Blue Jays

The Doctor is Out, Brewers Lose

August 15

Blue Jays 3, Brewers 2
Brewers now 68-48 (1st by 4.5 games)
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1982 Donruss Doc Medich — Doc Medich made his unimpressive Brewers debut.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers couldn’t wait to get rid of Randy Lerch. He was removed from the rotation after a start on July 30. He made his last relief appearance on August 2nd. After a pretty decent spot start as part of a double header on August 12th, Lerch was sold to the Montreal Expos. Today, Doc Medich made his debut as Lerch’s replacement.

The verdict? Not impressive. He allowed only two runs through 5 1/3 innings, but the Blue Jays had six hits and walked six times. As a veteran arm, Medich is supposed to stabilize the bullpen. So far, not so good.

The play of the game was in the Brewers’ half of the sixth inning. After Ned Yost led off with a single, Paul Molitor came to the plate. He squared to bunt, pulled the bat back and slapped it down the third base line. Rance Mulliniks made a nice play to stab the ball and throw to second for the force. Damaso Garcia turned and fired to first. First base umpire Larry Barnett called him out. Manager Harvey Kuenn busted out of the dugout to argue the clear mistake, but to no avail. There were two outs and no one on.

Robin Yount then launched his 20th home run of the season over the left field wall. It was a solo shot to tie the game at two instead of giving the Brewers a 3-2 lead.

Jim Slaton, who relieved Medich in the top of the sixth, was terrific. For the first 2 2/3 innings of relief, Slaton didn’t allow a baserunner. Then, with Rollie Fingers unavailable with a sore pitching elbow, Slaton walked Alfredo Griffin to lead off the ninth. After a sacrifice bunt and a flyout, Ernie Whitt hit an RBI single with two outs for the eventual game winning run.

After winning the first three games of a five game series with the Blue Jays, the Brewers blew the final two. Suddenly, there are questions. Is Doc Medich the answer? Though Fingers’ injury is not thought to be serious, can this team win without him?

“At this point, we’ll stay with what we have,” Kuenn said in regards to the starting rotation. “You never can tell. Maybe we’ll make another deal.”

Only players with the team before August 31st are eligible for the postseason, so if a deal is going to be made it needs to be made soon. After seeing Medich today, one needs to be made soon.

The good news is that Fingers received a cortisone shot and is expected to be back for the Oakland series, which starts on August 17 following a day off.

Game Notes: The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles to pull back to within 4 1/2 games of the Brewers in the AL East. … Damaso Garcia was picked off for the third time in the series. … In the sixth inning, Cecil Cooper recorded a single, his 1,000th hit as a member of the Brewers. … Prior to the game, Jerry Miodzik of Port Edwards was named the winner of the Rollie Fingers Look-Alike Handlebar Mustache Contest. Fingers picked the winner from 11 finalists, and there were more than 600 entries from across the state. … Gorman Thomas hit his 32nd home run of the season.

Fingers Missing, Caldwell Loses Game

August 14

Blue Jays 4, Brewers 2
Brewers now 68-47 (1st by 5.5 games)
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Without Rollie Fingers, the Brewers lost grip of the lead late.

MILWAUKEE — Holding a 2-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the eighth inning, the Milwaukee Brewers were on cruise control. Mike Caldwell had allowed two hits and was untouchable. A two run lead seemed insurmountable. And then…

With two down, Barry Bonnell hit a double to left center field to score Damaso Garcia to make it a 2-1 game. Caldwell would get out of the inning when Leon Roberts grounded out, but the fact that he allowed as many hits that inning as he had in the first seven should have been a warning sign.

Caldwell was out of gas.

Jesse Barfield led off the top of the ninth with a sharp single to left. Willie Upshaw bunted, hoping to sacrifice Barfield to second. Instead, Caldwell fumbled the ball and the Blue Jays had two runners on with no outs. Tony Johnson hit a triple off of the wall in right center to score Barfield and Upshaw. And then former Brewer Buck Martinez brought home Johnson on a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2 Blue Jays.

Dave Stieb nearly matched Caldwell pitch-for-pitch. But while Caldwell ran out of gas late, Stieb shut the door when it mattered. He retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced, and the Brewers’ offense never had a chance.

So, how could this happen? How could manager Harvey Kuenn leave Caldwell in a close game when he was clearly losing it? It’s simple. All-world closer Rollie Fingers wasn’t on the premises. He is back in San Diego getting treatment for a sore elbow. With Fingers, this would have been a win.

The Boston Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 in 10 innings, so the Brewers maintained their 5 1/2 game lead. But today is a preview of what can happen if Rollie Fingers is not available to anchor the bullpen. Get well, Rollie. We can’t afford to blow many more of these.

Game Notes: Randy Lerch has been sold to the Montreal Expos. Lerch had been recently demoted to the bullpen, and veteran hurler Doc Medich was acquired to take his place in the rotation. No corresponding transaction has been made. … Gorman Thomas went 3-for-4 and hit his MLB-leading 31st home run of the season.

