What a great opening day

photo courtesy jsonline.com

The Brewers started the season off with a bang. Courtesy of Ben Sheets' complete game two hitter, the Brew Crew handled the LA Dodgers 7-1.

The Dodgers' only run came on the first batter of the second inning - a one-run homer by Jeff Kent. After that, Big Ben retired 22 straight Dodgers with only 3 strikeouts. It looked to be a one-hit wonder for Sheets until (very recently) ex-Brewer Brady Clark, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the 7th and stayed in right field, hit a single in the top of the 9th.

This ESPN.com recap says Sheets' performance was the best Opening Day outing of the last 15 years.

" It was the first Opening Day complete game of two hits or fewer in 15 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last to do it had been Tom Glavine with a two-hitter for Atlanta against Houston in 1992."

But Sheets' pitching wasn't the only story of the day. The Brewers strung together hits - something they weren't able to do very often last year.

Yost changed the batting order at least twice during the game, providing different power to the lineup. The power in this lineup is unmatched in recent Brewer memory. The "weakest" part of our batting order today was Corey Hart, Craig Counsell and Geoff Jenkins, which is eons ahead of some of the combinations I can remember from last year.

And the unsuspected hero of today's offense was none other than J.J. Hardy. Hardy, fresh off missing half of last season to an ankle injury, had 3 singles, a walk and a run scored. Catcher Johnny Estrada, brought in for his ability with the bat, was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.

Bill Hall hit the first homer of the season in the 6th inning with am opposite field line-drive.

So there you go, an amazing start to the season. One game in and the team has failed to disappoint, which is something, I think. I'm all about small victories this season. It's going to be a long few months and I'm going into it with a lot of faith. I haven't been this excited for a baseball season ever.