A face of the franchise, Paul Leo Molitor is an up-and-coming star who has yet to find a position. Hence, the “IF/OF” designation. Maybe 3B is his home?
Otis Chop Ends Streak at Four
Royals 3, Brewers 2
Brewers now 16-11 (2nd)
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KANSAS CITY — The Brewers’ four-game winning streak ended on one painful pitch.
Royals’ centerfielder Amos Otis isn’t supposed to be a fastball hitter. Rollie Fingers knew that when he delivered a heater up around his neck on the first pitch to lead off the ninth in a 2-2 game. Maybe Otis knew that Fingers knew that he wasn’t a fastball hitter. Because he obviously knew what was coming.
Otis tomahawked that pitch into the bleachers to end the game.
It was painful on many levels…
It was painful for Rollie Fingers, who has entered five tied games and lost four of them. In fact, the last time the Brewers lost was also against the Royals. In the ninth inning. With Rollie Fingers on the mound. In a 3-2 Royals win. You don’t want to say confidence in Fingers is wavering, but he hasn’t been the lockdown closer that he was a year ago when he was virtually unhittable.
It was painful for Moose Haas, who again pitched well enough to win but didn’t. Haas went 7 2/3 innings today, allowing only two runs on seven hits and no walks. He is now 1-1 with four no-decisions, including three that were lost by Fingers. Moose has allowed five runs in his last 23 2/3 innings pitched while getting five runs of support. He’s walked only one batter in 42 innings, yet he can’t buy a win.
We can blame Rollie, but you can’t beat a power-packed Royals squad when you score only two runs. You’re not going to score many runs when your four, five, six and seven hitters go a combined 0-for-15. This lineup is supposed to be potent. They love the home run ball. They dig stepping on home plate. But they aren’t doing it nearly enough lately to compensate for an only average pitching staff.
It’s only one loss. The Brewers are still in second place, only 3 1/2 games back of the Red Sox. And you can’t expect to beat a talented team like the Royals every time.
But this loss still stings.
Game Notes: Bob McClure, who had been hit on the elbow by a line drive in his last start, will throw on the side tomorrow. Jim Slaton is expected to start in his place … Mark Brouhard left the game in the sixth inning with a stiff calf muscle. A calf injury knocked him out of action for much of the final month of last season.
Brewers Resilient, Sweep Twins
Brewers 6, Twins 2
Brewers now 16-10 (2nd)
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MILWAUKEE — When things are going well, it seems even the worst predicaments can be overcome. Today’s predicament qualifies.
Brewers starting pitcher Bob McClure threw one pitch today. That one pitch immediately came back to him. Ron Washington lined it off of McClure’s pitching elbow.
Luckily, it hit the fleshy part of McClure’s elbow. But it still left a mark, and he wasn’t able to continue. Jim Slaton took over on the mound.
This is only a guess, but I pictured Slaton lounging in the bullpen with a candy bar in one hand and binoculars in the other, checking out female fans in the stands. It was the first pitch of the first inning. No reason to think he’d be in the game any time soon.
But just like that, Jim was summoned. It would have been perfectly understandable if he wasn’t mentally prepared to pitch at that point. You just don’t go in to start a game on the mound (for all intents and purposes, that’s what he did) at a moment’s notice. As a result, Slaton allowed a couple of hits and the only two Twins runs of the game.
But Slaton was typically fantastic from that point forward. He allowed three more hits through the fifth before Dwight Bernard took over. Even Bernard was fantastic, allowing only a hit in three innings. And Rollie Fingers finished off the relief pitcher’s dream with a perfect inning of his own.
This is what happens when things are going well. Despite losing your starting pitcher on the first pitch, and despite falling into a first inning 2-0 hole, you never lose confidence. The relief pitchers did their job, and the offense did theirs.
The Brewers tied it up in the fourth on a two-run, two-out triple by Jim Gantner. Then took the lead for good in the fifth on a two run homer by Ben Oglivie (his seventh). Gantner would come a double away from hitting for the cycle. The Brewers swept the four game series from the Twins, an impressive feat even when your opponent is the Twins.
You can’t phase this team. The Crew’s unheralded relievers are ready to step up. And the offense is always capable of digging out of a hole. That’s what happens when you’re in the midst of a four-game winning streak. You are never out of a game.
