MILWAUKEE -- Ryan Braun stepped into the batters box, admittedly a bit anxious. The sellout crowd at Miller Park quickly put him at ease, showering him with a standing ovation. First day back on the job after a drug suspension was already a day to remember for the Brewers slugger. Then he added another unique footnote to his career. Braun went 1 for 4 and stole a base that helped set up a two-run inning, and later was ruled out in the first call overturned under baseballs expanded replay system as Milwaukee beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Monday in a season opener. The former MVP was returning from suspension for the final 65 games last year in the Biogenesis doping scandal. Played his first game as a right fielder, too. What a way to start the season. "It was special. It was an emotional moment for me," Braun said. Braun said the ovation affected him. He flied out to left. "Swung at some pitches that I typically dont swing at, but its something that Im very thankful for and very appreciative," Braun said. Among the 45,691 people in attendance was Commissioner Bud Selig. Two years ago, Braun became the first MLB player to get a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs overturned. Originally banned for 50 games, he filed a grievance and won. "Fans are fans. Thats the way its supposed to be. Hes their hometown player and it was a wonderful reaction. I wish everybody well," Selig said. Later, Braun had his infield single to lead off the sixth overturned to out after the call was challenged by Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez under Major League Baseballs new replay format. The review took 58 seconds. "I had a pretty good idea that I was out," Braun said, drawing laughs. "For all of us, we just hope they get it right, and they did get it right." Yovani Gallardo (1-0) tossed six shutout innings for the win. He allowed just four hits in becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to make five straight opening day starts. A Braves lineup being relied on to help overcome the adversity to the injury-plagued pitching staff was silenced. Andrelton Simmons finished with two hits. "You go up there, your third at-bat and (Gallardo) will throw you something completely different," said cleanup hitter Chris Johnson, who went 1 for 4 with a double. "Where did that come from? ... Hes one of the tougher guys in the league." In a bit of a surprise, Francisco Rodriguez struck out two in the ninth for his 305th career save. The veteran righty looked fine about two weeks after accidentally stepping on a cactus during spring training. Manager Ron Roenicke said he turned to Rodriguez because Jim Henderson, who had 28 saves last season, was having a little trouble of late with his stuff. He hoped a couple outings outside the ninth would help Henderson get straightened out. With injuries to pitchers including Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, Atlanta started Julio Teheran (0-1) after a nice spring. He allowed seven hits in six innings. "For his first start, for his first opening day, I thought he did a terrific job," Gonzalez said. But all eyes in Miller Park were on Braun to start after the 2011 NL MVP played his first game since July 21. He was banned the next day. It seemed like all was forgiven for most in attendance. Brauns hit and steal set up a two-run double by Aramis Ramirez in the fourth. "Its special, we all know what he went through last year," Ramirez said. "For the fans to do that, it was very special." Braun and Ramirez also missed time last season because of injuries. With their third- and fourth-place hitters back, the Brewers like their chances with an offence that also features the speedy Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura at the top of the order. If the rest of the starting rotation throws like Gallardo, Milwaukee could challenge St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the NL Central. NOTES: A trio of Wisconsin-born Olympians from the 2014 Winter Games in Russia threw out the ceremonial first pitches: Brianna Decker and Jessica Vetter were each members of the U.S. womens hockey team that won silver, while Matt Antoine won the bronze in the skeleton competition. ... Injured RHP Gavin Floyd and LHP Mike Minor are on the same rehab program in the minors for the Braves. Both are scheduled to throw Thursday and then go every fifth day barring any setbacks. The Braves plan to shuffle them between Triple-A Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi. ... With four strikeouts, Gallardo assumed sole possession of second place on the teams career strikeout list with 1,084. Ben Sheets is first with 1,206 strikeouts. Kyrie Irving Shoes Outlet . PAUL, Minn. Clearance Kyrie Irving Shoes . -- One shot came out of bottom of a cactus, the other from the base of a desert bush with rocks scattered around it. https://www.cheapshoeskyrieirving.com/ .3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Cuddyer on Monday. Cheap Kyrie Irving Shoes . The 26-year-old Regina native teamed up with Denny Morrison and Mathieu Giroux to win gold in 2010. Makowsky also was 13th in the 5,000 metres and 19th in the 1,500m in Vancouver. He also represented Canada at the 2014 Games in Sochi, helping the pursuit team finish fourth and finishing 28th in the 1,500. Kyrie Irving Shoes For Sale . THE THUNDER & PACERS BENCHES: In a nutshell, not impressive at all.Lets start with hoping that the Rogers Centre roof will be invisible the next time the Blue Jays take the field, horrible washed-out shade of green carpet that it is. The turf is scheduled to give way to actual grass that is bright green, so we dont have to complain any more—we just have to wait a few years. Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played. After (or during?) the winter of 2013-14, it might tempt fate to declare that it will no longer be too cold to watch baseball outdoors, but it wont. Not a week from now. Close the roof only if you must, not as you wish, Rogers Centre Roof Department. Baseball fans will love you for it. They dont mind bringing jackets. The next policy that has to change involves the selling of beer. I received an e-mail from a disgruntled husband who wanted to share a can of beer with his wife and asked for a glass for that purpose. He was told that wouldnt be possible. He could have the beer in a can, or the beer in a glass, but not both. It gets sillier. At the home opener, my friend Neil stepped into the aisle and down a few rows to hail a vendor and to ask for two cans of beer—WE dont share—and he was told he could buy just one beer. But he wanted two, one for himself and one for his friend Dave sitting a few rows up. Sorry, he was told—he had two choices. He could tell me to get my own beer, or he could bring the one he was allowed to buy to me and return to buy a second one in a separate transaction. He even reasoned that he should be able to buy a second beer and give it to a stranger sitting nearest these negotiations, but the vendor was too savvy. He realized that the gifted beer would quickly make it back to Neils hand and then to mine, and the beer salesman wasnt about to be fooled that easily. Suffice it to say I got my beer, and I didnt spill it when I stood up to do the wave. Thats because I didnt stand up to do the wave. I woould like to propose a rule for the wave and add it to my rules for the roof and the beer.dddddddddddd The wave is permissible once per game. When the crowd is asked to stand for the anthems, it may do so section by section and remain standing, to sing and to congratulate itself for doing the wave in advance of the game, but never during it. There should be other rules for fan behaviour. A fan is allowed to heckle a player only if that player has a remote chance of hearing the humourless yell. Theres something empty and mindless about trash talk that only one person thinks is funny and is heard only by people to whom it is not directed. A fan is allowed to be in the wrong seat, wrong row or wrong section if he or she has actually looked twice at the ticket or has even thought about asking for help. Poor eyesight or a careless usher can then be blamed. But guessing at the proper location doesnt work very well. A fan is allowed to act and talk like a baseball expert if he or she can pass the simple test of knowing that its not correct to yell "Balk!" when the pitcher wheels and fakes a throw to second base instead of delivering the ball to the plate. Heres the opposite of that. A guy sitting behind me was trying to impress his female companion with his baseball knowledge and he invited her to ask him to explain anything she might not understand. As the game was about to begin, she wanted to know how they decide which team bats first. There was a long, uncomfortable pause before her friend guessed at the answer—he reasoned that they probably flip a coin. I sincerely hoped she wouldnt ask him why the roof was closed, or why he couldnt bring her back a beer when he left to get one for himself. If any of this resonates with you, pass it on. But please…..not like a wave. “Up on the Roof”—James Taylor“Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers”—ZZ Top“Wave Babies”—Honeymoon Suite ' ' '
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