9/1/22 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Thursday
1 September 2022 Sports
Sports for Thursday
From Wayne Mausser
Keston Hiura and Luis Urías each hit an RBI single during Milwaukee’s four-run seventh inning, and the Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Wednesday. Willy Adames had a run-scoring double as Milwaukee won for the fourth time in five games. Freddy Peralta pitched five effective innings, and Taylor Rogers (3-6) got four outs for the win.
Former Brewer Ben Gamel homered for last-place Pittsburgh, which had won two of three. Kevin Newman had two of the Pirates’ five hits. Pittsburgh jumped in front on Gamel’s two-out drive to right-center in the fourth. It was his seventh homer of the season.
But Adames doubled home Tyrone Taylor in the fifth, and Milwaukee went ahead to stay on Omar Narváez’s run-scoring groundout against Miguel Yajure (1-1) in the sixth.
Hunter Renfroe sparked Milwaukee’s big seventh with a one-out single. Renfroe advanced on Kolten Wong’s walk and scored on Hiura’s single. Urías followed with an another run-scoring single for a 4-1 lead.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton then replaced Yajure with Yohan Ramirez. But the Brewers extended their rally with a little patience. Consecutive walks for Narváez, rookie pinch-hitter Garrett Mitchell and Christian Yelich brought home two more runs.
Peralta allowed two hits, struck out three and walked none. Rogers, Brad Boxberger and Adrian Houser then combined for four innings of three-hit ball.
Pirates’ starter Zach Thompson struck out five in four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and walked one.
RHP Brandon Woodruff (9-3, 3.31 ERA) gets the start Thursday when Milwaukee kicks off a seven-game road trip with the first of four against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is at 8:40 CDT and the game can be heard on AM 1100/98.3 FM, WISS.
Elsewhere in the NL Central Wednesday Saint Louis continues to roll as the Cardinals beat the Reds 5-3 and the Cubs downed the Blue Jays 7-5. The Cardinals remain six games ahead of the Brewers in the division and Milwaukee trails San Diego by 2 ½ games for the final Wild Card spot.
In the Midwest League Wednesday the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers won at Peoria 7-4. They play again tonight with the first pitch at 6:35.
After Wednesday’s practice following the mandatory cut-down day on Tuesday, the Packers will be off through the weekend. Yesterday’s practice was one of the most competitiive sessions all summer. Matt LaFleur saw what happened in Week 1 last year (a 38-3 loss to the Saints) and decided to do something about it.
“We are going to have a very game-like practice where we have 4 quarters and just play it out,” LaFleur said before the session. “A great opportunity for our guys to get a lot of reps and make sure we are in the right footbal shape so to speak.”
“I think it was the best praftice of camp,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “For us older guys, it was like a preseason game. I wish we would’ve done a couple more of those. Had like a 40 minute running clock. It was a good practice. had a lot of good situations and 2-minute drills.”
The Packers made some roster moves on Wednesday, as they signed S Rudy Ford and released S Micah Abernathy, and signed the following players to the practice squad: QB Danny Etling, WR Travis Fulgham (full-gum), CB Rico Gafford, RB Tyler Goodson, LB La’Darius Hamilton, DL Jack Heflin, T Caleb Jones, LB Kobe Jones, DL Chris Slayton, RB Patrick Taylor, CB Kiondre Thomas (kee-ON-dray) and LB Ray Wilborn. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transactions Wednesday.
Ford (6-0, 200), a sixth-year player out of Auburn University, was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round (No. 208 overall) in 2017. After two years with the Cardinals (2017-18), he played for the Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons (2019-20) and spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2021). For his career, Ford has played in 56 games with six starts and registered 59 tackles (42 solo), two tackles for a loss, three passes defensed, two QB hits, a half-sack and an interception. He has posted 29 tackles on special teams, including a career-high 11 for the Eagles in 2020. Ford will wear No. 20 for the Packers.
All 12 players signed to the practice squad spent time with the Packers during the 2022 training camp.
The Packers have been concentrating on upgrading its’ special teams unit. Green Bay had the worst special teams unit in the NFL last season according to efficiency metrics from Football Outsiders. In their 13-10 NFC divisional playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers allowed a game-tying touchdown on a blocked punt, had a field-goal attempt blocked just before halftime and had only 10 men on the field when Robbie Gould kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The changes on special teams began shortly after the playoff loss. The Packers fired Maurice Drayton as special teams coordinator and hired Bisaccia, a longtime special teams coordinator who led the Raiders to a playoff berth as interim head coach last season. They signed safety Dallin Leavitt and cornerback Keisean Nixon, who both had major special teams roles while playing for Bisaccia in Las Vegas.
They allowed punter Corey Bojorquez to leave via free agency and brought in former Chicago Bears punter Pat O’Donnell to replace him, noting that O’Donnell was a better holder. They cut incumbent long snapper Steven Wirtel to clear the way for Jack Coco.
Green Bay officials focused on special teams again this week while deciding on the final roster spots. Gutekunst acknowledged that keeping some players primarily because of their special teams skills, could reduce the Packers’ depth on offense and defense, but he was willing to take that risk.
The Packers open the regular season September 11th at Minnesota.
Wisconsin opens its’ season at home Saturday against Illinois. There’s been a lot of emphasis in camp about improving the production of quarterback Graham Mertz. Offensive Coordinator Bobby Engram talks any improvements he’s noticed in Mertz’ game. He said his quarterback has worked hard, taken a lot of snaps under center and seems to be making good decisions with the football.
Engram said the Badgers’ staff is undecided on who the back-up quarterback will be.
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