NewsMacha wants better results in clutch
Milwaukee (43-38) at Chicago (39-39), 1:20 p.m. CT
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
07/04/09 6:00 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Brewers center fielder Mike Cameron picked a good time to get a couple of clutch hits. Hours after his manager suggested that backup Jody Gerut may play more often if Cameron didn't start hitting with runners in scoring position, Cameron did just that. He hit a three-run home run in the first inning, lined an RBI double in the third and then worked a walk in yet another opportunity in the fourth as the Brewers built a big lead on the way to an 11-2 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cameron will be back in the lineup on Sunday when the teams conclude their four-game series. The finale will air nationally on TBS, with Chip Caray and Buck Martinez on the call. Each of Cameron's first three plate appearances Saturday came with runners in scoring position and less than two outs, an area of particular struggle for the veteran this season. Entering play Saturday, Cameron was 2-for-35 (.057) in those chances. Overall with runners in scoring position, he was batting .129 (8-for-62). "You have to be accountable for what you do on the field," Brewers manager Ken Macha was saying before the game. "Take [Seth] McClung for an example. He's gotten a couple starts, not too good, and he may not get another start." But what would that mean in Cameron's case? He has been streaky this season at the plate, but he is one of baseball's best defensive center fielders. Cameron's backup, Gerut, is just 4-for-35 since a trade from San Diego to Milwaukee after grounding out pinch-hitting for Cameron in the eighth inning on Saturday. Would Macha really consider playing Gerut over Cameron? "Right," he said. "We've got one guy on the bench who's our backup center fielder. Hopefully, that guy gets going." Macha wasn't trying to pick on Cameron. The Brewers took the field on Independence Day with a number of hitters stalling in the clutch, including right fielder Corey Hart (.213 with runners in scoring position entering Saturday's game), shortstop J.J. Hardy (.200) and third baseman Bill Hall (.182). The bright spots were first baseman Prince Fielder, who entered the game hitting .325 with runners in scoring position with 54 of his 75 RBIs, and left fielder Ryan Braun, who was hitting .341 in the clutch with 38 of his 58 RBIs. Milwaukee's new five-hole hitter, Casey McGehee, has also thrived in that role. He collected two more hits with runners in scoring position on Saturday as part of his five-RBI day. In their first two games against the Cubs, the Brewers were 4-for-22 with runners in scoring position and had stranded 20 men on base. On Saturday, they went 4-for-11. "We had a meeting before we played San Francisco [on June 26] and said that's an area we need to improve," said Macha, who called some players' sub-.200 averages with runners in scoring position "not acceptable," and added, "I probably 'wear' that more than anybody, because my responsibility is the wins and losses." "So there's going to come a time where you have to be held accountable for what you're doing," Macha said. "Everybody is kind of thinking that this race is going to go down to the wire and there's going to be a bunch of teams in it, so in September, all of those at-bats are going to be critical." On Saturday, the Brewers finally made those at-bats count. Pitching matchupMIL: RHP Mike Burns (1-1, 3.31 ERA)
Burns allowed a two-run home run in the first inning, then blanked the Mets for the rest of his 6 2/3-inning stint to notch his first Major League win on Tuesday. Manager Ken Macha provided the analysis: "He walks the first hitter and then no walks after that. Sixty-six strikes, 29 balls. He throws a curve, fastball, slider, changeup, and with every one of those pitches he was more than 50 percent strikes. He threw 16 first-pitch strikes. If you throw first-pitch strikes, you make the batter swing the bat, and he got 10 outs in three pitches or less. I think it's especially impressive going up against Johan Santana." Burns will be making his third Major League start and his first on the road. CHC: LHP Ted Lilly (7-6, 3.35 ERA)
Lilly lost his second successive start in his last game, giving up three runs (two earned) in seven innings during a shutout loss to the Pirates on Tuesday. Despite the setback, Lilly leads the club in victories and strikeouts (88). This will be his first start against the Brewers this season, but he's 2-2 with a 4.72 ERA in his career against Milwaukee. Lilly has been dominating at home so far this season, going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA in seven starts. Tidbits
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and Macha will meet Tuesday to make two important decisions. They'll need to identify a starting pitcher to join the rotation on either Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday (there's some flexibility, Macha said), and they will also decide whether third base prospect Mat Gamel, whose playing time has evaporated, would be better playing every day at Triple-A Nashville. If Melvin doesn't make a trade first, one option to pitch is left-hander Manny Parra, who was demoted to Nashville last month and pitched seven scoreless innings on Friday. Parra's next scheduled start is Wednesday. ... Melvin wouldn't say much about his intentions for Gamel, who has only four plate appearances this month and just 15 in the Brewers' past 12 games. "If we have a roster move, we'll let you know," Melvin said. If the Brewers indeed send Gamel back to Nashville, they would promote another position player, Macha said. ... Injured right-hander Dave Bush (triceps) told Macha he felt fine on Saturday, a day after ramping up his throwing program. Bush is slated for a Minor League rehab start for Double-A Huntsville on July 15. "He's on track, so let's hope we keep it that way," Macha said. Tickets
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• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Brewers (Yovani Gallardo, 8-5, 2.75) vs. Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 8-5, 3.32), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 5-6, 4.60) vs. Cardinals (Todd Wellemeyer, 7-7, 5.44), 7:05 p.m. CT
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
