Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers used their pitching to take down the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sunday, Ryan Braun and the rest of the Brewers bats came alive, propelling Milwaukee to a 9-4 win and a 2-0 advantage as the series heads to Arizona.
While it was Prince Fielder doing much of the damage during game one of the NLDS, Braun got into the action Sunday with his 3-4 effort. Braun’s 1st inning home run gave the Brewers an early advantage, and his RBI single capped off Milwaukee’s five run 6th.
Fielder chipped in with his third RBI of the series in the 3rd frame and later came home to score on a Rickie Weeks triple.
Over the first two games of the series, Braun and Fielder have combined to go 9-16 with two home runs, three doubles and six RBI’s.
Arizona used a pair of home runs in the 4th and 5th off of Brewers starter Zack Greinke to pull even. Chris Young launched a solo shot to center while Justin Upton continued his torrid 2011 campaign with a two run homer, knotting the game at 4-all.
But the Brewers quickly answered, exploding for five runs in the bottom of the 6th. Jerry Hairston Jr.’s double chased starter Daniel Hudson and it all fell apart from there.
Reliever Brad Ziegler absolutely imploded, allowing Hairston and four others to score without recording an out. Ziegler, who was solid this season out of Arizona’s pen, was seemingly shaken after he was called for a balk. The right-hander went on to surrender three hits and two walks before he was removed.
The Brewers pen allowed their share of base runners, walking five and allowing two hits over their four innings of work, but managed to hold the Diamondbacks scoreless.
Milwaukee takes their 2-0 lead with them to Arizona, where the series continues Tuesday night. The Diamondbacks will call on right-hander Josh Collmenter to keep their season alive while Brewers offseason acquisition Shaun Marcum looks to close out the first round.
For more on the Diamondbacks and Brewers, be sure to check out Venom Strikes and Reviewing the Brew.