On Monday, Ben Sheets showed his detractors that he is back to full strength in a two-hit, complete game victory over the Dodgers. On Tuesday, another Brewer silenced a couple of his critics.
Perhaps no member of the team had a more disappointing 2006 season than Derrick Turnbow. After starting the season as the team's lights-out closer, the right-hander melted down following his all-star appearance and eventually lost his closing job and his manager's confidence.
On Tuesday, Turnbow made his first appearance of the 2007 campaign and looked to have his mojo back. Entering with a 4-3 lead, he pitched a scoreless, 1-2-3 eighth inning that finished with pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson taking a slider for a called third strike.
"I threw a couple sliders tonight and they were good, that was the first pitch that went last year," Turnbow said. "Everything felt good tonight; fastball, mechanics, everything just felt good."
Yost said that he didn't have any doubts that Turnbow would return to his All-Star form.
"We've seen that from him all spring," Yost said. "After his first outing, Derrick was feeling good, had his confidence back and was throwing strikes."
KEEPING PACE: Making his first start of the season, Kevin Mench kept pace with Geoff Jenkins, with whom he is splitting time in left field. Mench went 1 for 3 with a home run, two RBI, and a strikeout in four trips. Jenkins was 2 for 4 on Monday with a double and two runs batted in. Yost still won't call his left field situation a straight platoon, but if Mench and Jenkins can keep hitting like they did in spring training, it could be an interesting situation.
"They're both exceptional players," Yost said. "They're both very successful; [Jenkins] against right-handers and Mench's numbers against lefties. If you put those guys out there, you're going to have pretty good numbers for your left field position."
OTHER DEBUTS: Aside from Mench, Turnbow and starter Chris Capuano who struck out six and allowed two runs and three hits in five innings of work, a number of Brewers made their 2007 debuts. Brian Shouse picked up his first victory of the season while Tony Gwynn, Jr. grounded out to first pinch-hitting in the sixth. Francisco Cordero worked a perfect ninth for his first save, and Greg Aquino and Matt Wise also saw their first action.
HOT TICKET: Tuesday's announced attendance of 22,603 was the largest second-game crowd since 27,806 came to Miller Park to see the Brewers take on Arizona in 2002. If you're keeping track at home, the team is averaging 33,972 through two games and is on pace to draw a team-record 2,751,732 fans this year.
MOVIN' RIGHT ALONG: Speaking of quirky, too-early-to-matter stats, the Brewers' two games this season have been completed in an average time of 2:21. Most people assume that sportswriters have a vested interest in the success or failure of the teams they cover; but the only thing that really matters in the press box is how quickly the games get done. Right now, there are actually smiles on faces.
OFF THE SCHNEID: Chorizo picked up its first victory of the year in the Klement's Sausage Race. The newcomer broke away from the pack around home plate and coasted to the finish line.
