Dodgers Lose 6-3 to the Brew Crew

The Dodgers lost 6-3 to the Brewers on Saturday, evening up the series. Starter Jeff Weaver was inneffective, lasting only 3.1 innings while giving up 4 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Joe Torre described Weaver's outing as, "That's probably the worst outing he's had since [he's been here]. He just couldn't locate the ball. He was just fighting himself. You see a couple times he was dropping down throwing sidearm and ... he wasn't really getting away from the hitters".

Weaver allowed two runs in the first inning, although one scored on Rafael Furcal's throwing error (what's that, his 100th of the season?). Furcal had Craig Counsell in a run down between third and home but threw the ball away when he tried to throw home to Russell Martin. Later Furcal said, "It's a tough play. I'm used to [plays like] that, and usually I make a better throw than that one. It was a good play. I tried to make something happen. It didn't work, but that's what happens."

After that Weaver pitched scoreless second and third frames although he walked a batter each inning. But the fourth inning was his undoing. Frank Catalanatto led off with a home run, J.J. Hardy tripled, and then pitcher Mike Burns singled to score Hardy although Burns was thrown out at second.

After a Jason Kendall single Weaver was pulled in favor of Scott Elbert, who got Craig Counsell to ground into a double play to end the inning. Elbert pitched great, going 2.2 innings and allowing no hits and only 1 walk with 3 strikeouts.

The Dodgers offense was ho-hum, they totaled 8 hits but had no walks and no player reached base more than once. The Dodgers only offense was in the 5th inning, when Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer and Andre Ethier followed up with another home run four pitches later. That was it though, the Dodgers only managed five singles outside of the 5th inning.

The rest of the Dodger bullpen faired okay except for Brent Leach, who struggled again today. Leach allowed a walk and a double which let the Brewers to score two more runs and stretch their lead to 6-3. In place of Leach Guillermo Mota pitched 0.2 scoreless innings but he did allow the double that scored the Brewers second run in the 8th inning. James McDonald also pitched a scoreless inning.

Here's the win probability chart:

 Tommorow is the rubber match of the three game series

WP - Mike Burns(2-2): 5 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts

LP - Jeff Weaver (5-3): 3.1 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

SV - Trevor Hoffman (20): 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs