Next game: Saturday, April 5th vs. San Francisco
Brewers Gameday with the Jockey Pregame Show at 11:30 a.m. on Newsradio 620 WTMJ

Brewers' Home Opener
• Gameday Coverage
• 620WTMJ Exclusive Audio
• Dan, Jay and the Llama's Guide
• Our Experts Predict '08 Season
• 620WTMJ, Brewers Extend Radio Broadcast Rights Deal

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The Brewers' 2008 Roster
• Starters
• Relievers
• Infielders
• Outfielders

4:08 p.m.  Game Over
Torres vs. Winn: stretching it for a full count just to give fans an extra stretch of their legs, "he struck him out looking and this one is over."

4:07 p.m.  Top 9th  2 out
Torres vs. Velez: Corey Hart comes under a smash easily and puts it out.

4:06 p.m.  Top 9th  1 out
Turnbow (I guess Turnbow was just getting practice throws in) vs. Ortmeier: a bounceout to Weeks.

4:01 p.m.  End 8th  3 out
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 4
Streets vs. Hart: the second warning track shot of the inning goes for an out to right field.  Turnbow coming in.

4:01 p.m.  Bot 8th  2 out
Streets vs. Hall: Can it be home run number three?  Nope, a slow slapper to short ending his day in all probability.

4:00 p.m.  Bot 8th  1 out
Streets vs. Braun: A 359-foot flyout to left field...awwww.

3:57 p.m.  Mid 8th  3 out
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 4
Torres vs. Durham: an easy fly out to end another ho-hum Giants inning.

3:55 p.m.  Top 8th  2 out
Torres vs. Bocock: a pop-up to J.J. Hardy that wouldn't be a home run in a telephone booth.  (Thank you, Harry Caray, for use of the reference again.)

3:53 p.m.  Top 8th  1 out
Torres vs. Aurelia: before the third largest crowd in Miller Park history, 45,212, Torres has the sun in his eyes delivering to Aurelia, who saw strike three curve into the strike zone while he stood there like Han Solo at the end of Empire Strikes Back.

3:50 p.m.  End 7th  3 out
Streets vs. Joe Dillon (replaces Fielder): launching a pop-up into orbit before it drops into Velez' glove.

3:49 p.m.  Bot 7th  2 out  runner on 1st
Streets vs. Kapler: a split-the-wicket frozen rope single to left field.

3:48 p.m.  Bot 7th  2 out
Streets vs. Weeks: a 5-4-3 double play on a hard bouncer to third.

3:45 p.m.  Bot 7th  runner on 1st
Streets vs. Rivera: clean base hit, his first of the year, and he rumbles to safety.

3:41 p.m.  Mid 7th  3 out
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 4
Torres vs. Cabrera: an easy groundout and the 7th inning stretch begins

3:41 p.m.  Top 7th  2 out
Torres vs. Fred Lewis: Fielder with a backhanded stab and pitch to the pitcher for the out against a fast Lewis.

3:39 p.m.  Top 7th  1 out
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 4
Torres vs. Molina: a two-run homer that you can blame on Jim Powell saying that Molina wouldn't hit clean-up in any other lineup in the majors.  Thanks, Jim.

3:38 p.m.  Top 7th  1 out  runner on 1st
Torres vs. Winn: a line drive base hit to left field, his third base appearance today.

3:35 p.m.  Top 7th  1 out
Salomon Torres (new pitcher) vs. Velez: Hardy calls and one-hands a pop-up in short left center.

3:32 p.m.  End 6th  3 out
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Gross: his 2nd at bat of the inning, and a curving fly to Rowand to end the inning after five innings.

3:31 p.m.  Bot 6th  2 out  runners on 1st and 2nd
Hennessey vs. Hardy: the only hard-luck hitter seemingly on the entire roster flies out.

3:30 p.m.  Bot 6th  1 out  runners on 1st and 2nd
Milwaukee 13, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Hart: his second hit, this one to left, drives in another - a five run sixth inning, and just one out.

3:29 p.m.  Bot 6th  1 out  runners on 1st and 3rd
Milwaukee 12, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Hall: another RBI on a single to right field. He now has six RBI, a career high.

3:28 p.m.  Bot 6th  1 out  runners on 2nd and 3rd
Hennessey vs. Braun: the power hitter strikes out, but that brings up another power hitter.

3:26 p.m.  Bot 6th  runners on 2nd and 3rd
Milwaukee 11, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Fielder: sends a long, looping off-the-wall double, sending Weeks home and Kapler to 3rd, the fans to nutso-state and Dave Righetti to the mound to talk with Hennessey.

3:24 p.m.  Bot 6th  runners on 1st and 2nd
Milwaukee 10, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Kapler: another slow base hit to rght field that scores Kendall and sends Weeks to 3rd

3:21 p.m.  Bot 6th  runners on 1st and 3rd
Hennessey vs. Weeks: a little dribbler up the middle that Velez could only stop, so the runners advance to 1st and 3rd.

3:19 p.m.  Bot 6th  runner on 2nd
Milwaukee 9, San Francisco 2
Hennessey vs. Kendall: six straight balls before his first strike of the inning, but Kendall drives the eighth pitch to the warning track, and Gross saunters around to score on a Kendall double.  The Bocock throw went over Molina.

3:18 p.m.  Bot 6th  runner on 1st
Hennessey vs. Gabe Gross (pinch hitter for Shouse): a four pitch walk drawn to possibly start another rally.

3:14 p.m.  Mid 6th  3 out
Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 2
Shouse vs. Daniel Ortmeyer (pinch-hitter): a fast liner to Rickie Weeks to end the inning, and Brian Shouse again shuts down a rally.

3:12 p.m.  Top 6th  2 out, runner on 1st and 2nd
Brian Shouse vs. Ray Durham (pinch-hitter): a swinging strikeout, getting ahead of him with some low heat.

3:07 p.m.  Top 6th  1 out, runner on 1st and 2nd
Villanueva vs. Bocock: four straight hits off Villanueva, to set up Ned Yost to come out and get a reliever.  Villanueva gets a standing ovation.

3:05 p.m.  Top 6th  1 out, runner on 1st
Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 2
Villanueva vs. Aurelia: another liner to left field for a base hit, and Castillo gets home safely to cut the Milwaukee advantage to six.

3:04 p.m.  Top 6th  1 out, runner on 2nd
Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 1
Villanueva vs. Castillo: a smash to left field sending Rowand home, and Castillo goes into 2nd with a double, even though it doesn't reach the wall before Braun gets to it.

3:02 p.m.  Top 6th  1 out, runner on 2nd
Villanueva vs. Rowand: he sends a lined shot past Gabe Kapler for a double.

3:00 p.m.  Top 6th  1 out
Villanueva vs. Molina: easy fly ball to center, where Gabe Kapler hauls it in easily.  You can still hear the buzz after Hall's homer.

2:58 p.m.  End 5th  3 out
Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 0
Yabu vs. Hardy: an easy putout, but the crowd doesn't mind after expanding the lead to bigger than most belts had to be expanded after intaking pre-game beer and brats.

2:57 p.m.  Bot 5th  2 out
Yabu vs. Hart: He nearly got enough to right field, but it sailed by the end of its flight to the right fielder for an out.  The crowd thought, at first, it was a goner.

2:55 p.m.  Bot 5th  1 out
Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 0
Yabu vs. Hall: sends his second long ball about 20 feet away from Bernie's slide for his second homer of the home opener, and his second standing ovation.  Per Bob Uecker: "That was a WOW."

2:53 p.m.  Bot 5th  1 out  runners on 1st and 2nd
Yabu vs. Braun: Ryan got under it, Randy Wynn gets the first out of the inning with a putout.

2:49 p.m.  Bot 5th  runners on 1st and 2nd
Milwaukee 5, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Fielder: base hit past a reaching shortstop, and Fielder drives in Weeks.  Bochy comes out to get Sanchez and get Keiichi Yabu.

2:45 p.m.  Bot 5th  runners on 1st and 2nd
Milwaukee 4, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Kapler: who sends a slap to left field that drives in slow-footed Jason Kendall.

2:44 p.m.  Bot 5th  runners on 1st and 2nd
Sanchez vs. Weeks: who draws a four-minute walk and sets up two on the ponds. 

2:38 p.m.  Bot 5th  runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Kendall: a soft fly ball drops right between left and center fielders who both chase, and Kendall eeks out a base hit.

2:34 p.m.  Mid 5th  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Villanueva vs. Winn: a bouncer to short for a putout that's as easy for J.J. Hardy as it is for me to put away a slice of pizza.

2:32 p.m.  Top 5th  2 Out
Villanueva vs. Velez: a jam-pitch sends a slow bouncer to Fielder for the putout by Villanueva.

2:31 p.m.  Top 5th  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Roberts: a high-chopper to Weeks for a quick out.

2:29 p.m.  End 4th   3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Villanueva, who sends a lazy pop-up for an easy out.

2:26 p.m.  Bot 4th  2 Out, runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Hardy: fans on a low outside hook that gets Sanchez his eighth K.

2:25 p.m.  Bot 4th  1 Out, runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Hart: a single right near short, and the lankiest runner in baseball has a chance to steal.

2:21 p.m.  Bot 4th  1 Out
Sanchez vs. Hall: a called strike three on a slider, his sixth.

