Most of the 41,631 that came to Miller Park Monday night bought their tickets well before it was announced that Yovani Gallardo would take the mound for his first major league start. Nearly 13,000 were planning on taking in the game as part of Little League Night, while many more had hoped to see Giants slugger Barry Bonds chase Hank Aaron’s home run record.
The Brewers’ 11th sellout crowd of the season still got their money’s worth, as the 21-year-old right-hander put on a performance to remember.
Gallardo allowed three runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings of work as the Brewers posted a 5-4 victory over San Francisco. Gallardo allowed three walks -- two to Bonds -- and struck out four. He became the first Brewers pitcher to win his major league debut since Chris Saenz scattered two hits over six shutout innings to beat the Cardinals in April, 2005.
“He was very, very good,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said of Gallardo. “The first inning got a little long for him (32 pitches), but that’s what happens when you’re making your first start. He buckled down after that and really got to his game, which is throwing strikes with his fastball and his curveball.”
Gallardo showed little sign of nervousness. With two strikes on Ryan Klesko in the first inning, he threw a 93-mph fastball down the middle to record his first strikeout. Staked to a healthy lead, Gallardo was nearly perfect after the first, allowing just a third-inning walk and sixth-inning double to Barry Bonds before Pedro Feliz led off the seventh with a home run.
“I was a little bit nervous in the first inning,” Gallardo said. “But I was able to settle down and pitch the way I’ve been pitching after that. It worked out tonight.”
He would face two more batters before giving way to Carlos Villanueva, and Gallardo left the field to a standing ovation.
As heralded as he was as a pitcher, Gallardo also showed he had some pop with his bat. Stepping into the batter’s box for the first time, he ripped a run-scoring double to left field in the second inning.
“I love hitting,” Gallardo said. “I just look at that as a bonus for a pitcher and just try to help myself out in that situation.”
Yost wasn’t quite ready to announce when Gallardo would make his next start. His next scheduled turn could come on Saturday, but the Brewers are off on Thursday. Gallardo had six days’ rest since making his last start with Class AAA Nashville.
Curious bystanders: All eyes in Miller Park were focused on Gallardo’s major-league debut, and that includes his teammates. A majority of the Brewers were leaning up against the dugout railing as the 21-year-old threw his first big league inning. Among the observers were pitchers Chris Capuano (whose spot Gallardo has taken in the rotation due to injury), Derrick Turnbow, Claudio Vargas, and Jeff Suppan.
Fun with numbers: Gallardo is wearing No. 49; best remembered by longtime Brewers fans as the same number worn by the infamous Teddy Higuera. Others who wore that number include some of the more colorful names from team history: Tom Candiotti (1983-84), Rob Dibble (1995), Mike Potts (1996), Ron Villone (1996-97), and David Weathers (1998-01). Doug Davis, who was traded to Arizona over the winter, wore the number last season.
Fielder leads in All-Star voting: Prince Fielder, still weary from his inside-the-park home run against Minnesota, can breathe a little easier this evening. The Brewers’ first baseman currently leads National League fan voting for the All Star Game next month in San Francisco.
In results through Monday, Fielder had 899,997 votes. St. Louis’ Albert Pujols is in second place with 876,849. Fielder currently leads the NL with 26 home runs and a .643 slugging percentage. He also has a .289 batting average and has driven in 56 runs.
Fans can cast ballots at Miller Park and at the team’s Web site; www.brewers.com, until 10:59 p.m. Thursday, June 28th. The Brewers have also set up a special polling station at Miller Park. Fans will elect the eight starters for each squad, while players and managers will select alternates and pitchers.
No Brewer has been elected as a starter since Paul Molitor in 1988. Jeromy Burnitz was named to start in the 1999 game in Boston, and Geoff Jenkins was elected by a special online fan vote in 2003.
Great day for a ballgame: The Miller Park roof was closed due to showers and storms moving through the area Monday evening. The temperature outside the stadium was a cool and damp 74 degreee, while the temperature under the roof was a balmy 82.
Yost was worried that the humidty was getting to his starter during a lengthy first inning.
“I remembered that he spent the summer in Nashville, Tenn.,” Yost said. “He was probably more used to it than we were.”
