Brewers 1982

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

Dave LaPoint

Brewers Come Back, Win Game 4

1 Comment

Brewers 7, Cardinals 5
World Series now tied 2-2
Box Score | Season Schedule

Robin Yount and the Brewers found a way to win Game 4

MILWAUKEE — Gorman Thomas led off the bottom of the seventh inning, the Brewers trailing 5-1, by popping out to catcher Darrell Porter for the second time in the game. Through that at bat, he had five hits in his last 59 at bats. For the first time in recent memory, Brewers fans booed Gorman.

“You don’t hear that,” Brewers pitcher Jim Slaton would say later. “Not with Gorman. Gorman’s a favorite around here.”

By the time Gorman batted again, he would have a chance to redeem himself. And it was in the same inning.

The inning started innocently enough. After Gorman’s pop-up, Ben Oglivie hit a routine grounder to first baseman Keith Hernandez. Hernandez flipped to pitcher Dave LaPoint who took a step and dropped the ball, allowing Oglivie to reach safely.

A single and another pop-up later, the inning should have been over. Then Jim Gantner took advantage of the extra out by hitting a double into the gap in right center that scored Oglivie. Next? The Brewers took over.

Molitor walked. Yount singled, scoring Money and Gantner. Cooper singled, scoring Molitor. Simmons walked.

Gorman Thomas then came up for the second time in the inning and redeemed himself, stroking a two-run single to give the Brewers a 7-5 lead.

“I started the inning with a pop-up to the catcher,” said Thomas. “Hey, you could say I started the winning rally.”

The Brewers faced four pitchers in the inning, but none could stop the bleeding. When the inning started, it appeared the Brewers’ season was coming to an end. When the inning ended, they had all of the momentum in the world.

Why not? This series is all tied up at two. They aren’t consistently playing their best ball, yet the Brewers remain in good position to win this thing.

First thing’s first: The Brewers must-win Game 5 in Milwaukee. It is their final game at home. If they win Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead, this team should win one of two in St. Louis.

’82 World Series: Game 4 Preview

Leave a Comment

MILWAUKEE — Willie McGee with two home runs and four RBI from the eight hole. Of course that’s how the Crew would fall into a 2-1 hole.

Rockin’ Robin has to rock in Game 4.

After all that has befallen our beloved baseball team, it would figure that a guy who hit only four homers would hit two in a game. Because that’s how the Brewers roll. Or, in this case, stumble. Right, Gorman?

“We’re in the same boat we were in against Baltimore, in the same boat we were in against California,” Thomas told The New York Times. “The boat hasn’t changed. We’re still riding the same boat. Call it PT-109 or the Love Boat, the boat’s been bottom up in the bay before and we always seem to rise to the occasion.”

Pete Vuckovich hasn’t won since Sept. 20. You may remember that game. Vuke went 11 innings, threw close to 165 pitches. He may be asking if it was worth it. Meanwhile, the Crew couldn’t figure out Joaquin Andujar, who only gave up three hits in 6 1/3 before a Ted Simmons rocket clipped Andujar in the knee.

If Cards pitchers keep befuddling Crew batters as Andujar did, the Brewers may be reduced to caning Cards hurlers in the knees in the bowels of the Stadium.

But if we know anything about these Brewers, it is that they bounce back. Moose Haas will take the mound for the Crew while rookie Dave LaPoint gets the egg for St. Louis.

As always, if you can’t watch the game or listen to it, you can follow our tweets at @tweetsfrom1982.