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Game 130: Brewers Rough Up Morton to Sweep

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Charlie Morton came into the game with a 9.35 ERA and he pitched so ineffectively that his ERA rose. Yep, he got hammered and Milwaukee swept a three game series.

It all started fine against Dave Bush. Casey McGehee committed an one out error and Neil Walker punished Milwaukee with a homer scoring Delwyn Young. Suitably out in front, Morton proceeded to yield three first inning runs. Chris Dickerson’s two out single with the bases loaded tied the score. An error from Morton allowed McGehee to score the go ahead run.

Bush pitched out of a second and third and one out jam in the second by whiffing Morton and getting super hot Jose Tabata to pop out. Milwaukee scored three more in the third. Singles from Ryan Braun and McGehee put runners on the corners with one out. Dickerson’s grounder scored Braun and put McGehee on second. He advanced on a passed ball and scored on a single from Alcides Escobar. After swiping second, Escobar scored on a single from George Kottaras.

Ryan Doumit’s solo homer leading off the fourth cut the lead to 6-4. Ryan Braun answered with a two run homer in the home half of the frame, chasing Morton to the showers and giving Milwaukee an 8-3 lead.

Bush gave up three singles in the sixth but was aided by a double play off the bat of Pedro Alvarez. In the seventh, Delwyn Young connected for a solo homer. That was as close as Pittsburgh would get. Mike McClendon put two of the first three runners on base in the ninth and was pulled for Trevor Hoffman. He retired the next two hitters for his 599th career save.

Morton gave up all eight runs (seven earned) in 3-1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked one. Bush allowed three homers but just four runs in seven innings. He gave up seven total hits, walking two and whiffing four.

The Good
Bucs hit three homers.

The bullpen – Daniel McCutchen, Brian Burres, Evan Meek and Chan Ho Park – combined to pitch 4-2/3 innings of no run baseball.

The Bad
Getting swept by Milwaukee.

Morton getting drilled again.

Meek left the game after getting hit on the hand/wrist by a comebacker. X-rays apparently were negative.

Tabata’s hitting streak was snapped.

The Rest
Morton is now 0-4 against Milwaukee in his career. Bush is 6-5 against Pittsburgh.

Braun went 4-4 and came into the game hitting .333 against Pittsburgh in 2010.

Kottaras came into the game hitting .400 against Pittsburgh and had three hits. Eight of his 26 RBI in 2010 have come against Pittsburgh.

Andrew McCutchen didn’t start and walked in a pinch hitting appearance.

Lastings Milledge had two hits and has a hit in 18 of 20 August games he has appeared in.

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