Jim Gantner

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.

Vuke Gets Wild Win

August 13

Brewers 3, Blue Jays 1
Brewers now 68-46 (1st by 5.5 games)
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Pete Vuckovich — Vuke was wild, but it was all part of his master plan.

MILWAUKEE — It was Seat Cushion Night at County Stadium, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The fans did a lot of sitting through long innings while Pete Vuckovich was on the mound.

Vuckovich walked a Milwaukee Brewers record eight batters today. The Blue Jays loaded the bases twice. Knowing that, you’d assume the Brewers either lost or it was a high scoring affair.

Either way, you’d assume incorrectly. Vuckovich threw 146 pitches in a complete game, allowing only a single run. In fact, none of his eight walks scored.

“They weren’t biting,” Vuke said to explain his wildness. “I threw a lot of balls down around the knees. They were balls. They just weren’t going after them.”

Especially not in the first inning. In fact, in that inning it appeared Vuke would have a short outing. With one out and a run in, Hosken Powell swung at a 2-0 pitch out of the zone to ground out and end the inning. Prior to that, Vuke had thrown 14 of 16 pitches for balls.

But that’s the way Vuckovich prefers to pitch. He’ll pitch around the strike zone, but he’s not going to split it. And he is not afraid to walk anyone.

“It’s better that way than getting it up where they can see the whole sphere coming at them when they’re attempting to reach out with the wood tool with the purpose of reversing the sphere to certain areas between the white lines where men aren’t standing with gloves on,” Vuke continued.

Oooooohhhh…. kay.

While the Blue Jays failed to score with the bases loaded, the Brewers took advantage of their one opportunity in the fourth. With the bases juiced and one out, Marshall Edwards hit a possible double play ball to first baseman Willie Upshaw. Upshaw spun and fired to second, but the return throw wasn’t in time to retire the speedy Edwards. Ted Simmons scored, and Jim Gantner followed with an RBI single to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.

Possibly the biggest play happened in the fifth inning. Damaso Garcia led off the inning with a single to right and Rance Mulliniks followed with a walk. Vuckovich then spun and fired to Robin Yount, covering second, in an attempt to pick off Garcia. The throw was just late. But they tried again, and this time Garcia was out. It changed the inning, and the Blue Jays were unable to score.

“That was the big play of the ball game,” said manager Harvey Kuenn. “It was a case of perfect execution. Robin saw daylight, made his move to second, Vuke made a perfect throw.”

While the win was a big one and made it three in a row against the Blue Jays, the Brewers also received bad news about their star closer. Rollie Fingers flew home to San Diego to have his right elbow examined and isn’t expected back this series. Fingers, stuck on 299 career saves, is having trouble with his pitching elbow.

“He felt some stiffness in his elbow last night after the game,” said Kuenn. “It had been a little tender but he said he could pitch last night. He said he wanted to see his doctor out there. He’ll be back tomorrow. He said he’ll be all right after a few days’ rest.”

Let’s hope it’s nothing serious. This team can’t afford to lose a player of Fingers’ caliber.

The Red Sox beat the Orioles 5-2, so the Brewers maintain a 5 1/2 game lead 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.

Caldwell in the Zone as Brewers Win

August 9

Brewers 9, Rangers 1
Brewers now 64-45 (3.5 games up)
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MILWAUKEE — They say that when a hitter is “in the zone” he can’t miss. He can do no wrong. Today, Mike Caldwell showed that a pitcher can be in the zone, too.

Caldwell pitched a six-hit complete game victory for his 10th win of the season and third straight. The win also allowed the Brewers to extend their lead in the AL East to 3.5 games, their largest lead of the season.

But while the Brewers offense pounded out 13 hits, featuring a home run by Jim Gantner and four RBI from Robin Yount, Caldwell was the star. Other than a third inning solo home run by George Wright, Caldwell was virtually flawless, walking two and striking out three.

“If you told me he was a 10-10 pitcher and I didn’t know it, I’d call you a liar,” manager Harvey Kuenn said of his starting pitcher. “He has pitched flat out super baseball.”

It’s Caldwell’s second consecutive complete game, having thrown a shutout the last time out. In fact, he’s allowed only five earned runs in his last four starts, covering 34 innings.

“It’s like a hitter can hit a pitch no matter where it is at,” Caldwell explained. “I throw the ball and just think inside or outside and the ball ends up there.”

Whatever it is, it’s certainly working for Caldwell.

And whatever Jim Gantner did today worked as well. In addition to the home run, he had two other hits giving him three on the game. A week ago, he said he would not shave until he collected three hits in a game. Following today’s win, he was finally able to shave the week old beard. “I’m a man of my words,” a cleanly shaven Gantner said.

Today’s game was anything but a clean shave, thanks to Mike Caldwell’s zone. Game 2 of the series is tomorrow at 7:30 pm.

Molitor Homer Caps Dramatic Win

August 8

Brewers 7, Indians 6
Brewers now 63-45 (1st by 2.5 games)
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Paul Molitor was the hero with a two out, two-run home run in the ninth.

CLEVELAND — That. Was. AWESOME!

Heading into the ninth inning, the scoreboard in Cleveland updated to show the Boston Red Sox leading the Chicago White Sox. With the Brewers trailing 6-5 and holding a 2 1/2 game lead over Boston in the AL East, the lead seemed to be trickling away.

With two down and the bases empty, there appeared to be little hope. But then Jim Gantner hit a ground ball through the right side for a hit. And then Paul Molitor came to the plate.

Len Barker, Cleveland’s starter, tossed in a 3-1 fastball. Molitor launched a high fly ball to left center field. Outfielder Rick Manning raced to the track and leapt for the ball, but it barely escaped his grasp for a two-run home run to give the Brewers the lead.

“He looked like he had lost some velocity,” Molitor explained, regarding Barker’s ninth inning performance. “I know I was tired and I didn’t throw 140 pitches.

Everyone was tired, you see, because of the extreme humidity on this hot Cleveland afternoon. As Molitor rounded the bases, Gorman Thomas then led the charge out of the dugout to mob Molitor at the plate.

“It’s all part of the thrill,” Thomas said after the game, sipping a mug of beer. “I was as happy as a pig in a brand new, well watered sty.”

Of course, that celebration, combined with likely dehydration, resulted in back spasms for Gorman, and Marshall Edwards replaced him in centerfield for the bottom of the ninth.

Rollie Fingers pitched a perfect ninth and the Brewers held on for the stunning victory.

It’s one of those games that separates champions from good teams. Pete Vuckovich didn’t have his best stuff, but the offense did enough to stay in the game.

Gorman Thomas, before injuring his back, was more than just a cheerleader. He hit a two-run homer in the third to give the Brewers a 3-1 lead. Then, with the game tied at three with one out in the sixth and the bases loaded, Roy Howell hit a possible double play ball to shortstop Mike Fischlin, who attempted to step on the bag and turn two. Instead, Gorman Thomas bared down on him from first and upended the shortstop while the ball went flying. Two runs scored as a result.

Had that play not happened, the double play may have been turned and no runs scored. No runs, no dramatic victory in the ninth.

“It just proves what I’ve been saying all along,” manager Harvey Kuenn said later. “This team never quits, even with two outs in the ninth they are battling.”

They don’t quit. They just win.

Game Notes: Outfielder Ben Oglivie has struggled mightily since the All-Star break, hitting .178 (16-for-90) and with only seven hits in his last 56 at bats.

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.