Brewers' late threat not enough after Phillies victory
Milwaukee scores one run in ninth inning, gives up all three unearned runs in fourth
Tom Haudricourt
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Sports
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Do virtually nothing in the early to middle stages of the game, rarely getting runners on base. Finally get something going at the end, then win in dramatic fashion with a bolt of lightning.
On Wednesday afternoon, despite playing in stormy weather conditions, that bolt of lightning never came for the Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against Philadelphia.
Shut down for eight innings by changeup specialist Cole Hamels, the Brewers' late threat against closer Brad Lidge fell short as they lost to the Phillies, 3-1, at Citizens Bank Park in their first playoff game in 26 years.
"It was a good effort, but we just didn't get it completely done," said first baseman Prince Fielder, whose ninth-inning strikeout in an eight-pitch duel was the key out for Lidge.
"We had a good chance. We put ourselves in a good situation (at the end) but, unfortunately, it didn't go our way."
Hamels had a lot to say about that, tossing eight innings of two-hit ball while allowing just one runner to advance to second base. Hamels threw 67 of 101 pitches for strikes, walking just one and striking out nine to allow the Phillies to take a 3-0 lead into the ninth.
"Cole Hamels was really good today," said Brewers centerfielder Mike Cameron. "He had good deception. He threw a lot of changeups in hitter's counts all day long. He was a little bit different today.
"The only time we could get to him was when we got him in the stretch. But that didn't happen too often today."
In fact, it didn't happen until two were out in the fifth inning. Hamels retired the first 14 hitters before Corey Hart finally broke through with an opposite-field single to right.
"The type of team that Milwaukee brings, they're very aggressive but also very good," said Hamels. "I had to really establish the first-pitch strike so I could get ahead of them and slow them down. That's what I was able to do.
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