The NLCS umpiring crew had obviously gotten the memo: the Cardinals and Brewers just don’t like each other very much.
Prince Fielder was plunked by Jaime Garcia’s very first pitch after Ryan Braun’s two-run homer in the first inning Sunday, leading to warnings being issued in Game 1.
Garcia’s pitch wasn’t necessarily intentional — he got Fielder on the arm — but since the teams have a history and have done some jawing these last two days, home-plate umpire and crew chief Gary Darling decided on the preemptive course of action.
The Cards took a 1-0 lead on Zack Greinke in the top of the first before Braun responded in the bottom of the inning, making it 2-1 Milwaukee.