Howell has yet to play anything like the player the Brewers thought they were getting. And his refusal to be a backup isn’t helping.
Blue Jays Bully Brewers
Blue Jays 9, Brewers 4
Brewers now 59-44 (1st-Tied)
Box Score | Season Schedule
TORONTO — The Blue Jays entered today’s game in last place and 10 1/2 games back in the AL East. But they sure didn’t play like it.
And to be fair, they haven’t played like it at all lately. They are 12-6 since the All-Star break. After a first inning unearned run, Dave Stieb toyed with Brewers batters until Don Money hit a solo homer in the eighth and two desperation runs were scored with two outs in the ninth.
Bob McClure was not nearly as good for the Brewers. He allowed three runs on a double, triple, two singles and a walk in the first inning. The next two batters reached in the second, and McClure’s day was quickly over.
“Bobby just didn’t have it today,” manager Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel after the game. “He had no location and was high with all his pitches.”
Jerry Augustine and Randy Lerch, making his first relief appearance since being removed from the rotation, weren’t much better. They combined to allow five more runs in six innings to put the Brewers in a 8-1 fifth inning hole.
Former Brewer Buck Martinez was also a thorn in his old team’s side. He went 2-for-3 with a home run, driving in two for the Blue Jays.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t fun to beat these guys,” Martinez said about his last place team beating the first place team.
The Red Sox beat the Orioles 5-2 to to pull back into a first place tie with the Brewers in the AL East.
Game Notes: Cecil Cooper left the game in the fourth with a sore big right toe after being stepped on by Garth Iorg. … Robin Yount had a routine day off. Rob Picciolo got the start at shortstop and went 1-for-4.
Offense Reappears, Brewers and Indians Split
Indians 4, Brewers 1 (Game 1)
Box Score
Brewers 7, Indians 2 (Game 2)
Box Score
Brewers now 59-43 (1 game up)
Season Sechedule
MILWAUKEE — After the first game of today’s double header with the Cleveland Indians, Brewers fans were starting to wonder if the second game would be worth watching. Luckily, it was.
The first game was an example of something we’ve seen far too often lately. It was either poor hitting or dominant pitching, but given the consistency in that department lately, you’ve got to point the finger at the offense. This is a team that was routinely scoring seven runs or more a couple of weeks ago. Through today’s first game, the Brewers had scored four runs or fewer in 10 of the last 13 games.
And Game 1 today was painful. The immortal Ed Whitson held the Brewers to one run on three hits through six innings. He retired the Brewers in order three times. Then future first ballot Hall of Famer Dan Spillner took the hill and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced.
That’s sarcasm. Whitson and Spillner are capable pitchers, sure. But this is ridiculous.
In between games, manager Harvey Kuenn remarked about his Wallbangers: “Looks like our bats are on vacation.” No kidding.
The Brewers put down their margaritas for Game 2 and the bats came alive, pounding out seven runs on 12 hits. Gorman Thomas led the way with three hits and two RBI while Don Money had two big hits and drove in three.
Early, however, it looked like this game would be a painful continuation of the first. Rookie Bud Anderson cruised through the first three innings, allowing only one hit to the Brewers. But then the Crew reached on four straight singles (where are the home runs?) to score four runs and knock Anderson from the game. They then tacked on three more in the fifth on RBI hits by Cecil Cooper and Money.
Of course, as tends to be the case, it wasn’t just hitting that won this game. Jim Slaton allowed only two runs through seven innings before giving way to Dwight Bernard, who pitched two perfect frames.
“Everybody contributed just like we used to,” Kuenn said after the second game. “Hopefully this shows we are back on track.”
If so, the AL East is in trouble. Despite the Brewers’ recent struggles, they are now one game up on the Red Sox, who fell to Chicago today.
Game Notes: Robin Yount‘s hitting streak came to an end at 13 games in the first game when he went 0-for-3 with a walk.
Card of the Day: 1982 Kellogg’s 3D Rollie Fingers
Kellogg’s put a lot of effort into this set. There are only three Brewers (Cooper and Yount are the others), but check out all of the details on the back about Rollie. Awesome stuff.
Indians Throw Away Game to Brewers
Brewers 4, Indians 2
Brewers now 58-42 (1st by .5 game over Boston)
Box Score | Season Schedule
MILWAUKEE — This was one of those games that the Brewers didn’t deserve to win. But if you want to get technical, the Cleveland Indians deserved to win it even less.
