First road game, first road loss

The Brewers took to the road for the first time this season, opening a 3-game series in Florida. And, as was the case 66.67% of the time last season, the Crew lost. The Marlins took game one in Miami, 5-3. Side note: I might be biased towards Anibal Sanchez, as I saw him dominate the Brewers last September in Milwaukee in either his first or second start after his no-hitter…and I have him on my fantasy team. That said, neither pitcher sounded good tonight (game wasn’t on T.V., so I had to listen to the game)…the Crew plated a run off Sanchez in the top of the first, after a leadoff triple by Rickie Weeks lead to an 0-2 RBI fielder’s choice groundout by Prince Fielder. But Suppan let the Marlins back in it in the bottom of the first, giving up 3 hits, a walk, and a sac fly to the first 5 batters. The top of the Marlins’ order plated another pair in the bottom of the fourth, as second baseman Dan Uggla doubled to lead-off the inning, followed by Miguel Cabrera’s smashing of a 2-1 Suppan pitch to left. Geoff Jenkins narrowed the deficit to 4-3 after smashing a 1-1 pitch to left that also plated catcher Johnny Estrada. The Marlins added a meaningless insurance run, while the four Florida relievers held the Brewers’ bats at bay–their bullpen went 4 IP, 0 ER’s, 2 hits, 1 BB, and 2 K’s. The Crew, however, did out hit the Marlins 10-9, and didn’t lose much ground, as the Pirates and Cubs also lost (the Reds, however, are leading 2-0 over Doug Davis and the Dbacks). Suppan took the loss, to bring his record to 0-2, 4.15. Six Brewers in the line-up remain above .300 in hitting, including Graffanino (.375), Mench (.353), Jenkins (.350), Estrada (.348), Gross (.333), and Counsell (.300). But Fielder (.233), Weeks (.214), and Hall (.208) are flirting with the Mendoza line. Tomorrow night pits Claudio Vargas, in his first start for the Brewers, against Rick Vanden Hurk, making his MLB debut…the 21 year-old Dutchman gets his big break due to the injuries to Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco, who was placed on the DL earlier today. Lastly, even though the Brewers are on the road, MLB baseball is still in town–the Indians have moved their 3-game homestand to Miller Park due to the continuing bad weather in Cleveland…y’know, if you’re going to schedule games north of the Mason-Dixon line in early April, wouldn’t it make more sense to schedule division opponents that will be returning later in the year, just in case Mother Nature and/or Ol’ Man Winter comes to town?