Vuke Gets Wild Win

August 13

Brewers 3, Blue Jays 1
Brewers now 68-46 (1st by 5.5 games)
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Pete Vuckovich — Vuke was wild, but it was all part of his master plan.

MILWAUKEE — It was Seat Cushion Night at County Stadium, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The fans did a lot of sitting through long innings while Pete Vuckovich was on the mound.

Vuckovich walked a Milwaukee Brewers record eight batters today. The Blue Jays loaded the bases twice. Knowing that, you’d assume the Brewers either lost or it was a high scoring affair.

Either way, you’d assume incorrectly. Vuckovich threw 146 pitches in a complete game, allowing only a single run. In fact, none of his eight walks scored.

“They weren’t biting,” Vuke said to explain his wildness. “I threw a lot of balls down around the knees. They were balls. They just weren’t going after them.”

Especially not in the first inning. In fact, in that inning it appeared Vuke would have a short outing. With one out and a run in, Hosken Powell swung at a 2-0 pitch out of the zone to ground out and end the inning. Prior to that, Vuke had thrown 14 of 16 pitches for balls.

But that’s the way Vuckovich prefers to pitch. He’ll pitch around the strike zone, but he’s not going to split it. And he is not afraid to walk anyone.

“It’s better that way than getting it up where they can see the whole sphere coming at them when they’re attempting to reach out with the wood tool with the purpose of reversing the sphere to certain areas between the white lines where men aren’t standing with gloves on,” Vuke continued.

Oooooohhhh…. kay.

While the Blue Jays failed to score with the bases loaded, the Brewers took advantage of their one opportunity in the fourth. With the bases juiced and one out, Marshall Edwards hit a possible double play ball to first baseman Willie Upshaw. Upshaw spun and fired to second, but the return throw wasn’t in time to retire the speedy Edwards. Ted Simmons scored, and Jim Gantner followed with an RBI single to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.

Possibly the biggest play happened in the fifth inning. Damaso Garcia led off the inning with a single to right and Rance Mulliniks followed with a walk. Vuckovich then spun and fired to Robin Yount, covering second, in an attempt to pick off Garcia. The throw was just late. But they tried again, and this time Garcia was out. It changed the inning, and the Blue Jays were unable to score.

“That was the big play of the ball game,” said manager Harvey Kuenn. “It was a case of perfect execution. Robin saw daylight, made his move to second, Vuke made a perfect throw.”

While the win was a big one and made it three in a row against the Blue Jays, the Brewers also received bad news about their star closer. Rollie Fingers flew home to San Diego to have his right elbow examined and isn’t expected back this series. Fingers, stuck on 299 career saves, is having trouble with his pitching elbow.

“He felt some stiffness in his elbow last night after the game,” said Kuenn. “It had been a little tender but he said he could pitch last night. He said he wanted to see his doctor out there. He’ll be back tomorrow. He said he’ll be all right after a few days’ rest.”

Let’s hope it’s nothing serious. This team can’t afford to lose a player of Fingers’ caliber.

The Red Sox beat the Orioles 5-2, so the Brewers maintain a 5 1/2 game lead in the AL East.

Jays Roll Over, Give Brewers Two

August 12

Brewers 7, Blue Jays 1 (Game 1)
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Brewers 4, Blue Jays 3 (Game 2)
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Brewers now 67-46 (1st by 5.5 games)
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Gorman Thomas hit a home run in each game to take the MLB lead.

MILWAUKEE — Earlier in the week, the Toronto Blue Jays did the Milwaukee Brewers a big favor by sweeping the second place Boston Red Sox in a three game series. It was only natural that they’d roll over in a double header with the first place Brewers today.

Maybe they didn’t roll over. Maybe it wasn’t intentional. But Brewers fans appreciate their effort, or lack thereof.

In the first game of today’s double header, Brewers starter Bob McClure took on the Blue Jays for the second time in 10 days. Last time, he lasted only an inning and took the loss. Today, he pitched a complete game, allowing only a run on five hits and four strikeouts.

McClure looked like a completely different pitcher. He retired the last 15 batters he faced and didn’t walk anyone, the first time he accomplished that in 25 career starts.

“I felt in a lot more control than the last time,” McClure assured us. “It’s always easier when you score a lot of runs early.”

Well, maybe not “a lot” or “early.” The Brewers scored two runs in the second inning on a two-run home run by Gorman Thomas, his 29th of the season. The Blue Jays pulled to within a run in the fourth inning and then the Brewers pulled away in the fifth with four runs to make it a 6-1 game. Jim Gantner, Paul Molitor and Robin Yount all had RBI hits in the inning.

But McClure was the story of the game. His approach was completely different this time around.

“He mixed up his pitches good,” manager Harvey Kuenn explained. “He threw more fastballs than previously, which makes his curveball and change-up more effective.”

The Blue Jays made the second game interesting when they tied the game at three in the sixth inning. But with two down and runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning, Robin Yount lifted a lazy liner into left field. Outfielder Barry Bonnell jogged in… and dropped the ball. Charlie Moore trotted across the plate for what would be the winning run. A gift.

