Venue: Miller Park
Roadmates: Gary (dad), Carol (mom), Lauren (wife), Mia (daughter), Isabella (daughter), Solomon (son)
MVP: Ryan Braun 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 1 R
Recap: When I was fifteen years old I attended Brewers game on April 13th, 1996. Brewers starting pitcher and knuckleballer Steve Sparks held the Kansas City Royals to just one hit over eight masterful innings of the greatest pitching performance I've seen live to this day. One small problem. The one hit was a home run to Michael Tucker following two walks. The Brewers were only able to muster two runs of offense thanks in part to John Jaha's fat ass not being able to score from second on a ninth inning single, making Sparks a tough luck loser. Coincidentally I attended a Brewers game in 2004 where Sparks ended up winning a 15 inning affair as a reliever for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Thanks Steve.
I suppose that is either here nor there as May 22, 2011 was Rockies starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez's turn to suffer a Sparksesque indignation. Jimenez coerced the Brewers offense into a series of weak ground balls, strike outs and feeble pop ups allowing just two hits through eight masterful innings. But the first Brewers hit was a Braun two out, two strike, two RBI triple following Carlos Gomez and Rickie Weeks reaching base on a walk and hit by pitch respectively. Braun also scored on a throwing error, providing the Brewers with all the runs they would need in sending Jimenez to the knuckleball circle of baseball hell.
It was beautiful day in Milwaukee, the Brewers stayed hot winning for the eleventh time in fifteen games, the Rockies were swept out of Milwaukee and we had a birthday celebration for grandpa Puder we will never forget.
