Brewers (7) @ Giants (4) 7/20 -- Tastes Great, Less Filling

Tastes Great:

Manny Parra--Took a shutout into the 8th inning with a pretty low pitch count, but ran out of gas a bit and ended up going 7 2/3 allowing only 2 late runs.  Also picked up a hit, marking the 5th straight game in which a Brewers pitcher has gotten a hit.  Who knew!?!

Ryan Braun--I feel a heat wave coming on and it shall be called Ryan Braun.  Finished off a series where he went 6 for 13 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, and a home run to go along with 5 RBI.  Stole a base, walked once, and made a nice sliding catch in yesterday's game also.  What Derby hangover??

Rickie Weeks & JJ Hardy--Were on base a combined 5 times and scored 4 times.  It really helps when the top of the order can get on to set up the boppers.

Less Filling:

Bottom of the order--At a time when the top of the order is heating up (Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Fielder), the bottom of the order is cooling off considerably.  Kendall's average has dipped into the .250 range, Cameron is still struggling along around .235, and Branyan's average has nosedived to .243.  Good thing the pitchers have been producing at the bottom lately:)

Brian Shouse--Once again the bullpen, Shouse in this case, took what should have been a relaxing day for Solomon Torres and turned it into a save situaiton.  With a 5 run lead in the 9th the closer should be able to rest and get ready for a huge 4 game series against the team directly above you in the standings.  Instead he is forced to throw 15-20 pitches in the bullpen and come into a stressful save situation.  Granted he only had to get one out, but it was a stressful out nonetheless.  That's about 3 or 4 times that's happened now since Torres took over.  I know he's got a rubber arm, but it'd still be nice not to have to worry about over-working him.  Plus the more times you put yourselves in that situation, the bigger chance something like 5-0 turning into 6-5 happens.