Don Money

Brewers are Money as Race Heats Up

Brewers 6, Tigers 3
Brewers now 85-60 (1st by 1.5 games)
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DETROIT — The Brewers finally broke a painful three-game losing streak, yet their lead in the AL East still shrunk. That’s the way things are going right now.

Don Money carried the Brewers’ offense, hitting a solo home run in the sixth and a two-run triple in the seventh. Doc Medich and Jim Slaton kept the team in the game by limiting the Tigers to three runs on 10 hits and four walks.

“We needed the win tonight,” a relieved Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel. “The way we dropped the last couple games this proves to be a big win.”

It could be. It’s nice to see some life after possibly the most agonizing three-game stretch of the season. But even more importantly, the Baltimore Orioles are gaining.

Yes, even when the Brewers win, the Orioles move up. Baltimore swept the Yankees in a double header today, coming from behind late in both games to pull to within 1 1/2 games of the Brewers for the division lead. It is the Crew’s smallest lead since August 6.

Had the Brewers lost today, the lead would have been down to a half game. So was it big? Enormous. But there are 19 games remaining. Can they hold off the Orioles that long, possibly without Rollie Fingers?

The season could very well come down to a four-game show-down in Baltimore, the final regular season series. Stay tuned.

Brewers Win with Moore Offense

September 10 Leave a Comment

Brewers 5, Yankees 3
Brewers now 84-57 (1st by 4.0 games)
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BRONX, NY — Two words: Charlie Moore.

The Brewers struck first on this day with a run in the top of the opening inning, but things turned ugly quickly in the bottom of the frame. The first three Yankees reached base to load the bases. Mike Caldwell was lucky to allow only two runs.

But then… Charlie Moore.

Following two scoreless innings for both teams, Moore launched a solo home run to tie the game in the fourth. It remained that way until Jerry Mumphrey drove in a run with a double to right in the fifth to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

And then… Charlie Moore.

With runners at the corners in the sixth, Moore hit a drive to center that was deep enough to score Gorman Thomas and once again tie the game at three. It remained that way until the eighth.

And finally… Charlie Moore

With runners at the corners again, Moore hit a high chopper over third baseman Roy Smalley‘s head to score Don Money and knock starter Ron Guidry from the game.

“I looked into the dugout on my way to the plate,” Moore explained, “and they were calling for Smalley to come in. So, I drove straight into the ground and it got over his head. Had he been playing at normal depth that may have been a double play ball.”

Moore has gone 5-for-7 in the two games in New York to raise his average from .237 to .246. “It’s fun to find your hitting stroke in the middle of a pennant race,” Moore laughed.

Ned Yost would drive in one more that inning, but the Brewers had all the runs they needed.

Why? The unheralded hero in this game and this Brewers’ season, Mike Caldwell. After a rocky first in which he allowed two runs and threw 25 pitches, Caldwell would need only 75 more pitches to complete the game.

It was Caldwell’s 10th complete game of the season and he’s won eight of his last nine decisions to improve to 15-11.

The Brewers maintained a four game lead over the Baltimore Orioles, who also won, though they extended their lead over the Boston Red Sox to six.

Brewers Pile on in Sixth

September 5 Leave a Comment

Brewers 8, Angels 5
Brewers now 81-55 (1st by 4.0 games)
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The Brewers won, but Gorman Thomas' injured arm is a concern.

MILWAUKEE — Entering the sixth inning, the Milwaukee Brewers could get nothing done in support of another terrific start by Mike Caldwell. Geoff Zahn was shutting them out on two hits and carried a 1-0 lead.

It all started when Jim Gantner led off the inning with a hit by pitch, taking a high fastball off of his wrist. Gantner would be replaced by Rob Picciolo, and x-rays revealed only a deep bone bruise.

Molitor singled to left, Robin bunted both runners over, and then Cooper hit a harmless groundout to short.

So there it was. The Brewers had runners at second and third with two outs, trailing 1-0. It’s where pennant contending teams cash in. It’s where others do not.

The Brewers cashed in. Zahn threw a wild pitch, plating Picciolo. Gorman Thomas then hammered a rare opposite field single to score Molitor. Don Money hit a looper into the corner in right that Reggie Jackson couldn’t cut off for an RBI triple. And then Mark Brouhard, filling in for the injured Ben Oglivie, launched a three-run homer to make it five two-out runs in the inning.

