Jim Gantner

Cooper is Super in 8-3 Win

May 15

Brewers 8, White Sox 3
Brewers now 18-14 (3rd)
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Cecil Cooper drove in four runs to power the Brewers to an 8-3 win.

CHICAGO — Down 1-0 in the third with two outs to 22-year-old All-Star lefty Britt Burns, the Brewers needed a hero. Cecil Cooper, the Crew’s most consistent offensive contributor and an early MVP favorite, stepped to the plate with the bases loaded.

Cooper promptly doubled home Jim Gantner, Paul Molitor, and Robin Yount to give the Brewers the lead. Dependable Cooper comes through again.

The White Sox would tie the game in the 8th when Ron LeFlore doubled in two runs off of Dwight Bernard, who had come in to relieve starter Moose Haas. The lead was temporary.

Cooper walked to lead off the bottom of the 8th, and would then score along with Gorman Thomas on a Don Money double to left to take the lead and knock Burns from the game. A perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Jim Gantner off of reliever Jerry Koosman would bring in the third run of the inning to make it 6-3.

The Brewers would pad their lead in the ninth when Cooper singled home Yount and a run scored on a bases loaded, Charlie Moore groundout.

Cooper would finish the day with two hits, a walk, two runs scored and four driven in. He’s now hitting a robust .354 with 21 RBI on the season. Cooper was super, and his contributions are becoming commonplace.

Moose Haas started on the mound for the Brewers, allowing three runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Two of those runs scored with Dwight Bernard, who relieved him in the seventh, on the mound.

It was a solid win against a young star in Burns and the now 20-12 White Sox. The Brewers go for the sweep tomorrow with Randy Lerch on the mound.

Game Notes: Don Money collected three hits, all doubles … Unsubstantiated reports that Pete Vuckovich actually hurt his ankle when a video game fell on it, not slipping on a hill … Jim Gantner and Ned Yost collected two hits apiece.

Brewers Resilient, Sweep Twins

May 9

Brewers 6, Twins 2
Brewers now 16-10 (2nd)
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MILWAUKEE — When things are going well, it seems even the worst predicaments can be overcome. Today’s predicament qualifies.

Brewers starting pitcher Bob McClure threw one pitch today. That one pitch immediately came back to him. Ron Washington lined it off of McClure’s pitching elbow.

Luckily, it hit the fleshy part of McClure’s elbow. But it still left a mark, and he wasn’t able to continue. Jim Slaton took over on the mound.

This is only a guess, but I pictured Slaton lounging in the bullpen with a candy bar in one hand and binoculars in the other, checking out female fans in the stands. It was the first pitch of the first inning. No reason to think he’d be in the game any time soon.

But just like that, Jim was summoned. It would have been perfectly understandable if he wasn’t mentally prepared to pitch at that point. You just don’t go in to start a game on the mound (for all intents and purposes, that’s what he did) at a moment’s notice. As a result, Slaton allowed a couple of hits and the only two Twins runs of the game.

But Slaton was typically fantastic from that point forward. He allowed three more hits through the fifth before Dwight Bernard took over. Even Bernard was fantastic, allowing only a hit in three innings. And Rollie Fingers finished off the relief pitcher’s dream with a perfect inning of his own.

This is what happens when things are going well. Despite losing your starting pitcher on the first pitch, and despite falling into a first inning 2-0 hole, you never lose confidence. The relief pitchers did their job, and the offense did theirs.

The Brewers tied it up in the fourth on a two-run, two-out triple by Jim Gantner. Then took the lead for good in the fifth on a two run homer by Ben Oglivie (his seventh). Gantner would come a double away from hitting for the cycle. The Brewers swept the four game series from the Twins, an impressive feat even when your opponent is the Twins.

You can’t phase this team. The Crew’s unheralded relievers are ready to step up. And the offense is always capable of digging out of a hole. That’s what happens when you’re in the midst of a four-game winning streak. You are never out of a game.

Game Notes: Jim Gantner, needing a double to complete the cycle, accidentally wore Cecil Cooper‘s batting helmet in his eighth inning at bat. He flied out … The Brewers are 16-10 and have won 13 of their last 17. They now trail the Boston Red Sox by 2 1/2 games … X-rays on Bob McClure’s elbow were negative, and he may not miss a start.

Bad Bounce, Poor Execution Lead to Loss

May 5

Royals 3, Brewers 2 (10)
Brewers now 12-10 (3rd)
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MILWAUKEE — After two unlikely heroes led to a Brewers victory yesterday, Mark Brouhard was set up perfectly to take those honors today.

In the second inning, Brouhard hit a two-run homer to left to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. Minutes later, Brouhard made two fantastic catches, crashing into the left field wall to retire George Brett and Hal McRae in the third, keeping the Royals from scoring at least one run.

Even after the Royals tied the game fourth on a two-out RBI single by Onix Concepcion, it was Brouhard’s game. He had been the offense. His defense kept the team from trailing. Just score a run for the guy and make him the hero.

But Brouhard was the only Brewers player who came to hit. Vida Blue, making his first start since recovering from a shoulder injury, held the Brewers to two runs on six hits in six innings. Dan Quisenberry relieved him and held the Crew to two hits for four more.

Brewers Hesitate, Royals Win

May 3

Royals 3, Brewers 2
Brewers now 11-9 (3rd)
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Jim Gantner — Gantner's hesitation at second proved costly.

MILWAUKEE — Not the best way to start this series.

The Royals are without Amos Otis (hamstring), Willie Wilson (hamstring), Willie Aikens (hand), UL Washington (back) and Lee May (groin). Other than George Brett, that’s pretty much the Royals’ lineup.

So the Brewers knew they were playing a team that was short-handed offensively. Quite the advantage. All they’d need to do is, I don’t know, score three or four runs. Right?

Right. Problem is, they only scored two. Brewers only had seven hits in nine innings, but they didn’t have many opportunities to score. The only true blown shot was in the first when Paul Molitor reached third in the first with one down. Ben Oglivie (strikeout) and Ted Simmons (pop-up) failed to bring him home. The only had a runner in scoring position one other time during the game.

Brewers Come Back, Beat Twins

May 1

Brewers 6, Twins 5
Brewers now 10-8 (3rd)
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Gorman Thomas finally hit his first home run of the season, but it couldn't have come at a better time.

MINNEAPOLIS — What a start to May!

Through seven innings, the Brewers’ offense was lifeless. The Crew’s boppers were at the mercy of Twins starter Brad Havens.

Through seven innings, the Brewers managed only three hits and six total baserunners.

On the mound, it seemed to be an early mismatch for the Brewers. The Twins had seven baserunners in the second and third innings off of Brewers starter Pete Vuckovich and scored four runs.

But Vuke held on and straightened himself out. Neither team scored from the fourth through seventh innings. Entering the eighth, the Twins held onto a comfortable 4-1 lead. And while the Brewers had Rollie Fingers to keep the Twins at bay, Minnesota turned to Doug Corbett and Darrell Jackson.

Moose, Brewers No Match for Twins

April 30

Twins 7, Brewers 4
Brewers now 9-8 (3rd)
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The Twins gave Moose Haas trouble today.

A big story this season has been the opening of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. It’s been a revelation for a cold weather team like the Twins, allowing them to play their games indoors when they may otherwise play in poor conditions or have games postponed. The league could have used more domes on opening day when several entire series were wiped out.