2:18 p.m.  Mid 4th  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Villanueva vs. Sanchez: K on a violent swing.

2:17 p.m.  Top 4th  2 Out  runners on 1st and 2nd
Villanueva vs. Bocock: he produces a bunt base hit down the 3rd base line

2:16 p.m.  Top 4th  2 Out  runner on 1st
Villanueva vs. Aurelia, who produces a single over J.J. Hardy's head.  He would have needed Wilt Chamberlain's reach to get that one.

2:15 p.m.  Top 4th  2 Out
Castillo hits a slower-than-molasses ground ball to Villanueva who handles it well and gets the putout.

2:14 p.m.  Top 4th  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Castillo: on an 0-1 pitch, goes a little too high and inside and knocks down Castillo without striking him.

2:11 p.m.  Top 4th  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Rowand: again he goes into that weird, go into the woods and take a....stance, and he K's.

2:06 p.m.  End 3rd
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Braun: count goes to eight pitches before a groundout on a Sunday hop to short.

2:04 p.m.  Bot 3rd  2 Out
Sanchez vs. Fielder: a K on a high strike.  Sanchez's fifth.

2:03 p.m.  Bot 3rd  1 Out
Sanchez vs. Kapler: flies out to short right field.  Charlie Sykes comes in and refuses the last brat.  One left if any of you want it, but we can't exactly ship it out to you from Radio City.

1:58 p.m.  Mid 3rd  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Villanueva vs. Molina: Ryan Braun adjusts to a wicket shot in left to catch his fly ball.

1:57 p.m.  Top 3rd  2 Out  runner on 1st
Villanueva vs. Winn: right between 2nd and short for a base hit.

1:55 p.m.  Top 3rd  2 Out
Villanueva vs. Velez: out on a check-swing stretch.

1:54 p.m.  Top 3rd  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Roberts: strikeout on a called inside-corner pitch. 

1:48 p.m.  End 2nd  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Weeks, who owns the all-time consecutive games scoring streak for the Brewers and has now tied the National League record: whiffs on a low-inside pitch.

1:47 p.m.  Bot 1st  2 Out  runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Jason Kendall: on four pitches, Kendall shows his top-flight on-base percentage by walking.

1:45 p.m.  Bot 1st  2 Out
Sanchez vs. Villanueva: another overswing, another K - four for Sanchez.

1:44 p.m.  Bot 1st  1 Out
Sanchez vs. J.J. Hardy: K'd while chasing a fastball on the outside corner.

1:40 p.m.  Mid 2nd  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Villanueva vs. Sanchez: a batter Villanueva would have rather waited to face until the 2nd inning, but he gets him looking really bad on a strikeout.

1:37 p.m.  Top 2nd  2 Out, runners on 1st and 2nd
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Villanueva vs. Brian Bocock: on a questionable call on a high pitch, Bocock walks.

1:36 p.m.  Top 2nd  2 Out  runner on 2nd
Villanueva vs. Rich Aurelia: during this at-bat, I'm noticing the Giants' lead the MLB in five-o'clock shadows, and it's only 1:36 p.m.  Aurelia strikes out swinging.

1:34 p.m.  Top 2nd  1 Out  runner on 2nd
Villanueva vs. Jose Castillo: he slaps a double to left field...Braun fields it OK.

1:31 p.m.  Top 2nd  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Aaron Rowand: his stance looks like he's, well, in the woods on a camping trip...we gotta be FCC-friendly.  Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Vicky Hollowell is now giving me crap for ripping Aaron Rowand, since she's the resident White Sox fan and he was with them.  For all that, Gabe Kapler takes in a short fly to center from Rowand.

1:28 p.m.  End 1st  3 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Corey Hart: a strikeout, but that didn't stop the fans from screaming in applause for a three-run lead.

1:26 p.m.  Bot 1st  2 Out
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Bill Hall: a long, long bomb to left center that gets 42,000 on their feet and Hall and Fielder chest-bumping, hopefully without a permanent indentation in Hall's chest.

1:24 p.m.  Bot 1st  2 Out, runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Ryan Braun: strikeout on high, high cheese.

1:23 p.m.  Bot 1st  1 Out, runner on 1st
Milwaukee 1, San Francisco 0
Sanchez vs. Prince Fielder: a strike outside at the knees makes it 2-2 (should it have been), a bouncer up the middle for a base hit and Weeks speeds around to score.

1:22 p.m.  Bot 1st  1 Out, runner on 2nd
Rickie Weeks with a patented steal despite a great throw from the catcher.

1:19 p.m.  Bot 1st  1 Out, runner on 1st
Sanchez vs. Gabe Kapler: Curved a pop fly to Randy Wynn for an easy out.

