First NL Central postseason win since 2008!

Wow - if you want to go back even further, it's the first win by the NL Central champions since the Cardinals closed out the 2006 World Series. I hadn't even noticed.

Yeah, our division sucks. But congrats to the Brew Crew!

At least Ian Kennedy was brutally honest about why he didn't walk Lucroy and pitch to Gallardo in the sixth (Lucroy drove in the run). From the Arizona Republic:

When asked if he considered walking Jonathan Lucroy to get to Yovani Gallardo in the sixth inning, he said, "It was a guy who can't really hit and Gallardo can swing it a little bit. There was no thought at all for me at least."

From MLB.com, on why he didn't walk Fielder in the seventh (when Fielder homered):

That brought Fielder to the plate, and Gibson went to the mound to talk to Kennedy, who was sitting at 109 pitches.

"It was a conversation," Kennedy said. "He just asked me what I thought and obviously I wanted to go after him and that's what Miggy thought. We thought about walking him, but I'm not going to do that."

Arizona coaching staff choked in this game.

Williams waving bloomquist who was just barely rounding 3rd when braun fielded uptons sharp line single to shallow left lead to willie getting thrown out by 20 feet.

And not walking fielder and pitching to weeks instead was idiotic . Gibson needed to take charge there and failed to do so letting the in mates run the asylum.

But don't take anything away from brew crew. Gallardo hit his spots from the 2nd inning on and was dominating. Braun had great at bats, fouling off a ton of pitches before getting his hits. He really wore kennedy down.

And fielder did what stars do in big moments.


I feel bad for kennedy. He was not sharp with his command at all. The country did not get to see the kennedy we have been watching all year. But he almost pulled it off anyway

I think you bring in Paterson to face Fielder. Intentional walks are a last resort to me. Anyway, why the heck else was he warming?

Don Sutton’s postseason franchise record with nine strikeouts

Was Eric Gregg behind the plate for that one?

And, yes, leaving a tiring starter to pitch to Fielder is silly. Either you walk or you bring in the LOOGY.

The country did not get to see the kennedy we have been watching all year.

He should have pitched tomorrow - with the NFL on at the same time (as well as the Yankee game on) - no one will be watching what happens tomorrow! :P

NTN, happily I haven't yet seen a single down of NFL play. Happened to catch two minutes of a college game last week before I found the book I'm reading.

Not walking Fielder reeally jumped out to me. Yeah, I hate the intentional walk but geez. So, I haven't really seen many Dbacks games this year: does Gibson just not intentionally walk guys? Because I could respect that. But if he ever DOES walk anyone, he should have walked Fielder there. Bring in a lefty would have also been fine. But letting Kennedy pitch to him...gutsy, but stupid.

Someone should tape Popeye's forearms to his ankles and just leave him rolling on the grass by the third base dugout all day tomorrow.

Just finished watching the game (had it DVR-ed), and the Dbacks (hitters, pitchers and especially coaching staff) were thoroughly overmatched today.

does Gibson just not intentionally walk guys?

Correct. 16 all year, which is really low for the NL. (In fact, tied for last in the league. Tied with whom? The Brewers.)

Correct. 16 all year, which is really low for the NL. (In fact, tied for last in the league. Tied with whom? The Brewers.)

The next lowest was 41.

Like others said.....if you insist to pitch to him, bring in the lefty.

But just because you are normally opposed to intentionally walking guys, THAT was a situation where it was clearly dictated. You were down two runs to begin with. The runner on first is not all that important in that situation.

Yeah, but at least it's not like he didn't walk Fielder two innings after walking the 8 hole hitter to get to the pitcher with no one on and 1 out.

Thanks for the info guys - I guess I could have looked that up myself.

I adore Ron's aversion to the IBB

Macy's drove me nuts

And not walking fielder and pitching to weeks instead was idiotic . Gibson needed to take charge there and failed to do so letting the in mates run the asylum.

Going to say yes. Said so before the at bat, certainly said so after.

Have IPK walk Fielder, bring in your RHP who's death on RHB to face Weeks and take it from there.

if you want to go back even further, it's the first win by the NL Central champions since the Cardinals closed out the 2006 World Series.

Parsing this, it means the NL Central winner got swept out of the first round four straight years 2007-2010. I hadn't noticed either.