Mike Hargrove

Fingers Hurt, Sutton Debuts in Split

September 2

Brewers 2, Indians 1 (Game 1)
Box Score
Indians 4, Brewers 2 (Game 2)
Box Score
Brewers now 79-54 (1st by 4.5 games)
Season Schedule

Rollie FIngers — Rollie Fingers left Game 1 with an injured forearm.

MILWAUKEE — Remember when the season-opening two-game series with the Indians in Milwaukee was snowed out? Well, the Brewers and Indians found a time to play it — today in a doubleheader.

Game 1 brought concern about possibly the team’s best arm. Game 2 brought hope about the new one.

The Brewers scored a run in each the first and third innings of the first game thanks to RBI singles by Ben Oglivie and Gorman Thomas. The team would reach on only two other hits in the game against starter Rick Sutcliffe, but it’s all they would need.

Moose Haas allowed a run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings while Dwight Bernard, Rollie Fingers and Pete Ladd combined to throw 2 2/3 innings of no-hit ball.

Why, you ask, was Fingers mentioned second? Why didn’t the closer finish the game? That’s the concern.

Fingers struck out the side in the eighth, but walked Mike Hargrove to lead off the top of the ninth. After Toby Harrah bunted the runner to second, Fingers threw two pitches to Al Thornton. After the second, he clutched his throwing arm and was done for the game.

Initial reaction was panic. Fingers had already missed some time recently with a sore elbow. Had it gotten worse?

“It’s a muscle in his forearm,” manager Harvey Kuenn assured us. “We’ll know more tomorrow, but it’s nothing serious.”

Certainly a relief, and hopefully Fingers won’t miss any additional time.

Pete Ladd picked up where Fingers left off and struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Game 2 was the much anticipated Brewers debut for Don Sutton, acquired near the deadline from the Houston Astros. Though he wasn’t perfect, Sutton was able to get himself out of trouble through the first eight innings.

The Brewers entered the top of the ninth with a chance to win both games at an identical 2-1 score. After retiring Toby Harrah on a foul pop-up, Thornton and Ron Hassey singled to center to put the go-ahead run on.

Pitching coach Pat Dobson then paid a visit to the mound to talk to Sutton. To the delight of the Brewers faithful, who roared with approval, Sutton was left in to face the dangerous Von Hayes.

Hayes promptly hit a three-run home run and the Brewers weren’t able to recover.

“I’d have to say that the response and reception I received tonight had to be one of my biggest thrills in baseball,” Sutton said after the game. “I was nervous to pitch and each time I went out they made me feel twice as good.

“I wish I could have given them a ninth inning finish that merited the response.”

It’s okay, Don. You dazzled for eight innings. We saw glimmers of what is to come.

To be frank, the Crew was lucky to win one game after combining for four runs on 12 hits in the two games. It was not a performance befitting the nickname “Harvey’s Wallbangers.”

The Brewers remain 4 1/2 games up on the Red Sox and next host the California Angels for a three game series beginning tomorrow.

Victory Sacrificed

August 7

Indians 4, Brewers 3 (11)
Brewers now 62-45 (1st by 2.5 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule

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.

Brewers Overcome Whitson, Chaos to Win in 10

August 6

Brewers 5, Indians 2 (10)
Brewers now 62-44 (1st by 2.5 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule

1982 Topps Cecil Cooper — Cecil Cooper tied the game in the eighth and won it in the 10th.

CLEVELAND — For seven innings, Cleveland starter Ed Whitson dominated the Milwaukee Brewers. Then the real game started.

The Brewers didn’t collect their first hit until Paul Molitor singled to lead off the sixth. They didn’t get their second until Molitor singled in the eighth. And then…

Cecil Cooper had seen three pitches in three fruitless at bats until that point. But then Whitson made a mistake.

“It was a fastball down the middle,” Whitson explained. “His eyes lit up like silver dollars and I knew it was gone the minute I threw it.”

Cooper unloaded Whitson’s meatball over the right centerfield fence for his 23rd home run of the season. Suddenly, after struggling to even get a hit for seven innings, the Brewers and Indians were tied at two.

Moose Haas kept the Brewers in the game throughout, allowing only two runs on 10 hits and two walks through nine innings. He may have come out for the tenth except that Mike Hargrove lined a shot off of Haas’ hand to end the ninth.

Both teams passed up opportunities to win the game, but the Brewers would finally capitalize in the 10th (though it would come after poor execution). Molitor again singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on an error by Miguel Dilone. Robin Yount then dropped a hard bunt back to the mound and Molitor was caught in between second and third. Luckily, he stayed in a run-down long enough to get Yount to second.

Then the drama…

Cecil Cooper again came through, this time with a one hop single to right. Yount flew around third and appeared to beat a strong throw from outfielder Von Hayes. The throw was to the left shoulder of catcher Ron Hassey, who made a swipe tag of Yount as he slid across the plate.

Umpire Drew Coble pointed down, and Yount assumed he was being called out. Robin jumped to his feet and appeared to grab Coble by the shoulders. Ted Simmons, who had raced over from the on deck circle, then began screaming at Coble. Manager Harvey Kuenn rushed out of the dugout and third base coach Harry Werner rumbled toward the plate.

Coble then waved both arms and made the call he was attempting the entire time: SAFE. He had simply pointed to where Yount had touched the plate.

“I don’t know what I did but there was no way in the world I was out,” Yount explained. “I snapped a bit. When I realized he had called me safe, I said ‘ok’ and walked away as fast as I could because I thought I was in trouble.”