It was both American Legion Day and Wisconsin Tavern League Day, and in the bottom of the first inning the Indians would play defense like a bunch of drunk teenagers. But we’ll get to that.
With one down in the top of the first, Toby Harrah and Mike Hargrove hit back-to-back home runs off of Brewers starter Mike Caldwell to give the Indians an early 2-0 lead. The Indians had already hit six home runs off of the Brewers in two-plus games while “Harvey’s Wallbangers” had yet to hit one. It didn’t look good.
But then one of the most ridiculous half innings in recent memory happened. After Gorman Thomas singled in Paul Molitor to make it a 2-1 game, Ben Oglivie hit a liner right at second baseman Larry Milbourne with Robin Yount at third and Thomas at first. Thomas ventured a little too far off of first, and Milbourne fired over in an attempt to turn the inning ending double play. Instead…
What happened next could easily be written in the longest run-on sentence in the history of the English language. But instead, I’ll break it down as succinctly as possible:
1) Milbourne’s throw sailed wide and off of Hargrove’s glove at first.
2) Hargrove and Thomas collided and fell to the ground.
3) Yount took off for home plate.
4) Hargrove de-tangled himself from Gorman Thomas, picked up the ball and fired it home. That ball sailed over a divin Robin Yount and catcher Chris Bando‘s glove.
5) Thomas took off for second, and when the Indians were slow to track down the errant throw, he headed for third.
6) Bando found the ball, fired towards third base and into left field.
7) Gorman Thomas scored.
Three errors on one play that led to two runs. It was a play you’ll typically only see in youth league baseball.
While it was a lead the Brewers would not relinquish, the win could ultimately be attributed to their pitching. The only additional run scored in this game was on a Gorman Thomas double play ball in the third. After a shaky first inning in which he allowed two runs on three hits, Mike Caldwell settled down to dominate the Indians through the eighth. He’d shut out Cleveland for the next seven innings, allowing only two hits. Then Rollie Fingers took the mound to throw a perfect ninth for his 23rd save.
The win moved the Brewers back into first place, a half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox, who fell 7-5 to the White Sox.
Randy Lerch, Jerry Augustine Blow Game
Indians 7, Brewers 2
Brewers now 57-42 (2nd)
Box Score | Season Schedule
MILWAUKEE — Today’s game between the Brewers and Indians was all about pitching. The Indians had it. The Brewers didn’t.
Brewers starter Randy Lerch only faced six batters. He was lucky that the Indians weren’t able to score more than two runs off of him in an inning plus. After helping the Indians score a run and load the bases on two singles, a hit by pitch and a walk in the first, Lerch struck out Chris Bando looking before Rod Craig hit a well-placed shot to Paul Molitor at third that resulted in an inning-ending double play. Lerch wouldn’t be as lucky in the second, as he’d walk the only two batters he’d face on nine pitches.
Just three starts ago, Lerch shut out the powerful Royals offense. But this is the second disaster in a row. On July 25 against those same Royals, Lerch allowed five runs on eight hits and was unable to get through the fifth.
Of course, it wasn’t just Lerch’s two runs that led to a 7-2 loss. Jerry Augustine was no better, allowing five runs on seven hits in five innings. But a reliable fifth starter is more important to this team’s success than a reliable mop-up reliever.
The fans have noticed. They filled County Stadium with boos in the first inning and later in the sixth when Brewers pitchers were unable to throw strikes and get outs.
This staff could use a guy like Indians starter Lary Sorensen, a former Brewer. Sorensen pitched a complete game, holding the Brewers to only two runs on nine hits while not walking a single batter.
“Obviously it feels good to beat the team that traded you,” said Sorensen. “When you beat these guys you know you’ve beat one of the best teams in baseball.”
This team may not deserve that label without a reliable fifth starter. Brewers officials plan to meet in the next couple of days to discuss Lerch’s role on the team. It would seem that a bullpen move is very likely. “There is always concern when you can’t throw the ball over the plate,” manager Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel.
Who would take his spot? One possibility is Jerry Augustine, but today’s performance was unlikely to help his case. Another option is Jim Slaton, but the Brewers also need his steady hand in the bullpen.
Dating back to July 11, the Brewers have been dancing with the Red Sox for rights to own first place in the AL East. After today’s loss, the Brewers have dropped seven of the last 11 games, failing to take advantage of an opportunity to take first place while Boston struggles.
A trade may be necessary. Another dependable starter is needed to get over the hump.