Gorman Thomas hit another two-run home run in the third inning to give him 30 on the season, taking the MLB lead over Atlanta’s Dale Murphy. Randy Lerch, making his first spot start since being demoted to the bullpen, pitched a solid six innings in return to a temporary spotlight.

But in the end, this game was a gift. And since neither the Red Sox nor the Orioles played today, the Brewers gained a game on both. Tomorrow, the Brewers hope the Blue Jays will continue to be in a giving mood.

Game Notes: Outfielder Mark Brouhard was sent to Triple-A Vancouver to make room for recent acquisition Doc Medich. Brouhard is expected to be recalled when rosters are expanded on September 1. The Brewers were rumored to be trying to trade a pitcher, presumably Lerch or Jerry Augustine, but instead decided to go with four outfielders and 11 pitchers. … Jamie Easterly, out since July 12 following knee surgery, is eligible to return but is not expected to be activated until rosters expand on September 1.

Cooper, Caldwell Star in Shutout

August 4

Brewers 8, Blue Jays 0
Brewers now 61-44 (1st by 1.5 games)
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Cecil Cooper was the offensive star of the game.

TORONTO — Today’s game left little doubt which was the better team. It was dominated by superstar performances, all from the visitors’ dugout.

For the second consecutive time, Mike Caldwell shutout the Toronto Blue Jays. It was as dominating as a one strikeout, seven-hit shutout could ever be. He didn’t walk a batter, and in only one inning (the fourth) did he allow two baserunners. In that inning, though, one of those runners was wiped out by a double play. Not once did Toronto even get a player to second base. Complete dominance.

Cecil Cooper would drive in the first two runs of the game with a two-out, two-run double, hitting just below the 400 foot sign in centerfield. In the fifth, he hit an absolute laser beam into right center that barely cleared the wall and was out of the park in the blink of an eye. It was his 22nd home run of the season. Cooper would also collect two singles, finishing the game with four hits, two runs scored and three RBI.

Those were the two standout performances. But Ted Simmons also went 2-for-5, including a three-run home run in the ninth to put the game well out of reach. Gorman Thomas had two hits, including his AL-leading 26th home run of the season.

After hitting only two home runs in seven games, the high powered Brewers are back to their old ways, hitting seven in the past two games in Toronto. This is the team we fell in love with during most of June and July. This is the complete team, with overwhelming power and just enough pitching, that should run away with the AL East.

The Boston Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles 4-2, giving the Brewers a 1 1/2 game lead in the division. The Brewers get a much deserved day off tomorrow.

Harvey’s Wallbangers Return in 7-4 Win

August 3

Brewers 7, Blue Jays 4
Brewers now 60-44 (1st by 1 game)
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TORONTO — The Brewers have scuffled of late, winning only six of their last 15 games coming into today. They needed an old fashioned “Harvey’s Wallbangers” revival. They got it.

Milwaukee got off to a quick start in the first inning as Robin Yount singled home Paul Molitor and Cecil Cooper homered off the right field foul pole for his 21st of the season to make it 3-0.

“I finally hit a ball hard,” Cooper, who had the top part of his right shoe cut off to relieve pressure on his ailing big right toe, said after the game. Coop isn’t the only one who has struggled with the bat of late.

This is a team, not too long ago, that was ahead of the record-setting pace of the 1961 New York Yankees for most home runs in a season. Entering today’s game, though, the Brewers had smacked only two long balls during the previous seven games. That changed today.

Following a 61-minute rain delay in the bottom of the first inning, Pete Vuckovich kept the Blue Jays scoreless for the first three innings. In the bottom of the third, catcher Ted Simmons launched his 16th home run of the season to make it 4-0 Brewers. Then Jim Gantner and Paul Molitor hit back to back RBI singles in the fourth to knock Jim Clancy from the game and make it a 6-0 Brewers lead.

Things got a little sticky for Vuke in the bottom of the fourth when the Blue Jays reached on five consecutive singles to make it a 6-3 game. Vuke survived, though, and was solid the rest of the way.

Paul Molitor capped the Brewers’ scoring in the top of the 7th with a solo home run to make it 7-3, and Blue Jay Ernie Whitt added one more Toronto run with a solo homer of his own in the bottom of the inning.

If it seems like Whitt has given Vuckovich trouble this season, you’re right. In 138 1/3 innings this season, Vuke has allowed only four home runs, but two of them were to Whitt. “He’s like Babe Ruth against me,” Vuckovich laughed.

Vuke was able to laugh because the Brewers held on for a full-team win. Closer Rollie Fingers took the mound in the 7th and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only a bunt single, to collect his 24th save of the season, requiring only 29 pitches to do it.

Now that the Brewers are once again combining home run power with solid pitching, are Harvey’s Wallbangers back? “I hope it stays this way for the next month,” Kuenn said. “It kind of reminded me of June and July [when everything went right].”

The Red Sox split a double header with the Orioles, giving the Brewers a one game lead in the AL East.

Game Notes: Vuckovich had to be removed after the sixth inning because he was fatigued due to an 11-inning start against the Indians last time out.