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FRI., OCT 3, 2008 - 8:08 AM
Brewers: Three up, three down for Game 2
By VIC FEUERHERD 608-252-6175
PHILADELPHIA -- Three up and three down from the Brewers' 5-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 2 of the NL Division Series Thursday night at Citizen Bank Park: Three up - Deja vu all over again: Or at least 26 years later. The Brewers lost the first two cames of the American League Championship Series to the California Angels in 1982 before rallying for three victories at County Stadium. That's the difference, though. If the Brewers are to pull the trick this time, they will have to come back to Citizens Bank Park and win, something they haven't done this year.
- OK, I'm reaching: Left-hander Mitch Stetter is the Brewers' MVP so far. This night he replaced CC Sabathia in the fourth with two outs and struck out Ryan Howard. In Game 1, he retired Chase Utley and struck out Howard. Like I said, I'm reaching.
- Lidge off the ledge: After a 35-pitch save Wednesday, his fourth straight struggling outing, Phillies reliever Brad Lidge closed out this one on 12 pitches.
Three down - Phils have problems, too: For all the talk about how bad the Brewers' hitting has been in these two games, the Phillies aren't exactly knocking the cover off the ball. They are hitting .220 in the two games. One difference, though. They have come up with two big hits -- Chase Utley's two-run double in Game 1 and Shane Victorino's grand slam in Game 2. The Brewers are 0-for-the-series when it comes to timely hitting.
- You call that contact: Brewers hitters combined for 11 ground ball outs, two foul-ball outs, two infield pop-ups and four strikeouts in their 27 outs.They had just one hard hit out to the outfield, J.J. Hardy's leadoff liner to left in the ninth.
- No Jenkins sightings: How far as Geoff Jenkins fallen? Phils manager Charlie Manuel uses Eric Bruntlett, a shortstop by training, as his defensive replacement in left field for Pat Burrell, not Jenkins, a pretty accomplished left-fielder in his days as a Brewer.
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