Martin Maldonado
Do what you have to do to win the game today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. That is the situation the Milwaukee Brewers found themselves in on Sunday in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Miller Park.
The Brewers and Diamondbacks played the longest game (in terms of time) in Miller Park history and knocked off the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 in 17 innings. Martin Maldonado, who caught all 17-innings, clubbed a one-out home run to allow the Brewers to walk off a winner.
The game went 5-hours and 49 minutes and the Brewers needed nine pitchers to help snap their seven-game losing streak.
When you play 17-innings, you have a lot invested in one game and you certainly want to win. Losing Sunday would have been devastating. That’s why manager Craig Counsell pulled out all the stops.
The Brewers eventually used everyone in their bullpen so they went to Matt Garza, who was scheduled to start Monday’s game in St. Louis. But that plan went out the window when Garza pitched five innings and earned the win.
AUDIO: Craig Counsell says it was a great day for everybody :20
Maldonado entered the game hitting just .157, but went 4 for 6 on the day, including the game winning home run.
Garza improved to 3-7 with the win and lowered his ERA to 5.52.
AUDIO: Matt Garza said his team needed him and he was all in :14
AUDIO: Matt Garza said 17-inning game is fun, but it’s about competition and coming out on top :19
Tyler Wagner made his big-league debut to start the game for the Brewers. He was called up from double-A Biloxi, where he was 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA. But Wagner was roughed up for five runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings.
The Brewers had initially planned to keep Wagner around, but having to use their entire bullpen left them short on pitching. So they sent Wagner back to the minors and are scheduled to call up Tyler Cravy from Triple (A) Colorado Springs.
The Brewers will open a three-game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals tonight