8-8: Back to .500

**Update** Shaun Marcum has been placed on the bereavement leave, his father is having heart surgery. Not looking good, it sounds. Mike McClendon from Nashville has been recalled.
Tom Haudricourt tweet is the source.

The Brewers and Phillies slugged it out at Citizens Bank Park last night for 3+ hours and 12 innings. In the end Milwaukee came out on top 6-3 only after John Axford blew his 2nd save of the season. That will happen to a guy when he tosses 8 straight balls and walks the lead-off hitter (with a one-run lead). Regardless, Axford battled through it and closed out the inning with out allowing any more runs. Yes, it's a blown save and he has yet to throw a clean inning...but that's the in MLB 2011...every single closer in the bigs right now is having problems closing out games. Ax is no different. Look no further than Ryan Franklin of the Cardinals (an All-Star) who has blown 5 straight saves. He's the 2010 Trevor Hoffman of this season.

Shaun Marcum was filthy last night. He now has 18 straight scoreless innings and his ERA dropped to a silly low of 1.90, however he didn't get the win (5k's 0 BB's). Brandon Kintzler stole the spotlight however. Only hours since LaTroy Hawkins came off the DL and Kintzler was the one who was going to get sent back down to Nashville did he throw 2 excellent innings giving up 1 walk and zero hits.

Meanwhile, aside from Axford's 1 run blunder, the bullpen was solid. Especially Mitre, who has been the unsung anchor of that squad. Sergio threw another scoreless inning but did give get charged with a blown save according to the box score....I don't remember how that happened. He did get a liner hit off him that ultimately led to the end of the inning in probably one of the strangest plays I have seen in sometime. Bentancourt (who had some bad defensive plays) was able to catch that liner that bounced off Sergio and then throw to 2B for the double play.

Ryan Braun: 3 for 4, 2 RBI
Jonathon Lucroy: 3 for 5, 1 RBI
Erick Almonte: 0 for 1, batting .95 on the season

- Phillies reliever JC Romero is heading to the 15 day DL with a strained calf from last night's game. What looked like a rolled ankle at first...turned out to be worse.

-Madison.com's Andy Baggot discusses Greinke and Hart coming off the DL. The former expected debut will be on May 4th while Hart is penciled in for this Sunday. How will the Zack and Yo (and even Marcum) handle a penant race? A little soon to discuss that, but all 3 have yet to play a significant role in a post season run. Gallardo was out with a torn ACL in 2008 and Greinke never won more than 87 games.

Greinke will make at least 3 rehab starts.

Nyjer Morgan has a new t-shirt line that touts his alter-ego, TONY PLUSH. Check it out, it's hilarious....
www.tonyplush.com