Kuenn had a similar account. “To tell the truth I have no idea what I was saying to Coble out there. [Gorman] Thomas grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me and yelled, ‘He called him SAFE!’ in my face, and I said, ‘See ya later.'”

Moments later, Ted Simmons hit his 18th home run of the season to give the Brewers a 5-2 lead that they would not give up. Rollie Fingers pitched the 10th for his 25th save.

The Brewers’ lead in the AL East increased to a season-high 2.5 games after the Boston Red Sox fell to the Chicago White Sox 6-3.

Indians Throw Away Game to Brewers

July 31

Brewers 4, Indians 2
Brewers now 58-42 (1st by .5 game over Boston)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Mike Caldwell recovered from a rough first inning to dominate the Indians.

MILWAUKEE — This was one of those games that the Brewers didn’t deserve to win. But if you want to get technical, the Cleveland Indians deserved to win it even less.

It was both American Legion Day and Wisconsin Tavern League Day, and in the bottom of the first inning the Indians would play defense like a bunch of drunk teenagers. But we’ll get to that.

With one down in the top of the first, Toby Harrah and Mike Hargrove hit back-to-back home runs off of Brewers starter Mike Caldwell to give the Indians an early 2-0 lead. The Indians had already hit six home runs off of the Brewers in two-plus games while “Harvey’s Wallbangers” had yet to hit one. It didn’t look good.

But then one of the most ridiculous half innings in recent memory happened. After Gorman Thomas singled in Paul Molitor to make it a 2-1 game, Ben Oglivie hit a liner right at second baseman Larry Milbourne with Robin Yount at third and Thomas at first. Thomas ventured a little too far off of first, and Milbourne fired over in an attempt to turn the inning ending double play. Instead…

What happened next could easily be written in the longest run-on sentence in the history of the English language. But instead, I’ll break it down as succinctly as possible:

1) Milbourne’s throw sailed wide and off of Hargrove’s glove at first.
2) Hargrove and Thomas collided and fell to the ground.
3) Yount took off for home plate.
4) Hargrove de-tangled himself from Gorman Thomas, picked up the ball and fired it home. That ball sailed over a divin Robin Yount and catcher Chris Bando‘s glove.
5) Thomas took off for second, and when the Indians were slow to track down the errant throw, he headed for third.
6) Bando found the ball, fired towards third base and into left field.
7) Gorman Thomas scored.

Three errors on one play that led to two runs. It was a play you’ll typically only see in youth league baseball.

While it was a lead the Brewers would not relinquish, the win could ultimately be attributed to their pitching. The only additional run scored in this game was on a Gorman Thomas double play ball in the third. After a shaky first inning in which he allowed two runs on three hits, Mike Caldwell settled down to dominate the Indians through the eighth. He’d shut out Cleveland for the next seven innings, allowing only two hits. Then Rollie Fingers took the mound to throw a perfect ninth for his 23rd save.

The win moved the Brewers back into first place, a half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox, who fell 7-5 to the White Sox.

Thornton Slam Erases Vuke’s Gem

July 29

Indians 5, Brewers 1 (12)
Brewers now 57-41 (2nd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

1982 Topps Stickers Pete Vuckovich — Vuckovich did all he could for 11 innings.

MILWAUKEE — For 11 innings, Brewers starter Pete Vuckovich did all he could to win today’s game. He allowed only a single run on 10 hits and three walks. He threw 140 pitches. He threw his heart and soul. And all he needed was two runs from his heavy hitting teammates.

It shouldn’t have been difficult. The opposing starting pitcher was Len Barker, who had a career record of 1-6 against the Brewers. And knowing how easily Harvey’s Wallbangers typically score runs, Vuke’s effort should have been more than enough.

Instead, Barker matched him pitch for pitch through 10 innings. Like Vuckovich, he allowed only a single run before giving way to the bullpen in the 11th inning.

Unlike Vuckovich’s bullpen, Barker’s did the job. Closer Rollie Fingers had the day off, so the ball instead fell into the reliable hand of Jim Slaton. Normally reliable, at least.

This time, Slaton ran into immediate trouble. Jack Perconte led off with a single to right. Miguel Dilone bunted him to second. Slaton threw a wild pitch. Toby Harrah walked. Mike Hargrove walked to load the bases. And then Andre Thornton blasted an 0-1 pitch into the left field seats for a grand slam.

A grand slam. Really? Vuke goes 11 innings, allowing only a single run. And Slaton gives up four runs before he can get two outs?

“It was just one of those nights,” manager Harvey Kuenn explained afterwards. “Jimmy didn’t have hits best stuff.” No kidding.

That’s just how it rolls sometimes, I guess. And while it’s convenient to blame Slaton, we shouldn’t forget the offense that could score only a run through 12 innings. They also had their opportunities.

They had runners at first and second in the second inning, but Marshall Edwards lined to short. Runners at second and third with one out in the third, but Cecil Cooper popped out and Ted Simmons struck out. Bases loaded in the 11th, but Paul Molitor popped to right.

So the offense certainly deserves some blame. In fact, you can blame everyone for this loss. Everyone, that is, other than Vuckovich.

For the longest stretch under Kuenn, it was as if this team could not lose. And if they did lose, four wins would immediately follow. Now, however, they’re in the midst of a 4-6 stretch. It’s a stretch that would seem normal for any other team. But one that is hard to comprehend for this team that was unbeatable a short while ago.

“You can’t expect to play .700 baseball throughout the whole year,” Kuenn said.

He’s right. But the loss coupled with Boston’s win over the White Sox dropped the Brewers to second place, a half game back of the AL East lead.