Brewers 2, Padres 1

So we finally know what it's like to lose a series again. No worries, if we continue to score one run a game, we'll lose plenty of series.

Darvish: he gets a pass. Do you think Melvin would have run him out there in the seventh if he were that confident about our bullpen? I think Melvin actually believed our chances were better with Darvish starting the inning. It's really the same game as yesterday, when you think about it. One run, we take the lead, watch us blow the lead, and, for the grand finale, witness our popgun offense try and stage a comeback. Five runs in three games at home. And no, the Brewers pitchers weren't that good. We didn't even face Woodruff, who seems to have our number. This is kind of what playoff baseball looks like. Good pitching, good defense, every out counts. We are not there yet.

We are wasting some big at bats with Profar in the three spot. Yesterday first and third, no outs, and he grounds into a double play. Now bases loaded, one out, and we get one. We don't have that killer instinct that is required to come through in key situations. Need a groundball? We get a popout or a strikeout. Okay, so it doesn't help that half our lineup has forgotten how to hit. 

What grates on me even more is our team getting beaten by former Padres. Perdomo shuts us out in relief...where was he when we needed that? Boxberger, lights out. Urias starts the winning rally with a leadoff walk. All former friars. Nothing pissed me off more when we lost to Cleveland earlier this year, because Austin Hedges finally understood what that bat was doing in his hand and delivered. He was an out machine in SD, which made management even forget about his good defense.

What did the former Brewer, Grisham, do? Provided the final out to end the game. He is really looking bad at the plate. 

We need situational hitting more than ever, but it's not in today's player's makeup. Wait, you want me to give up an at bat so the guy can advance? No RBI? No chance to swing for the fences? With our limited offense, it would be a good idea to learn how to bunt or teach our guys situational awareness. Runner on second, no outs? How do I move him over? The guy's on third, less than two outs. How do I get him in? Today, it seems like it's all or nothing. Whiff or whack. Dud or dinger. No in between. Back in the day, 100 strikeouts were a lot. Today that's a given that most sluggers are approaching that mark by the All Star break. 

And no, I'm not nostalgic about the good old days, because they weren't any better. That goes for baseball as well. But sometimes, sometimes I wish a batter would know when to push and when to pull a ball. 

A day off, then the Pirates. We need to get those games back. And, more important, we need to start hitting the ball at home. In our last 13 games at Petco, we have scored 29 runs. Not enough.