Baseball, like other sports, has changed throughout the years. We’re in the era of strikeouts, home runs and nothing else in between. Brewers are striking out a rapid rate in the past couple of games. It started with Clayton Kershaw on Friday night, and it hasn’t stopped since. It’s like a scab that keeps getting popped open. Brewers drop Game 1 of the series, 7-2 after a late inning barrage by Giants.

Player of the Game (Brewers): Eric Sogard (SS) – The guy continues to hit the baseball for Brewers. Sogard went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run in the first inning. This is the first time Milwaukee lost with Sogard in the lineup yet he still set the table early for what should have been a big inning.

(Not) Player of the Game: Junior Guerra (P) – Rough unexpected start for Guerra who has been typically great against lefthanders in his career faced a bunch of them and struggled mightily. He could not locate the strike zone with three walks yet multiple batters with two or three balls in the count. We didn’t see these starts with him last season.

Player of the Game (Giants): Jeff Samardzija (P) – He finally conquered the demons of Miller Park where he was 0-3 and got hit around pretty good here in his various stints throughout the years. Samardziija showed off electric stuff with 10 strikeouts over nearly eight innings of work. He pitched a dandy.

Positive: Brett Phillips didn’t look out of place – Ignore the error late in the game, Brett Phillips had a nice night in his first game as a Milwaukee Brewer. He finished with a single and an outfield assist where he gunned a runner at second base. I’m of the theory that this is not a three-day vacation in Milwaukee and will see him more as time goes on.

Negative: Brewers keep losing Game 1 – A trend developed in the last two weeks where Brewers have dropped Game 1 of the series for four consecutive series. That’s not good. It’s very hard to develop winning streaks when things like that happen. Brewers came down to earth in the last two weeks, but it’s not to say they can’t get hot again.

Next up: Matt Cain takes the mound for Brewers who hasn’t been great away from home this season. Cain, like The Shark, has some disastrous numbers at Miller Park yet it’s been awhile since he’s pitched here. Cain’s problems have been to lefties all year which could mean a rebound game for Eric Thames.

Charlie.