers offense going. Asked if he was trying to catch lightning in a bottle, especially with strikeout-prone Mike Cameron in the leadoff spot, Sveum said, "We're looking for lightning in a bottle, but from all eight guys in the lineup, for crying out loud."
... THREE DOWN
Will he pitch again?
In a Brewers uniform, that is. Sheets left after two innings because of forearm stiffness, putting at risk his last two scheduled starts — next Tuesday against Pittsburgh and on the final day of the regular season against the Cubs. Sheets has free agency looming in his offseason, so we may have seen the last of him with the Brewers.
Interesting call
It's not often one gets to hear the official scorer announce, "Stolen base, wild pitch," but that's what happened in the Brewers' sixth. With one out, Jason Kendall took off to second on a steal attempt on a Jason Marquis pitch. The ball skipped past catcher Geovany Soto and Kendall never stopped, reaching third.
Too, too typical
But Kendall never scored in the sixth. After pinch-hitter Brad Nelson drew a walk to bring in reliever Angel Guzman, Cameron failed to get the ball out of the infield for a sacrifice fly by striking out. Ray Durham ended the chance when he fouled out to Soto to end the inning.