The Angels would battle back with a two-run homer by Reggie Jackson in the top of the seventh, but the Brewers then put their collective foot on the throat with three runs on four hits in the eighth. Every offensive player other than Gantner got into the act, collecting either a hit, run score or RBI.

Caldwell allowed all five runs in eight solid innings of work to pick up his 14th win and sixth in his last seven starts. Caldwell has been a revelation since Kuenn took over, going 9-3 with a 3.63 ERA since early July and 7-1 with a 2.70 ERA since August 1.

Pete Ladd, the temporary closer while Rollie Fingers nurses a slight tear in his right forearm, allowed only a single in a scoreless ninth for the save.

If there was anything to worry about as a Brewers fan following this game it was Gorman Thomas’ health. He injured his arm in the second making a throw and struggled with the pain for the rest of the game.

Thomas originally hurt the arm 12 days ago in Anaheim making a diving catch. Manager Harvey Kuenn says it’s something that most players would miss time with, but Thomas simply treats it with ice.

Thomas was in so much pain that he asked Charlie Moore, who was playing right, to go after anything close.

“I was shading everyone to center more than I usually would,” Moore said. “He also told me if a ball got through to get ready to make a throw for him. You know he’s really hurting when he says something like that and is showing pain on his face.”

The Brewers need to get healthy because their rivals are getting stronger. The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox each won to remain 4 and 4 1/2 games back respectively.

Game Notes: Moose Haas has officially moved to the bullpen, thereby granting the fifth spot in the bullpen to Doc Medich.

Caldwell Cruises Again

August 31 Leave a Comment

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.

Henderson Steals Record, Brewers Win

August 27 Leave a Comment

Brewers 5, A’s 4
Brewers now 75-51 (1st by 6.5 games)
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1982 Topps Rickey Henderson — Rickey Henderson stole four bases en route to the single season record.

MILWAUKEE — Members of the media from far and wide descended onto Milwaukee County Stadium to witness history. In the process of watching the great Brewers win again, Rickey Henderson broke a record.

Okay, okay. They came to see Rickey Henderson break Lou Brock‘s single season stolen base record. And he didn’t only break it. He shattered it, stealing four bases in the game to give him 122 on the season with 33 games remaining.

But the A’s, at 57-72, are little more than the great Rickey Henderson. The Milwaukee Brewers, as proven again tonight, are a great team.

Henderson walked in the third, stole second, hoisted second base over his head, blah, blah, blah… The A’s didn’t score that inning, but the Brewers struck for two thanks to a Dan Meyer error and a Ted Simmons sacrifice fly.

The A’s took the lead with three runs in the sixth, though the Brewers quickly tied it at three on a costly two out error in the bottom of the inning. Henderson’s speed then resulted in another run in the eighth when he led off with a walk, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice fly. But the Brewers weren’t done.

Ben Oglivie singled and Gorman Thomas walked to lead off the bottom of the eighth, chasing starter Preston Hanna. After a perfect Don Money sacrifice bunt, Charlie Moore was intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing up Jim Gantner. Gantner singled home two, giving the Brewers the lead for good.

Ho hum, really. Doc Medich, the scrap heap fifth starter, had tossed 12 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the sixth. Rollie Fingers, who had been nursing a sore pitching elbow, pitched for the first time in six days and set down the side in order in the ninth, striking out two for his 301st career save.

But the focus of this game was on the fearless Rickey Henderson. He may end up with 130 or even 140 stolen bases this season. But while he’s stealing bases, the Milwaukee Brewers are stealing hearts. This team is winning games that will lead them to the postseason.

The second place Boston Red Sox lost to the California Angels 7-6, and are now 6 1/2 games behind the Brewers in the AL East.

Game Notes: At 34 home runs, Gorman Thomas is on pace to surpass his 1979 total of 45, which led the league. … The Brewers have won seven of their last eight games.

Victory Sacrificed

August 7 Leave a Comment

Indians 4, Brewers 3 (11)
Brewers now 62-45 (1st by 2.5 games)
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Bob McClure pitched well enough to win, but he didn't get support.

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.