Charlie Moore

Stars Come Out in California

August 25

Brewers 7, Angels 3
Brewers now 73-51 (1st by 5.0 games)
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1982 Topps Stickers Robin Yount — Yount went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a home run.

ANAHEIM — Tonight’s game with the California Angels was won by the Milwaukee Brewers because of three players: Ted Simmons, Robin Yount and Pete Vuckovich.

It was the slow-footed Simmons who dropped a surprise bunt in the first with two outs and Yount on third that would score a run.

“That surprised everyone,” manager Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel. “Including myself. He did it strictly on his own. I know he caught the Angels by surprise and us too. A pleasant surprise.”

In the bottom of the first, Simmons stepped up again to keep the Brewers in the lead. With two outs, Rod Carew took off from first on a pitch to Fred Lynn. Lynn laced a base hit into the gap in right center, and Carew raced around third towards the plate. Outfielder Charlie Moore fired a one hop bullet to Simmons, who blocked the plate and tagged Carew before he could score.

Simmons, of course, was not done. In the fifth inning and the score still 1-0, the Brewers catcher again made his presence known with two outs. Simmons drove a Steve Renko fastball over the right field wall for a two-run homer to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead.

That would be a critical hit as the Angels would strike right back in the bottom of the fifth with two runs of their own. The Angels would then pull to within one on a Reggie Jackson solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.

At that point, it was shortstop Robin Yount who took center stage. Robin doubled home Paul Molitor in the top of the seventh to give the Brewers a two-run lead and knock out Renko. Then, in the top of the ninth and Molitor on again, Yount knocked a two run homer to put the game out of reach. Yount finished with four hits, two runs scored and three runs batted in.

The contributions of Simmons and Yount were nice, but it was the mound work of Pete Vuckovich that kept the Brewers in control all game. Vuke allowed only three earned runs on seven hits in a complete game to improve to 15-4. Vuke shares the league lead in wins with Kansas City’s Larry Gura, and he stands alone with a .790 winning percentage. Vuckovich is now 29-8 in his two seasons with the Brewers and is gaining a reputation for winning big games.

“He’s got to be the best,” Kuenn said of Vuckovich. “He rises to the occasion each and every time.”

The second place Red Sox beat the Mariners 5-4 in 12 innings to keep pace five games back of the Brewers. Milwaukee has a day off tomorrow before starting a four-game series with the A’s in Milwaukee.

Game Notes: Reggie Jackson hit his 31st home run of the season, pulling to within one of Gorman Thomas for the AL lead. … Rickey Henderson of the A’s stole two more bases and now has 116, two shy of Lou Brock‘s single season record. Henderson and the A’s now head to Milwaukee for four games, where the Brewers will be challenged to prevent Henderson from breaking the record.

Offense, Defense Fail McClure

August 18

A’s 3, Brewers 2 (11)
Brewers now 68-50 (1st by 3.0 games)
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OAKLAND — Bob McClure did all he could to win today’s game. His teammates, both at the plate and in the field, did little to help.

Staked to a meager 2-0 lead, McClure shut out the Oakland Athletics for 7 2/3 innings. Then with two down and two on in the eighth, Rickey Henderson rapped a single to center to tie the game at two.

Though the Brewers scored two runs in the fifth on singles by Charlie Moore and Paul Molitor, offense was otherwise nonexistent. They had an opportunity to score a run in the third after Jim Gantner reached on a one-out triple, but Paul Molitor was retired on an infield pop-up and Robin Yount grounded to short to end the inning.

Other than that, the only Brewers rally occurred in the 11th. With two down, Roy Howell walked to load the bases. But Charlie Moore popped out behind the plate to end the team’s biggest threat of the game.

Meanwhile, McClure was scratching and clawing to keep his team in it. Other than that one two-out single, McClure was flawless. He took the mound again in the bottom of the 11th, and Rickey Henderson reached first on a ground ball that went through third baseman Paul Molitor’s legs for an error. Although Henderson has 110 stolen bases, Dwayne Murphy bunted him to second. Then Joe Rudi reached on the one hit of the inning, a single to left, to bring home Henderson for the winning run.