Game Notes: Jim Gantner, needing a double to complete the cycle, accidentally wore Cecil Cooper‘s batting helmet in his eighth inning at bat. He flied out … The Brewers are 16-10 and have won 13 of their last 17. They now trail the Boston Red Sox by 2 1/2 games … X-rays on Bob McClure’s elbow were negative, and he may not miss a start.
Card of the Day: 1982 Topps Randy Lerch
The look on Randy’s face suggests someone just said something awful about his mom, and he’s trying to determine whether he can take you.
Brewers Torch Twins 12-1
Brewers 12, Twins 1
Brewers now 15-10 (2nd)
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MILWAUKEE — What happens when your starting pitcher allows six baserunners in a complete game and your offense is 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position?
You win, son. You win.
Is Mike Caldwell the ace of this staff? It’s been looking like it. In five of his six starts this season, Caldwell has allowed three or fewer runs. He’s allowed one or nothing three times. Caldwell’s ERA is now ace-worthy at 2.72.
Granted, the Brewers didn’t need an ace on the hill on this night. In five of their eight turns at bat, the Brewers took a pass on scoring runs. Not necessary. But they scored four in the third, three in the sixth and five in the seventh. Twelve runs on 12 hits for the efficient Crew.
You know it’s been a good game when in the eighth inning your starting pitcher is still on the mound, and back-ups Don Money, Ed Romero, Roy Howell and Kevin Bass have taken temporary residency in the field.
Remember when we were worried about Gorman Thomas? That was before he was able to face the Twins. No home runs in April. Four home runs already in May. Including his third inning three-run shot today, all four of those monstrous bombs have been off of the Twins.
Which makes a guy wonder… Since Gorman is torching the Twins, they should respect his ability, correct? So why, with two outs in the third and runners at second and third, did the Twins intentionally walk Ben Oglivie to get to Thomas? He promptly made them pay.
Or maybe the Brewers are just messing with the Twins’ heads now. In the series opener on May 6, it was the Twins’ decision to have starter Brad Havens pitch to Oglivie with the bases loaded in the eighth instead of going to the bullpen that lost the game. Maybe the lesson learned there was not to pitch to Oglivie. Well, then you’ve gotta deal with Gorman.
Sure, it’s just the Twins. But playing this team has a way of making the Brewers seem like a pennant contender. And I appreciate it. Luckily, the Brewers have one more game against them tomorrow. Have no mercy!
Game Notes: Larry Hisle has been placed on the 15-day DL after injury his shoulder in batting practice. Hisle has a significant history with the injury, and the fear is that he has torn it.
Arms Lead Crew to Victory
Brewers 4, Twins 1
Brewers now 14-10 (3rd)
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MILWAUKEE — Prior to today’s game, the Brewers gathered in the clubhouse to watch the highlight film of the 1981 season. You know how it ended. Don Money knew how it ended (with him hitting a deep fly ball to the left field corner that was caught by Dave Winfield). Money was no where to be seen for most of the viewing.
Maybe Money thought it was over. Maybe he was hoping that maybe, just maybe, the ending would change. Maybe he likes to torture himself. But Money entered the clubhouse just as the final play was shown.
His audible response? We can’t tell you. We’re classy and professional and stuff. But he wasn’t happy.
Why would the team decide to show highlights of this agonizing conclusion prior to a game? Was it intended to be celebratory or motivational? Either way, it led to a victory today.
The Brewers like playing the Twins. Gorman Thomas and Ted Simmons, who have otherwise had a nightmare start to the season, both hit their third homers of the season today. All six combined home run balls have come agains the Twins.
Cecil Cooper, who may the be the early season favorite for AL Most Valuable Player, hit his second homer, went 3-for-4 and increased his batting average to .371.
But as has been the trend of late, the Brewers have been riding a wave of unexpected heroes to victory. Today, that hero was Randy Lerch. The afterthought in the Brewers rotation — the redheaded stepchild even — allowed only a run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Jim Slaton also continued his Spahn-like domination of opposing hitters in recent games. Today, he pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing only a hit and no runs to earn his first career save. If that sounds familiar, it’s because in his last appearance, Slaton pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-hit, no run ball in relief.
In fact, Slaton now has a streak going of 10 scoreless innings. Incredible.
Today marked a nice, team win. A motivated and focused team. A team that, if they continue to get these contributions across the board, may be able to give Don Money something to smile about when this season comes to an end.