Brewers start off season with a bang ; Cain says not today and Yelich homers
Milwaukee, Wisconsin- If there has ever been an Opening Day in Milwaukee Brewers history that shows great optimism, this has been the one. In front of a sold out Miller Park crowd, the Brewers put on a show, as reigning MVP Christian Yelich hit a big three run homerun and Josh Hader completed a two inning save, capped off by a potentially game saving catch by Lorenzo Cain, resulting in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Brewers looked like a team with fire in their bellies after a tough loss in last season’s playoffs. Mike Moustakas homered, along with Yelich and starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin. After two misplaced fastballs that resulted in back-to-back homeruns and a 3-0 deficit, Chacin settled down nicely, and got through 5 1/3 quality innings. Hader pitched brilliantly as usual, surviving a late scare to win the game. The late scare, of course was another good ole’ Brewers home run robbery for the last out of the game.
“I’m talking to the baseball out there, telling it to come down so I could have a chance to make a play. I timed it well and I was able to bring it back.”, said Cain.
Cain, an unbelievable defender, made an amazing catch prior in the fourth inning, taking away a base hit from Marcell Ozuna.
“He’s unbelievable, he really is. He’s a gamer and I love playing with him,” Yelich said. “I think we all thought he was deserving to have won [a Gold Glove Award] last year. But the thing about Lo Cain is he doesn’t care about those things.”
Chacin started the afternoon a perfect five for five before running into some trouble with the middle of the Cardinals lineup. With two outs, Chacin walked Dexter Fowler before Kolten Wong delivered a mammoth two run homer. The very next pitch, Chacin left another fastball in the middle of the zone, and Harrison Bader didn’t wait, smashing a solo shot into the left-field bleachers. Milwaukee got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Mike Moustakas hit a long ball to make the score 3-1.
In the third Chacin got back on track, retiring St Louis in order. But more importantly the Brewers put three more runs on the board, snatching the lead for good. With one out Chacin helped his own cause, by hitting a line drive single. Next, Cain singled up the middle, putting two on for Yelich, the reigning NL MVP. Just as he had so many times down the stretch in 2018, Yelich delivered again, sending a Miles Mikolas fastball over the fence, giving the Brewers the lead.
In Chacin’s next at bat, he once again helped himself out, crushing one out to his own bullpen, making the score 5-3.
Chacin left in the sixth, however, after a walk and a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch. After 5.1 innings of work Chacin exited to a standing ovation.
In today’s opening game, the Brewers looked like the team they played like during their outstanding run in September and October, and if they can keep it up, we will all be in for something special.
By Jacob Szczap