1:18 p.m.  Bot 1st  Runner on 1st
Jonathan Sanchez vs. Rickie Weeks: through the 3rd base-shortstop hole for a base hit.

1:15 p.m.  Mid 1st  3 Out
San Francisco 0, Milwaukee coming up
Villanueva vs. Bengie Molina: an easy bouncer to Hall who gets the 5-3 putout to end the half-inning.

1:14 p.m.  Top 1st  2 Out, runner on 1st
Villanueva vs. Randy Winn: drawing a two-out walk.  Not highly worrisome.

1:11 p.m.  Top 1st  2 Out
Villanueva vs. Eugenio Velez: a fast runner if he gets a chance on base.  Villanueva is going about 88-90mph on his fastballs.  Velez rives it to the bottom of the wall, or where it would have headed had Gabe Kapler not caught it on as routine of a warning track catch as you can get.

1:09 p.m.  Top 1st  1 Out
Villanueva vs. Roberts: sent sharply to Prince Fielder, who eats it up...sorry, bad pun...for an unassisted putout.

1:07 p.m.  Top 1st
Carlos Villanueva delivers the first pitch at home this year...to Dave Roberts...a strike.

12:56-58 p.m.  SF 0, MIL 0  Pregame
Joseph Attanasio, owner Mark's dad, with a great national anthem despite some rocket's red glare that scared half the players and fans to death.

12:55 p.m.  SF 0, MIL 0  Pregame
We can't be at the stadium today, but we're listening to Bob and Jim like the rest of you, keeping an eye on the stadium cam.  We've got beer-cooked brats and nachos, stadium food, so we do it appropriately

See our game and preview coverage below:

It's that day when hope, previously sprung eternal 90 miles south of here in Chicago, now officially reaches the Brew City.

The Brewers open the home portion of the most anticipated baseball season in 26 years today, facing the San Francisco Giants.

It's a sign that the harshest winter in recent memory is finally abating, even if you need a few layers to handle a dry but chilly three-hour tailgate before the Brewers game.

"I don't know if I'd call it good, but it's going to be good enough," says WTMJ Weather Plus Meterologist Craig Koplien.

And by far, it is, as temperatures have gone up to the mid 50's.

"You'll need jackets and sweatshirts and all that sort of things, and probably a little windier than you'd like, but again, it's gonna feel more like spring than winter."

Getting There

The parking lots are already filled. Grounds crews have last minute preparations going to get ready for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.

If you're going, you know it's going to be a crush on the freeways. What's an alternate way of getting there?

There's always Bluemound Road to the north, which leads to a number of parking options. A good suggestion is to take that to 44th street and turn left to hit the Eastern parking lots. National Avenue serves the south, but that takes you right to Miller Parkway and the craziness.

You can snag Canal Street from just south of downtown, and they'll open more lanes to go westbound before the game.

Once you get there, you won't have lots of parking options if you haven't pre-paid for it. The Brewers sold out all the preferred parking passes for today, and most of the general parking spots are sold out.

If you need a place to tailgate before heading to the park, you can use State Fair Park as an overflow lot. Fans can take the 84th Street exit off of I-94 to get to the lots, and they will pay $5.00 for parking there before snagging a free shuttle to Miller Park.

There's also the option of parking downtown and taking the MCTS 90 shuttle bus that travels up and down Wisconsin Avenue.

Once you get there, you'll discover Medal of Honor recipients who live in Wisconsin throwing out the first pitches, and as is now tradition, the father of Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, Joseph Attanasio, singing the national anthem.

There's also the fact that the Racing Sausages have moved up their time in the starting blocks: it's now the middle of the sixth inning, not the end.

Concessions Cost More

Speaking of sausages, hot dogs and beer - the staples at Miller Park - you'll need a little more cha-ching to pay for them in 2008.

If you didn't have enough beer in the parking lot tailgate before the game, it's going to cost you. 

16-ounce beers in plastic bottles now run you $6.50

Go without the bottle and with a plastic cup instead, and it's $5.25

For a bratwurst, you'll pony up $4.25, and for a brat, it's $3.00

But the Secret Stadium Sauce is free.

How is it so secret when they put the ingredients on the bottle they sell in stores?

Rick Abramson of SportsService says it's because they don't tell you how much of  each ingredient is inside the stuff.

Carlos in Charge

Carlos Villanueva, the team's number four starter, takes the mound today for the home opener, despite just 12 career starts.

He faded at the end of last year, going 3-5 after the All-Star break, but had a solid 6-0, 1.99 ERA start to 2007.

Villanueva faces Jonathan Sanchez, the Giants' starting pitche who finished last year 1-5 with a 5.88 ERA.

The Brewers come into today's contest after taking two out of three games in Chicago, falling 6-3 to the Cubs after winning their first two contests at Wrigley Field.