The first game of the Brewers' 2009 season echoed the final game of the 2008 campaign in that it left fans feeling dejected, deflated, depressed and angry at starting pitcher Jeff Suppan.

There is, of course, one major difference:

The Brewers won't have to wait six months for another chance.

When Suppan faltered against the Phillies Oct. 5 at Miller Park, the season was over. When he served up six runs over four rocky innings against the Giants on Tuesday afternoon at AT&T Park, things were just getting underway.

The Brewers lost the game, 10-6, snapping a string of five consecutive opening day victories. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo takes the mound tonight against Giants lefty Randy Johnson as the Milwaukee tries to give new manager Ken Macha his first victory. Most national publications downplayed the Brewers' chances of returning to the playoffs this season, primarily because of skepticism about the quality and depth of their pitching staff.

Suppan and friends did nothing to change those opinions on Tuesday.

The Brewers chased National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum off the mound after just three innings on Tuesday. They parlayed 10 hits, eight walks, two hit batters and four stolen bases into six runs.

It wasn't enough.

Suppan gave up a three-run triple to Travis Ishikawa on a badly-placed changeup in the first inning and served up a hanging slider in the fourth that Aaron Rowand belted for a two-run homer.

Just as many Brewers fans began to wonder "why isn't Seth McClung starting instead of Suppan, the tall redhead replaced the veteran in the fifth and gave up an ugly run on three hits and a walk. McClung redeemed himself with a clean sixth inning, but Dave Bush -- who was pitching to sharpen up for a start Saturday against the Cubs -- gave up a solo homer in a three-run seventh. Jorge Julio allowed a solo shot in the eighth, capping a shaky day for Milwaukee hurlers in Billy Castro's first game as pitching coach.

While Suppan helped the cause with a two-out, RBI double off Lincecum, his failure to hold the lead and work past the fourth raises red flags among a fan base that has forgotten his flawless August.

Because he doesn't possess the "blow it past them" velocity of a younger pitcher, Suppan has almost no margin for error on the mound. He always works with a lot of men on base, but sometimes makes pitches to get out of jams. That wasn't the case Tuesday, though, and he saw his opening day record drop to 0-2 with a 8.55 ERA in four opening day starts. (The first three came in Kansas City from 2000-02).

With the victory, the Giants -- pegged as a strong pitching team with offensive limitations -- erased a couple of statistical quirks from last season.

A year ago, the Giants did not reach double digits on the scoreboard until their 53rd game. This year, they did it in their first. San Francisco also beat the Brewers, who won all six meetings between the teams in 2008 by a combined score of 49-18.