Brewers 11, Twins 4
Brewers now 11-8 (3rd)
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MINNEAPOLIS — Today’s game featured several firsts. Brewers pitcher Randy Lerch decided to wear glasses on the mound for the first time. During the spring, it was discovered that he had an astigmatism. He finally decided to try out pitching with some ocular assistance. Lerch wasn’t perfect (6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 5 BB), but his struggles were largely in the early going. We’ll attribute that to getting used to the new specs.
Considering how the Brewers hit today, Lerch had some time to break his glasses in. Ben Oglivie hit an RBI single and Ted Simmons hit a three-run homer (his first) in the first inning, so Lerch was given an early cushion.
Gorman Thomas, who hit his first home run of the season yesterday after going power free in the month of April, followed up that first with his second shot in the third to give the Brewers a comfortable 6-1 lead.
Unlike Thomas, Ted Simmons didn’t want to wait another day to see his second homer of the year sail into the stands. He hit his second of the season — and of the game — in the seventh inning to give the Brewers a 10-3 lead.
Sure, hitting two in one game after going through such a drought was impressive. But both were three-run homers. Both brought in Cecil Cooper and Ben Oglivie. And each home run was from a different side of the plate (his first was left handed and second was right handed). It was the first time Simmons would accomplish that feat as a member of the Brewers.
It was a fun game for the Crew. Hopefully this will lead to several more like it. Within time, maybe they’ll find their way back into first place in the American League East.
Game Notes: Every member of the Brewers’ starting lineup had at least one hit … Twins rookie first baseman Kent Hrbek was out of the lineup for the second straight game with a migraine headache … Twins rookie centerfielder Jim Eisenreich was replaced mid-game for the third straight game due to a nervous disorder … Paul Molitor led the Brewers with three hits. Ben Oglivie, Ted Simmons and Mark Brouhard each contributed two.