It’s not fair for McClure, who did all he could to win the game. It’s not fair to Brewers fans that McClure was forced to take the mound in the 11th. He should have been allowed to hit the showers after a good day’s work. But since Rollie Fingers is still nursing a sore pitching elbow, manager Harvey Kuenn had little choice.

Fingers returned to his home in San Diego for a second cortisone shot in five days. He was expected to be back for this series, but now isn’t expected to return for another three or four days. It was the second time in three days that a starting pitcher went longer than usual due to the absence of Fingers, resulting in a loss.

“When I throw my fastball or forkball it doesn’t bother me much,” Fingers explained, “but when I try to snap off a good breaker it really hurts.”

Fingers needs that breaking ball. And the Brewers need Fingers.

The Boston Red Sox beat the California Angels 4-1 to pull to within three games of the Brewers 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.

Victory Sacrificed

August 7

Indians 4, Brewers 3 (11)
Brewers now 62-45 (1st by 2.5 games)
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CLEVELAND — For the second game in a row and the fourth time this season, the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians played to extra innings. Following the Indians’ 11th inning win today, each team has one such a contest twice.

Not only did the Brewers have opportunities, but they had the lead. They took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Don Money. They then extended that lead to two when Ben Oglivie singled home Cecil Cooper in the sixth.

The most damaging pitch of the game, however, occurred in the bottom of the sixth. Bob McClure, who had been pitching shutout ball for 5 2/3 innings, served up a two-out pitch that Andre Thornton sent over the wall for a two-run home run to tie the game.

The Brewers retook the lead on an RBI single by Jim Gantner in the top of the seventh, but back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the eighth would be too much to overcome. Mike Hargrove‘s double play ball resulted in a run, tying the game and eventually sending it to extra innings.

Dan Spillner walked both Ted Simmons and Ben Oglivie to open the 11th inning. Instead of letting home run hitter Gorman Thomas swing away — or at least force a wild Spillner to throw strikes — manager Harvey Kuenn called for the bunt. Thomas obliged, moving Simmons and Oglivie up a base.

Unfortunately, the Brewers may have sacrificed their best chance to win. Don Money was intentionally walked to load the bases and then Ed Glynn was summoned from the bullpen. That put the game on the shoulders of Charlie Moore and Jim Gantner. Moore popped to first and Gantner flied to center. Opportunity missed.

The question should be asked: Would you rather have Gorman Thomas and his AL-leading 26 home runs swinging away with runners at first and second and no outs or Charlie Moore with the bases loaded and one out? Do you trust Moore and Gantner enough to bring in a run that you’re willing to sacrifice Thomas?

Moore is hitting .242 and isn’t close to the extra base threat that is Thomas. I’ll answer the hypothetical for you: I’d much rather have Gorman swinging away.

But Kuenn chose to sacrifice, which may have been the expected strategy. But I can’t help but think things would have ended much differently had Gorman been given the green light.

Then, of course, came the bottom of the 11th. Andre Thornton flied out and speedster Miguel Dilone singled. He promptly stole second, and appeared to have stolen third. Instead, home plate umpire Larry McCoy said the pitch hit batter Ron Hassey on the foot, and Dilone was sent back to second. After Rick Manning flied to center, it appeared the Brewers dodged a bullet. Instead, Von Hayes hit a weak grounder to the right side, just out of the reach of the outstretched glove of Cecil Cooper.

“After Manning flew out,” Kuenn said after the game, “I thought we had escaped, but that ball Hayes hit just found a hole.”

It did. It’s easy to blame a bad bounce or bad luck. But the Brewers controlled their own destiny in this game, and they let it get away.

Luckily, the Boston Red Sox also lost, so the Brewers maintain a 2.5 game lead in the AL East.

Brewers Mash Four Homers in Win

July 21

Brewers 10, Twins 4
Brewers now 54-37 (1st)
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Don Money hit two home runs to lead the Brewers

MINNEAPOLIS — The Brewers have been playing a finesse game of late to varying levels of success. That style does not fit Harvey’s Wallbangers.

Today, the Brewers returned to their roots, mashing four home runs en route to a 10-4 win over the Twins, salvaging the finale of a three-game series. Don Money, filling in for Cecil Cooper who sat with a sore right knee, mashed two long balls while Ben Oglivie and Charlie Moore knocked out one.

