Brewers 1982

Covering the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the 1982 season, in real-time, as it would have happpened.

Carl Yastrzemski

Harvey’s Wallbangers 1, Green Monster 0

Brewers 9, Red Sox 3
Brewers now 38-30 (2nd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Green Monster
The Brewers won their first showdown with the Red Sox and the Green Monster of Fenway Park.

BOSTON — This four-game series pits first against second in the American League East. Most importantly, it’s billed as Harvey’s Wallbangers vs. The Wall, the famed Green Monster of Fenway. After one game, the wall took a beating. As did the Red Sox.

The Brewers scored nine runs on 16 hits, several of which went either into or over the Green Monster. While the Monster gets all of the attention, the Brewers made sure to spray the ball around the field. The action started in the first inning when Cecil Cooper, who complained of blurred vision due to a migraine, clanged a two-run homer off of the right field foul pole.

Gorman Thomas‘ two-run homer over the Monster in the sixth gave the Brewers the lead for good, and the Crew tacked on four more runs in the seventh on six singles for good measure, one of which was a Ben Oglivie smash off of the big wall.

But the key moment in this game may not have involved the wall or the Brewers’ bats. The Red Sox opened the fifth with three consecutive singles, scoring a run to pull to within one of the Brewers. Jim Slaton relieved Randy Lerch and walked Tony Perez on five pitches to load the bases. He then disposed of Dave Stapleton, Glenn Hoffman and Carl Yastrzemski on consecutive infield pop-ups to get out of the jam.

While that may have been the turning point, it was also the story of the game for the Red Sox. Boston’s mashers reached on 15 hits, but 13 were for singles. When it counted, they failed, going 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and leaving 13 runners on base overall.

While Boston may have come into this game as the favorite, they certainly played the role of the underdog. And the Brewers simply pounded away.

One down, three to go. The Brewers are now to within four games.

Game Notes: The Brewers are now 15-6 under manager Harvey Kuenn … Jim Gantner‘s sore shoulder is still bothering him, and he may go on the DL. He could not throw without pain, so Ed Romero started in his place at second and had two hits while playing flawless defense … The Red Sox placed third baseman Carney Lansford on the DL with torn ankle ligaments and called up Ed Jurak from Pawtucket.

Oglivie Homers Again as Brewers Win

Brewers 6, Yankees 2
Brewers now 36-29 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Ben Oglivie
Ben Oglivie went deep again!

MILWAUKEE — It was Hank Aaron Hall of Fame Night at County Stadium, and they were handing out Ben Oglivie home run balls. Or so it seemed…

Prior to the game, Hammerin’ Hank was presented with $1 for every special Hank Aaron general admission ticket sold. The money would go to the Hank Aaron Youth fund, which would also announce two scholarships for local high school students.

But Oglivie took the occasion to hit like the former Milwaukee Braves and Brewers icon, slugging his fourth home run in two days. That’s four home runs in seven plate appearances. And if you want to remove the walks, it was four home runs in five official at bats. Ridiculous.

Oglivie attributes the recent power surge to a change in his approach: “I had a loop in my swing, and I had a tendancy to drag my hands through,” said Oglivie, who now has 16 home runs on the season. “I wouldn’t have the power I normally do.” He’s getting his hand through just fine now, thank you.

Those who are paying attention also notice that Oglivie is holding the bat higher, staying back on the pitch and getting better extension. But you don’t care about that. All that matters are the results.

Havey’s Wallbangers keep hitting home runs. If it’s not Oglivie, it’s someone else (Paul Molitor also hit his seventh tonight). But it’s not just the chick-digging home run balls. For the sixth time in seven games, Milwaukee pitching has kept their opponents to three or fewer runs (well, five of six if you don’t count the 2-2 tie with the Orioles). No wonder they’ve won six straight.

And while the Red Sox may have won today to maintain a four-game lead over the Brewers, a very important series is on the horizon. Once this series ends with the Yankees, the Brewers have a day of rest before heading to Boston for a four-game series at Fenway.

Apply for your sick days now…

Game Notes: The Brewers are seven games over .500 for the first time this season … In addition to his homer, Molitor had two doubles and a single, going 4-for-4 … Pete Rose tied Hank Aaron with hit number 3,771 today … Carl Yastrzemski moved ahead of Nap Lajoie for ninth on the all-time hit list with number 3,253 … All-Star vote updates have been released and Ted Simmons is second to Chicago’s Carlton Fisk, Paul Molitor is fourth to Kansas City’s George Brett, Cecil Cooper is third to California’s Rod Carew, Jim Gantner is fifth to New York’s Willie Randolph, and Robin Yount is second to Yankee Bucky Dent.