Brewers' Best Opening Day Pitching Performances
The 2016 version of Opening Day is right around the corner for the Milwaukee Brewers, and it's always one of the more exciting dates on the calendar. The anticipation of the new season ramps up the senses and makes performances more memorable - good and bad.
This year will mark the Brewers' 48th season opener. The club has gone 25-22-1 (yes, that's a tie from 2000) overall and 10-7 when starting the year at home - which they'll do for the 5th straight year in 2016.
A year ago, Kyle Lohse turned in the Crew's worst starting pitching performance on Opening Day, allowing 8 earned runs and 10 hits, including 5 doubles and a pair of home runs in just 3.1 innings. It was memorable, but one we'd all like to have erased from our minds.
The hope is that Wily Peralta can wash out the bad taste in our mouths with an Opening Day performance worthy of being one of the Brewers' best of all time. If he can come close to replicating any of the club's top 5 starts, Milwaukee can celebrate its undefeated team for at least one day.
5. Yovani Gallardo, 2014 vs. Atlanta
Just 2 years ago, Gallardo tossed 6 scoreless innings at Miller Park en route to a 2-0 Brewers victory. A climbing pitch count bit Yo in the end, but he fanned 4 batters and was rarely threatened by the Braves. It was Milwaukee's 1st Opening Day team shutout since 1988.
4. Mike Caldwell, 1979 vs. New York
Coming off his franchise-record 22-win season in 1978, Caldwell waltzed into Yankee Stadium and tossed a complete game to beat the 2-time defending World Series Champions. In the 5-1 win, Caldwell scattered 7 hits (all singles) without a walk, though he didn't strike anyone out either.
3. Jim Slaton, 1976 vs. New York
The Brewers' all-time leader in wins fired a complete game, 5-0 shutout over the Yankees at County Stadium. Slaton walked 3, but gave up just 4 singles, picked off a runner, and let only 3 guys reach second base. Slaton is the only Brewers' pitcher to throw an Opening Day shutout.
(Side note: Hank Aaron had 3 RBI in the game in what would be his final season)
2. Teddy Higuera, 1988 vs. Baltimore
Showing no ill effects from the 261.2 innings he pitched the year prior, Higuera was in complete control to start '88. He struck out 7 batters in 7 frames, giving up just 3 hits and a walk as the Brewers thrashed the host Orioles 12-0.
Higuera struck out the side in the 1st inning, retired the last 7 men he faced, and would end the year with a 2.45 ERA and MLB-best 0.999 WHIP.
1. Ben Sheets, 2007 vs. Los Angeles
An impressive outing I saw first-hand, Sheets literally made one bad pitch the whole game (unfortunately, it was hit for a HR). He faced 2 over the minimum, retired 22 batters in a row, struck out 3 and walked none in this complete game, 2-hit masterpiece - a 7-1 win.
Need further proof of Sheets dominance? The game finished in 2 hours, 11 minutes and he needed just 104 pitches (nearly a "A Maddux). This was 1 of only 4 Opening Day complete games in club history as Sheets would be an All-Star for a 3rd time in '07.