The tone was set early in this game. In the bottom of the first, Tom Brunansky hit what appeared to be a home run to right center, but Gorman Thomas made a leaping grab that pulled the ball back into the park.

The Brewers scored their first run on a leadoff homer by Money in the 3rd. Then they benefitted from Frank Viola‘s bout of wildness in the fourth, tacking on six more runs. Viola walked in one run before Paul Boris took the mound. Simmons hit a sacrifice fly, Gorman Thomas walked, and Ben Oglivie hit a grand slam just clear of the 327 foot sign in right.

“There was no doubt it was out of here but only in this place,” said Oglivie. “Any other park and you can forget about it.”

It was Benji’s 22nd home run of the season, tying him with teammate Gorman Thomas, Cleveland’s Andre Thornton and California’s Reggie Jackson for the AL lead.

Moose Haas picked up his third straight win and struck out eight in eight innings.

The Red Sox split a double header with the Rangers, giving the Brewers a half game lead in the AL East. The Brewers have a day off tomorrow before heading to Kansas City.

Game Notes: The Brewers won the season series with the Twins 7-5. The Twins are the only team to beat the Brewers since July 4.

Brewers, Twins Brawl

July 20

Twins 5, Brewers 3
Brewers now 53-37 (1st)
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1982 Donruss Robin Yount — Robin Yount's slide started the brawl.

MINNEAPOLIS — When you open your newspaper and look at the box score in the morning, you’ll see that the Twins beat the Brewers 5-3, beating the Crew for the second straight time and forcing a first place tie with the Red Sox. But if you focus on that, you miss the story.

This wasn’t a baseball game. It was a brawl. During breaks from the brawl, they played some baseball.

It all started in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kent Hrbek slid hard and high into Jim Gantner in an unsuccessful attempt to break up a double play. Gantner was sent sprawling and would be removed from the game with a deep thigh bruise.

“I don’t care when they slide low,” Gantner told the Milwaukee Sentinel after the game, “but when they hit me up here [upper thigh] they were in the air.”

Brewers manager Harvey Kuenn was furious about the slide. He immediately charged the field to come to his second baseman’s aid. On the way off the field, he was seen jawing at Hrbek.

“You can quote me,” Kuenn said later. “I called him a no good SOB for taking a cheap shot at my second baseman. He told me he was just sliding but he’s full of it. You might be able to slide like that in A ball but up here’s a different story. He’s a big boy in a big man’s game. It was a cheap shot. Period.”

Hrbek watched the tape after the game and admitted it was a poor slide. “I am a poor slider and I guess that proved it.”

Kuenn didn’t buy it. “If he’s a bad slider,” he said, “get some sliding lessons.”

The Brewers would get their revenge in the sixth. With Paul Molitor on second and Robin Yount on first, Cecil Cooper hit a double play ball to second baseman Juan Castino. Castino flipped to shortstop Lenny Faedo for the force and Yount went far outside of the baseline to take out Faedo and knocked him on the temple with his forearm.

“I knew something would happen,” said Faedo, “but I never thought he’d come after me. I was just going for the force. The next thing I know he was on the turf trying to get me.”

Castino and centerfielder Bobby Mitchell then charged Yount while Brewers first base coach Ron Hansen tried to break up the fracas. It was too late as both benches cleared for a 10-minute brawl. Players were seen pushing and shoving across the field. Kent Hrbek and Brewers pitcher Bob McClure would emerge from the pile throwing punches. Ben Oglivie, Charlie Moore and Ted Simmons then came to McClure’s aid and ambushed Hrbek.

“I figured something was going to happen,” said Hrbek. “He [Kuenn] told me he was going to get me. I guess they got me.”

Hrbek and McClure would be ejected from the game.

When order was finally restored, a game was played. Jack O’Connor limited the Brewers offense to two runs on five hits through 6 2/3 innings. Mike Caldwell allowed five runs on 11 hits in the same length of time.

But the game was the side show. Everyone who witnessed this game will forever be talking about the brawl. Though the Brewers lost, it could be a moment that further brings them together as a team.

The first test is tomorrow, as they look to avoid the sweep.