Strangely enough, it seems as if there are more people here than last year. That’s strange because the Rockies had many more of TV and newspaper folks that traveled with the club than the Brewers. I don’t know what market size Milwaukee is, but it doesn’t seem as if they have all that many writers in town.
In fact, I wagered that there will be more Philly media in Milwaukee than Milwaukee media in Milwaukee.
That was three Milwaukees in one sentence. I bet that’s a record.
Interestingly, Cole Hamels took the mound sans sleeves for Game 1. This is interesting because last year he did wear a long-sleeved shirt on a sunny and balmy afternoon. By the second inning, Hamels was sweating through both his under and uniform shirts.
Here in the first inning, Hamels is looking free and easy with his naked arms out there in the breeze of a rather cool afternoon. Truth be told, it feels like a perfect afternoon for a nice, long run.
Without the sleeves, Hamels mowed down the Brewers in the first with a pair of strikeouts and a pop up. It took him 14 pitches (nine strikes) to handle the Brewers in the opening frame.
Yovani Gallardo took the mound for just the fifth time all season. Because of that, the 22-year-old righty seems to be an odd choice to start the Brewers’ first playoff game since 1982. However, before he tore up a knee ligament while covering first base during a game last May, Gallardo pitched pretty well in 20 starts for the Brewers in his rookie season.
The kid showed why he’s one of the Brewers’ top prospects by retiring the Phillies in order in the first on 12 pitches (nine strikes). Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley hit the ball hard, but directly at guys wearing gloves.
End of 1 Phils 0, Brewers 0