The Brewers’ Wes Obermueller pitched a six-hitter for his first career shutout and the Brewers for all practical purposes finished the Stros’ fragile playoff chances with an 8-0 victory over the Stros on Saturday at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The Stros are now 2.5 games behind the Cubs and 1.5 games behind the Giants in the Wild Card playoff race with seven games to go. Folks, it’s over.
It is fitting that this type of game was the one that sealed the Stros’ fate. Except for the first month of the season and then the late August-mid September streak that got the Stros back in the playoff race, the Stros — with the exception of Berkman and Beltran — have struggled hitting generally and with power in particular. Five singles and a double off of Wes Obermueller is simply not going to win many games during a race for a playoff spot.
Pete Munro (4-7) gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in four innings, and then Tim Redding came in and showed why he was demoted to AAA ball for much of this season.
Carlos Hernandez gets the start in the Stros’ last road game of the season on Sunday afternoon against the Brewers. Then the Stros return to the Juice Box for three games series against the Cards and then the Rockies to finish the season that could have been.