|
|
|
|
 |
| MLB |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| |
Wednesday, Jul. 19 8:05pm ET
Pirates' Benson strikes out 11 in loss | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Jeff D'Amico borrowed a successful page from his pre-injury days and took his comeback to a new level. D'Amico pitched a five-hitter for his first shutout in three years, winning his fourth consecutive start as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 Wednesday night. D'Amico (6-4), who missed all of 1998 and most of last season after surgery on his right shoulder, recorded his only other shutout and complete game in a 5-0 victory over Baltimore on June 23, 1997. "Obviously, going through some of that stuff, you wonder if you're even going to be able to throw BP (batting practice) to your kids in 15 or 20 years," D'Amico said. "You never really think about coming back and throwing a shutout. You just kind of take everything step by step and one day at a time and hope everything works out. And it has worked out pretty good." D'Amico struck out four and walked four. In his last four starts, he has allowed just one run in 30 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.87. "I felt good in the bullpen," said D'Amico, who also was on the disabled list this season from June 7-30 with tendinitis in his right shoulder. "I felt strong and was able to carry it into the game and was able to go out there and put in a good performance." D'Amico, a first-round pick in the 1993 draft, began the season at Triple A Indianapolis before being recalled May 9. "The question is not can he pitch, it's will he be healthy?" Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. "He knew how to pitch before he got hurt and he knows how to pitch now. By the grace of God, if he stays healthy, we've got a gem." Kris Benson (8-8) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings, matching his career high with 11 strikeouts. "With that many strikeouts, it would have been nice to win the game," Benson said. "I felt everything was working for me. Unfortunately, I made a couple of bad pitches that cost me the game." The Pirates have lost six of seven since the All-Star break. Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the fourth inning. Marquis Grissom hit a sinking liner for a single that bounced past right fielder John Vander Wal for a two-base error, and Grissom scored on the play when Vander Wal's throw eluded the cutoff man for another error. The Brewers then loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks. Jose Hernandez's sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Milwaukee added two runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0. Ron Belliard singled with one out, advanced on Grissom's fly out and scored on Geoff Jenkins' single. Charlie Hayes followed with an RBI double. The Brewers increased the lead to 6-0 in the seventh without a hit. After Jeff Wallace walked four for one run, Steve Sparks made his major league debut with the bases loaded and threw a wild pitch on his first offering. Mike Benjamin had three singles for Pittsburgh. Jason Kendall's second-inning single was the only other hit off D'Amico until Kevin Young's single in the ninth."He was throwing the curveball over the plate at will," Pittsburgh manager Gene LaMont said of D'Amico. "He was impressive against us in Pittsburgh and he was even more impressive tonight." Game notesBenson struck out seven of the first nine batters. ... The Pirates promoted Sparks from Double-A Altoona. Pittsburgh picked him in the 28th round of the 1998 draft. ... D'Amico pitched Milwaukee's second complete game of the season. Steve Woodard has the other one, a rain-shortened five-inning game in the season opener. ... the Brewers' last complete game shutout was by Jose Mercedes on Aug. 24, 1997, against Detroit. ... D'Amico matched his career high with four consecutive wins, the last time occurring from June 13-28, 1997. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Pittsburgh Clubhouse Milwaukee Clubhouse RECAPS Kansas City 10 Cleveland 5
Milwaukee 6
| |||||