Milwaukee Brewers fans pay tribute to the late Bob Uecker
The Milwaukee Brewers honored the life of the legendary Bob Uecker on Sunday Aug. 24 at American Family Field.
SAN DIEGO – The Milwaukee Brewers’ 7-0 shutout at the hands of the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday night, Sept. 23 was ugly on its face.
And Bruce Zimmermann bore the brunt of it, allowing a grand slam five batters into the bottom of the first inning and then a two-run homer in the second that quickly and definitively decided matters.
But look beyond the surface, and one realizes the veteran left-hander did still help Milwaukee in one big way: Namely throwing 91 pitches over six innings, no small feat for a team whose pitching staff has been decimated by injuries of late.
“I know our fans probably don’t watch it the same way I do,” said manager Pat Murphy. “But he pitched six innings, and we all know the state of our bullpen and our pitching staff in general. I thought he did a tremendous job, and that’s exactly what was needed tonight.”
BOX SCORE: Padres 7, Brewers 0
The Brewers offense didn’t do give Zimmermann much backing, either, with the unit managing a lone single and three total baserunners over the first seven innings against Randy Vásquez.
It was the third straight loss for Milwaukee, which continues to limp its way to the finish line of the regular season.
But there was some good news in the midst of the clunker, an 11-inning, rain-delayed Philadelphia Phillies loss to the Miami Marlins that dropped the Brewers’ magic number to clinch home-field advantage throughout the postseason to two.
The Bruce Zimmermann era gets off to a rough start
Starting a game in the majors for the first time since June 15, 2022, the 30-year-old Zimmermann allowed a leadoff single followed by a walk and then another single to load the bases.
Ryan O’Hearn followed by slugging a grand slam to right – not exactly the open Zimmermann or the Brewers were anticipating.
Zimmermann ultimately needed 28 pitches to finish the frame.
Things got no better in the second as San Diego’s No. 9 batter, Mason McCoy, reached base on a throwing error by Brice Turang and one batter later Luis Arráez doinked a lazy fly ball off the foul pole in right field for a 6-0 Padres lead.
“Priority No. 1 was a win tonight, because we’re still playing for home-field advantage,” Zimmermann said. “Unfortunately when the game started the way it did, the strategy pivoted to try to eat as many innings as possible.”
Finally, things settle down
Following the nightmarish open, Zimmermann settled in and actually pitched well for the most part. From innings three through five he allowed only a single and a walk.
The sixth was shaping up to be more trouble when San Diego’s first two batters singled and then Freddy Fermin reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases.
But Zimmermann got consecutive ground balls leading to a force out at home and then a terrific 4-6-3 double play started by a diving Turang to keep it a 6-0 game.
All told, Zimmermann allowed seven hits, six runs (five earned) and two walks with a strikeout before giving way to Tobias Myers in the seventh.
“It meant a lot,” Zimmermann said. “I pride myself on being a resilient pitcher. It’s really easy to let yourself get down or let yourself get out of game mode, but I was pretty proud of how I was able to bounce back. The guys picked me up and made some great defensive plays behind me.
“Obviously, I’d love to get that first inning back. It was kind of a slow start getting back into the rhythm of things. But to pick up six and save the bullpen arms going down the stretch (was big) because they’re going to need that rest.”
Myers ultimately pitched the final two innings, allowing a solo homer to Jose Iglesias in the eighth that capped the scoring.
Milwaukee’s one strikeout on the night was a season low by its pitching staff.
A very quiet night offensively
Vásquez was virtually untouchable as he issued a walk in each of the first two innings, allowed a one-out single to center by Christian Yelich in the third and then not so much as a baserunner for the rest of his seven innings.
The right-hander retired the final 14 batters he faced. On June 6 at American Family Field, he threw 4 â…” shutout innings in an eventual 2-0 Padres victory.
“The kid pitched really well against us,” Murphy said. “The last time he pitched against well against us, and he pitched well again.”
Blake Perkins, Joey Ortiz and Sal Frelick singled against San Diego’s bullpen in the final couple innings but Milwaukee ultimately was shut out for the 12th time on the season.
What time is the Brewers game tonight?
Time: 8:40 p.m.
What channel is the Brewers game on tonight?
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Brewers 2025 record
95-63 (clinched NL Central title)
Brewers magic number
The Brewers magic number to clinch the best record in the major leagues is two over the Phillies for home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Brewers lineupChristian Yelich DHJackson Chourio LFBrice Turang 2BWilliam Contreras CSal Frelick RFCaleb Durbin 3BJake Bauers 1BBlake Perkins CFJoey Ortiz SSPadres lineupLuis Arráez 1BXander Bogaerts SSGavin Sheets LFRamón Laureano RFRyan O’Hearn 1BJose Iglesias SSBryce Johnson CFFreddy Fermin CMason McCoy 2BBrewers schedule
Brewers vs. Padres, Sept. 24, 3:10 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Chad Patrick (3-8, 3.66) vs. San Diego RHP Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.64). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.