From the underappreciated Topps Stickers set. Gorman shows how to pull a popup in batting practice.
Gorman Thomas
Lead, Season Slipping Away
Tigers 4, Brewers 3 (11)
Brewers now 84-60 (1st by 2.0 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule
DETROIT — The news coming in from Tiger Stadium kept getting worse and worse.
After Gorman Thomas hit his 35th home run to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th inning, Pete Ladd took the mound for the bottom half of the inning.
You know Pete Ladd. He’s the rookie filling in for Rollie Fingers who allowed a home run to Jerry Mumphrey in the 10th inning in New York three days ago to lose to the Yankees.
Well… It happened again. But worse.
This time, Ladd had a lead. This time, he walked Larry Herndon to lead off the inning to bring the winning run to the plate. And then he allowed the home run, this time a two-run shot by Lance Parrish.
The Brewers miss Rollie Fingers. It’s painfully obvious. Three of the team’s last four losses could have been prevented with Fingers on the mound.
A diplomatic Harvey Kuenn understands the impact of Fingers: “He could have made a difference. Anytime you have Rollie in the pen and you’re ahead by one run, you certainly have the edge.”
Then Harvey dropped a bomb: “At this point, we really don’t know if we’ll have him or not. We’ll have to move things around if he doesn’t pitch anymore. He have to have someone pick up the slack.”
WHAT??!! First, Fingers was out for a few days. Then a week. Then another week. Now for possibly the season? What have we seen that tells us the Brewers have anyone who can step up and come even close to picking up the slack?
Jim Slaton? He’s a long reliever. Jamie Easterly? Jerry Augustine? Dwight Bernard? Please, please, PLEASE! Not even close.
Then, the trifecta of bad news. The Baltimore Orioles came from behind to beat the Yankees 8-7 and pull to within two games of the Brewers.
Kuenn tried to stay calm: “All I can say is we have to come back and beat them tomorrow. We still have a two game lead.”
Sure. Now. But without Fingers, does anyone think this team can hold off the Orioles for 19 more games?
I don’t.
Brewers Win with Moore Offense
Brewers 5, Yankees 3
Brewers now 84-57 (1st by 4.0 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule
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 Lose Game of Inches in 10
Yankees 5, Brewers 4 (10)
Brewers now 83-57 (1st by 4.0 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule
BRONX, NY — This was a game of inches. Or feet. Either way, they didn’t go in the Brewers’ favor in the opening game of a four-game series with the Yankees.
In the third inning, the Yankees took a 4-0 lead. But it could have just as easily remained scoreless.
With one down and two on, Ken Griffey hit a pop-up to left. Robin Yount headed out and Ben Oglivie crashed in, but it fell in between them for a two-run double. Then Dave Winfield blasted a two-run homer off of the right field foul pole.
“Give me three feet,” general manager Harry Dalton said after the game, “and we are out of that inning with no runs.”
Even so, the Brewers didn’t give up.
Down 4-0 with two outs in the top of the eighth, Gorman Thomas cashed in on his own luck with a squib base hit off the end of his bat that scored a run. Then Ben Oglivie threw luck out the window with a monstrous three-run homer to tie the game.
Pete Vuckovich threw for the first nine innings, and other than the third was excellent. When he ran out of steam, Pete Ladd relieved him in the 10th. With one out, Jerry Mumphrey launched a 1-1 pitch into the bleachers in right center for the game winner.
“I didn’t think it was a home run at first,” lamented Ladd. “Then it carried, then I thought Thomas had a shot at it and then it went out.”
Of course, Ladd likely would not have been in that position if not for the injury to closer Rollie Fingers. Out with a slight tear in his pitching forearm, Fingers is expected to be out at least another week.
“I know the sun will come up tomorrow,” Ladd said. “Fingers came right up to me and said not to worry as it has happened to him 25 times.”
Maybe. But that doesn’t keep Brewers fans from worrying.
Card of the Day: 1982 Fleer Gorman Thomas
Gorman turns 32 in December. How much longer can he play at a high level?
Tigers, Umpires Spoil Strong Start
Tigers 6, Brewers 5 (10)
Brewers now 81-56 (1st by 3.0 games)
Box Score | Game Schedule
MILWAUKEE — For six innings, Brewers starting pitcher Doc Medich no-hit the Detroit Tigers. Staked to a 3-0 lead in the seventh, it all came apart at the seams.
Glenn Wilson led off the seventh with a single to left to break up the no-no. Then Larry Herndon hit a grounder to Ed Romero at second for what appeared to be a sure double play. Romero flipped to Robin Yount at second who gunned to Cecil Cooper at first, but first base umpire Al Clark ruled Herndon safe.
Jim Turner would then hit a double to score two, including Herndon, to make it 3-2. The Tigers then took the lead in the eighth when they scored three more runs on three hits to make it 5-3.
This was only the start of an aggravating few innings for manager Harvey Kuenn and the Brewers. Ben Oglivie would tie the game at 5 in the bottom of the eighth with his 27th home run of the season, but the Brewers nearly won the game in the bottom of the ninth when two more controversial calls stood in their way.
After Marshall Edwards led off the inning with a walk, Ed Romero laid down a bunt. Feeling lucky, pitcher Milt Wilcox picked it up and fired to Alan Trammell at second. Jim McKean ruled Edwards out, and manager Harvey Kuenn stormed out of the Brewers dugout to express his displeasure.
But instead of two on and no outs, there was one on and one out. Paul Molitor bunted and Wilcox threw the ball away to put runners on first and third. Robin Yount then grounded to short and, instead of trying for the double play, Alan Trammell fired home.
It appeared Ed Romero got in. Of course, nothing was the way it appeared today, and home plate umpire Jim Evans ruled Romero out. Kuenn again charged out of the dugout to find his rightful place on the field, and third base coach Harry Warner joined him in voicing his disgust.
“I got my leg in between his legs,” Romero explained after the game. “I was going on any ground ball. I thought I had a good jump but maybe I didn’t have a big enough lead. It was a very close play. When I started my slide the ball was just getting there. I don’t think he blocked the plate.”
Doc Medich was left in to pitch the 10th, presumably because Rollie Fingers was unavailable, and Tom Brookens promptly hit a solo home run to give the Tigers the lead.
Would you believe there was yet another controversial call in the Tigers’ favor? Of course you would. With Ben Oglivie on first and one out in the bottom of the 10th, Charlie Moore hit a grounder into the hole at short. Trammell fired to Lou Whitaker at second and Oglivie was ruled… Well, you know what he was ruled.
Kuenn stormed out, Warner was angry, you’ve heard this story before.
“I told [McKean] it was the second call he’d missed,” Kuenn said. “He didn’t say anything back so maybe he realizes he missed it too.”
It was one of those games. The Brewers should have won. Doc Medich was terrific through six innings and while he wasn’t great thereafter, he certainly didn’t get help from the umpires.
“We played our butts off,” Kuenn said, “but it’s a little tough when you battle 13 players. Maybe I shouldn’t say 13 players. Let’s say nine players and you can take your guess at the other four.”
Don Sutton is on the mound for his second Brewers start tomorrow.
Game Notes: The Brewers are now just three games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, their smallest lead since August 18. … Rollie Fingers will be examined on August 8 to see if he can travel with the team on the upcoming road trip. … Gorman Thomas missed the game after getting a shot in his right arm yesterday for inflammation. He is expected to play tomorrow. … Outfielder Bob Skube was added to the roster due to the injury to Thomas. … Jim Gantner sat out the game after being hit by a pitch on the wrist yesterday. He is day to day with swelling.