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Packers LB Kirksey to miss some time

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Christian Kirksey

The Green Bay Packers are expected to be without linebacker Christian Kirksey for at least one game and possibly more after injuring his shoulder in Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints.

ESPN first reported that the injury is not considered season ending and while Kirksey is awaiting a second opinion, surgery will likely be avoided.

Kirksey is expected to miss the Packers next game, Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.  Following that game, the Packers have a Week 5 bye, which works in Kirksey’s favor.  They’ll return to action at Tampa Bay on Oct. 18th.

If the Packers decide to put Kirksey on injured reserve, he would have to miss three weeks.

Kirksey replaced Blake Martinez after signing a two-year deal worth $13 million back in March.  Martinez signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants.

Kirksey has had injury issues of late, missing all but the first two games of last season with a broken collarbone.  He played in just seven games in 2018 because of hamstring, ankle and shoulder injuries.

Second-year pro Ty Summers took over for Kirksey on Sunday and that is the most likely scenario moving forward until Kirksey returns.

 

Badgers return to top 25 polls

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With the college football season a month away, the Wisconsin Badgers are one of a small handful of Big Ten teams that found their way back into the top 25 polls this week.

The Badgers were initially ranked number-12 in the preseason A.P. top 25 poll.  But with the season already underway and the Big Ten still not having played games, this weeks poll results weren’t as favorable.

Wisconsin showed up at number 18 in this week’s Amway Coaches poll and 19th in the latest A.P. top 25 poll.

Fellow Big Ten members Ohio State dropped to No. 6 in both polls, Penn State is 10th in both polls and Michigan is at No. 21 in the coaches poll and No. 23 in the AP poll.

Both Minnesota and Iowa were in the initial AP poll but were unranked in both polls on Sunday.

The Badgers will open their season on Oct. 24 at Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium.

Packers improve to 3-0 with 37-30 win over the Saints (AUDIO)

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WR Allen Lazard receives game ball following win over the Saints.

The Green Bay Packers continued putting up big numbers on offense, improving to 3-0 on the season with a 37-30 win over the New Orleans Saints (1-2) on Sunday night at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Aaron Rodgers passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers scored 10 points in the final nine minutes to break a 27-27 tie and secured the victory.

Playing without their top receiver Davante Adams (hamstring), Rodgers turned to number two receiver Allen Lazard, who caught six passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara gained 197 yards from scrimmage, scoring a pair of touchdowns.  His 52-yard reception included four broken/missed tackles on the way to the end zone to tie the game at 27. [Read more…]

Brewers in the postseason, despite losing record

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Craig Counsell

The Milwaukee Brewers could have clinched a playoff spot with a win in the regular season finale at St. Louis on Sunday.  Instead, they took the tough rout, falling to the Cardinals 5-2 and then depending on help.  They got the needed help when both Philadelphia and San Francisco both lost, giving the sub-.500 Brewers (29-31) a spot in the National League playoffs.

The Phillies 5-0 setback against Tampa Bay finished ahead of the Brewers.  But the Giants were giving the San Diego Padres a run for their money and the Brewers were watching in the clubhouse after their loss, as San Diego pulled out a 5-4 win.

The Brewers are the No. 8 seed in the National League and will face the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17) in a best-of-three series starting Wednesday night.

The Brewers are in and they’re not apologizing.

“We got ourselves a shot,” Manager Craig Counsell said.  “You’ve got to beat a really good team twice.  It’s the best team [Read more…]

Brewers drop opener in St. Louis, have little margin for error

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Rookie Dylan Carlson homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals (28-26) to a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers (27-29) at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Thursday night.

The Cardinals trail the division leading Chicago Cubs by 2 1/2 games, while the Brewers may have put themselves in a situation to need to win out or at least capture three of their four remaining games to have a chance at the playoffs.

Their best chance was supposed to be Thursday night with Corbin Burnes (4-1) on the hill.  He entered with a 4-0 record and 1.77 ERA.  But Burnes didn’t have his good stuff and ended up leaving in the fourth inning with lower back discomfort, after allowing a home run for just the second time this season.

Three wins in the last four games would give the Brewers a 30-30 season and that may or may not be good enough to make the postseason.  They’ve now dropped three of their last four games, with a doubleheader against the Cardinals on Friday.

Tyrone Taylor and Eric Sogard delivered the only two run scoring hits for the Brewers.  Runs have been hard to come by most of the season.  Thursday night, the Brewers had nine hits, but went just 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. [Read more…]

Clark returns to practice with Packers

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Kenny Clark

The Green Bay Packers defense got some good news when nose tackle Kenny Clark returned to the practice field on Thursday, paving the way for him to potentially play on Sunday night in New Orleans against the Saints.

It’s possible the Packers could wait a week to bring Clark back, but it’s still an encouraging sign after Clark suffered a groin injury in the Vikings game and missed last Sunday’s contest against the Lions.

Veteran wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t practice for a second straight day on Thursday, but coach Matt LaFleur said this week that Adams could not practice all week and play on Sunday if he is ready to go.

