78-53: Brewers are on their way to 30 games over .500

This is insanity....Milwaukee whooped-up on the Pirates AGAIN last night after bouncing back from a let-down game yesterday.  The Crew topped the Bucs 11-4 and were led by an unsung leader in Marco Estrada (4-8, 3-2 as a starter).  Not only did Estrada beat the Pirates for the 2nd time in 11 games from the mound, he also help at the plate with a couple of sac bunts that advanced a couple of baserunners.  Estrada went 7 complete innings and didn't walk a single batter.  He gave up 2 earned runs on 7 hits.
Latroy Hawkins fumbled a bit by giving up 2 earned during his 8th inning.
Nyjer Morgan went 4 for 6 on the night with a double and 2 runs batted in.
Prince Fielder drove in his 100th RBI of the season, first to reach that mark in all of baseballl; this despite going 1 for 11 in the series. He's due to erupt just in time for the Cubs series.  Lucroy had 3 hits and an RBI and McGehee hit his 10th HR of the season.  

Milwaukee now has a 10 game lead over St Louis.  But keep in mind, they still have to play them 6 times.  Their magic number is now 23
Milwaukee has THE biggest divisional lead in all of baseball right now.

Excellent, excellent story by Packers writer Lori Nickel on Nyjer Morgan.  I had no idea that he had a daughter at 19 (girlfriend was 17) and that he gave up the rights to her to play baseball.  At first read, I thought "why the hell did he give up being a parent to play baseball?".  But then you read it again and after the 3rd time you start to understand why.  He was broke and young.  Nyjer gave up the right to see his daugther and father her, in order to make money by playing baseball.  Is it something I would do?  No....but then again, who am I to judge.  He was in a tough spot and had to react.  Just so long as Nyjer is paying child support (and then some), I'm fine with it.

Milwaukee's Ron Ron is trying to down play the SI cover jinx.  Funny stuff seeing him on FSWisconsin last night, just laughing and wincing.  On a serious note, was that not the best cover you see in a long time?  To see 3 grown men (2 of them All-Star candidates) jumping up and down in the air in celebration?  That's what baseball is all about. 

A Breakdown by Sporting News on how the Braves, Brewers, and the NL West representative will match up with the Phillies.

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Mark my words, the Brewers now have the Phillies in their sights.  They know damn well how important it will be to clinch home field advantage through out the playoffs.  I truly feel, that the Brewers can catch up to Philly and take the best record in the NL.  Instead of checking the Cardinals score, we need to be checking the Phillies!  Milwaukee has a legitimate shot of obtaining the NL's best record by the end of the season--and all of baseball!  Home-field advantage would give them a huge shot of winning the NLDS & NLCS.  Thanks to the National League beating the AL in the All-Star game--they will get home field advantage in the World Series too!