Brewers 8, Mariners 2
Brewers now 77-53 (1st by 4.5 games)
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MILWAUKEE — The Brewers lost yesterday’s game because of poor defense and an inability to get the big hit. Today, they won because of both.
Locked in a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third with two outs, Ted Simmons singled home Robin Yount to make it a 2-1 game. Mariners pitcher Bryan Clark then walked Gorman Thomas, bringing Ben Oglivie to the plate with runners at first and second. Oglivie hit a tapper in front of the mound, a routine play, but first baseman Gary Gray couldn’t handle Clark’s throw.
Gray’s error loaded the bases. Don Money then hit a ground ball to shortstop that Todd Cruz bobbled after Gorman Thomas ran by and possibly distracted him. One run scored.
Twice the inning should have been over. Then Charlie Moore knocked a single to right, plating two more runs. Three unearned runs that inning in all.
And that is all the Brewers would need. They scored eight in all, led by Ted Simmons’ 3-for-5, two runs scored and two RBI. But the real story was once again Mike Caldwell.
Caldwell was sharp again, allowing only two runs on eight hits in seven innings for his third straight win and sixth in his last seven starts. Now 13-11, he was the “much maligned Mike Caldwell” prior to the managerial change in June.
“When you are left in a situation where you have to go get ’em and you get out of them,” Caldwell explained, “it builds confidence.”
Rollie Fingers and Dwight Bernard pitched a perfect inning apiece to close it out.
Now that Don Sutton is on the staff (YES! WE GOT DON SUTTON!), the Brewers suddenly look very impressive with a 1-2-3 of Pete Vuckovich, Sutton and Caldwell. And Bob McClure has looked awfully good lately as well.
Speaking of Sutton, the Brewers were forced to make a move today to make room for him on the roster. They chose to designate Jerry Augustine for assignment. Augustine was 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA this season in 19 appearances, two of them starts and one complete game.
“Looking at the overall make-up of our pitching staff,” GM Harry Dalton explained, “it just seemed the most sensible move to make.”
It’s tough to argue. Since spring, Augustine has been hanging on to his spot by the skin of his teeth. It’s surprising he’s lasted this long.
Augustine’s best season with the Brewers was in 1979 when he went 9-6 with a 3.45 ERA.