Rookie tight end Josiah Deguara was held out of practice on Thursday with an ankle injury.  He took part on a limited basis on Wednesday.

Saints fans are limited Sunday

The New Orleans Saints has planned to have fans for Sunday night’s game at the Superdome, but concerns over the spread of COVID-19, those plans have changed.

The plan now is to allow up to 750 family members of players and staff to see the game in person, which means the Packers catch another scheduling break.  It’ll be the second time in the first three games that the Packers will have faced an opponent in a domed stadium and won’t have to feel the affects of loud crowd noise.

 

Brewers fall to Reds, drop series in Cincinnati

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The Cincinnati Reds have scored 14 runs in their three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers.  All of those runs were the result of the home run.  The Reds went yard three times on Wednesday night to pull out a 6-1 win over the Brewers, taking the series three-games-to-two.

The Reds pulled a game in front of the Brewers as the loss dropped Milwaukee back a game under .500 at 27-28 with five games left to play.  The Brewers open a 5-game series against the Cardinals in St. Louis tonight.

Reds ace Trevor Bauer, pitching on short rest, tossed eight innings of 1-run, 4-hit ball.  He walked just one and struck out 12 Brewers while improving to 5-4 on the season.

Adrian Houser (1-6) took the loss, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts.  Two of the five hits allowed were home runs. [Read more…]

Dietzen returns to Badgers

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Offensive lineman Jon Dietzen started 32 games for the Wisconsin Badgers, but stepped away from the program after the 2018 season because of a number of injuries.  The time away has given Dietzen new life.  He’s returned to the program and is one of 113 players on the Badgers preseason training camp roster with practice kicking off on Wednesday.

Dietzen was prepared to return to the program last spring but the NCAA closed down all on-campus workouts because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Dietzen (Seymour, Wisconsin) started 20 games at left guard and 12 at left tackle before leaving the program after a number of lower-body injuries.

UW has to replace center Tyler Biadasz, David Moorman and Jason Erdmann from last season and Dietzen’s return gives the Badgers more depth as well as a veteran presence on the offensive line.

Not on the training camp roster is starting safety Reggie Pearson.  He started 13 of 14 games last season as a redshirt freshman and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 60.

Head coach Paul Chryst told reporters on Wednesday that Pearson is dealing with a medical condition that was discovered in the off-season.  He remains enrolled in school but hasn’t been cleared to practice or play.

Pearson took over as a starter in week two last season, replacing Scott Nelson who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener against South Florida.

The Badgers will open the Big Ten season Oct. 24 against Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium.

Brewers continue playoff push, knock off Reds

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Eric Sogard

Eric Sogard’s playing time had dwindled considerably in the past few weeks, but given an opportunity on Tuesday night, Sogard delivered to help the Milwaukee Brewers pull out a much-needed win.

Sogard doubled twice, including a shot to left that broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Brewers a 3-2 victory at Great American Ballpark.  It moved them into a wildcard playoff spot with six games left to play in the regular season.

Orlando Arcia and Tyrone Taylor also drove in runs for the Brewers.  Taylor’s came with a solo home run in the fifth.

The win also moved the Brewers into a tie with the Reds for third place in the NL Central, 5-games behind the division leading Chicago Cubs.  They’re just a half game behind the second place Cardinals, who are 4 1/2 games back.  The Cubs clinched a playoff spot, despite falling 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Brett Anderson pitched six innings of two-run, four-hit ball to earn the win, improving to 4-3 on the season.  He recorded seven strikeouts, his highest total since Sept. 15, 2015 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Devin Williams followed with two innings of scoreless relief, striking out five.  Josh Hader retired the Reds in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

The Reds scored both of their runs in the first inning on a Nick Castellanos home run to center.

With the series tied 1-1, the all-important rubber game is Wednesday night.  Adrian Houser (1-5, 5.33) pitches for the Brewers, facing Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer (4-4, 1.80).  First pitch is set for 5:40 p.m.

Brewers drop series opener to Reds

By

Brandon Woodruff

With one week left in the regular season and the Milwaukee Brewers having their destiny in their own hands, they dropped the series opener to the Reds 6-3 in Cincinnati on Monday night.

Luis Castillo allowed a single run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts to secure the win.  It gave the Reds (28-27) their eighth victory in the last nine games as they moved a full game in front of the Brewers (26-27) for the final wildcard berth in the National League.

The Brewers scored a single run in the fifth inning when Jedd Gyorko homered to left.  That gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead and it stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth when Eugenio Suarez homered to left off of Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff to make it 2-1 Cincinnati.

The Reds then scored four runs in the eighth off of rookie reliever Drew Rasmussen.  Reds catcher Curt Casali hit a leadoff home run and Mike Moustakas added a three-run blast to make it 6-1.

Jace Peterson clubbed a two-out, two-run homer in the 9th to make it 6-3 Reds, but the rally ended there.

Game two of the series is Tuesday night at Great American Ballpark.  Brett Anderson (3-3, 4.38) goes for the Brewers.  Sonny Gray (5-3, 3.94) gets the nod for the Reds.  First pitch is set for 5:40 p.m.