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 Not with Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Kyle Lohse facing off
against Chicago Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija, the major league
leader with a 1.68 ERA.
Lohse lived up to his end of the deal, throwing a complete game
shutout and also chipped in two hits and two RBIs as the Brewers
routed Samardzija and the Cubs 9-0.
"I talk about how goofy this game is, I can't figure it out,"
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I figured it was going to be a
low-scoring game today. It's hard to figure out what's going to
happen in these games. That's why it's so fun day-to-day not knowing
what's going to happen."
Nothing Sunday was fun for Samardzija, who hadn't allowed more than
three earned runs in a start all season but had just one victory
thanks to a paltry 2.33 runs per game from the anemic Chicago
offense.
The Brewers wasted little time getting to Samardzija Sunday, taking
a 2-0 lead in the first inning when shortstop Jean Segura led off
with a base hit and scored on right fielder Ryan Braun's ninth home
run of the season.
"When you play a team that has a plan you definitely can tell,"
Samardzija said. "This team is not only feeling good, they are going
up with a plan. Obviously they are jumping on my fastballs and that
was their plan today."
Milwaukee added a run in the second then blew the game open in the
third, scoring five more -- four of them coming with two outs.
Braun opened the inning with a single and took second on a walk by
catcher Jonathan Lucroy. Samardzija then loaded the bases by
plunking center fielder Carlos Gomez, but caught a break when left
fielder Khris Davis bounced into a double play that took out Lucroy
at third and Gomez at second.
Braun scored on the play to make it 3-0 Milwaukee but Samardzija
couldn't get out of it, giving up a double to second baseman Scooter
Gennett, a walk to third baseman Mark Reynolds and, with the bases
loaded, another double, this time to first baseman Lyle Overbay.
Even Lohse got into the act, driving his second run of the day with
a base hit to right.
Samardzija wouldn't come back for the fourth and saw his ERA jump to
2.54 after giving up eight runs on eight hits and two walks while
striking out three.
"His command wasn't the best today, but it was just one of those
days for him," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I think very rare.
I don't know if you've seen him have very many of those days. We'll
chalk it up to one of those days and getting ready for the next one
for him."
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Lohse, meanwhile, was dealing and had only thrown 83 pitches through
the first eight innings, making his return for the ninth a
no-brainer.
He narrowly missed a complete game earlier this season, going 8 2/3
innings against the Pirates on April 13, but made quick work of the
Cubs in the ninth Sunday, needing just 10 pitches to pick up his
first of the year and the Brewers' first since Lohse went the
distance Sept. 25 of last year at Atlanta.
"It was going smooth," Lohse said. "I was just getting the ball and
throwing it. (Lucroy) called a good game. When you're executing
pitches, mixing it up, and they're swinging early in counts, it
helps. We made some really good plays early. It helps you get going.
Obviously, you score some runs off Samardzija, it gets you in the
game quick."
Lohse (7-1) won his seventh consecutive decision by holding the Cubs
to three hits while striking out six.
Lohse's only loss this season came April 1, when he allowed three
runs on five hits over seven innings in a 5-2 loss. Since then,
Lohse is 7-0 with a 2.55 ERA in 11 starts.
NOTES: Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo was ejected in the fourth inning for
arguing a called strike with home plate umpire Jerry Meals. ...
Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez went 0-for-2 and played four innings at
third base in a rain-shortened rehab game with Class A Wisconsin.
... Cubs SS Starlin Castro was in the lineup Sunday despite manager
Rick Renteria's plan to give Castro a day off. Castro is the only
player to appear in all 54 of Chicago's games this season.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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