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Brewers 1982

Brewers 1982

Covering the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the 1982 season, in real-time, as it would have happpened.

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Milt Wilcox

Tigers, Umpires Spoil Strong Start

September 6 Leave a Comment

Tigers 6, Brewers 5 (10)
Brewers now 81-56 (1st by 3.0 games)
Box Score | Game Schedule

1982 Donruss Doc Medich
Doc Medich no-hit the Tigers for six innings but took the loss in 10.

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.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Alan Trammell, Ben Oglivie, Bob Skube, Cecil Cooper, Charlie Moore, Doc Medich, Don Sutton, Ed Romero, Glenn Wilson, Gorman Thomas, Harvey Kuenn, Jim Gantner, Jim Turner, Larry Herndon, Lou Whitaker, Marshall Edwards, Milt Wilcox, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers, Tigers, Tom Brookens

Brewers Knocked Down, Get Up and Win

June 18 Leave a Comment

Brewers 5, Tigers 2
Brewers now 33-29 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor escaped injury after being hit on the helmet by a Milt Wilcox fastball.

DETROIT — Look out!

Not the words you want to hear Bob Uecker belting out on the radio when Paul Molitor is at the plate. Up 3-2 in the top of the ninth, we heard those exact words. Molitor took a Milt Wilcox fastball just above the ear flap.

Brewers fans breathed a sigh of relief as Molitor quickly bounced up and trotted to first base.

“When Paulie went down,” said manager Harvey Kuenn, “the first thing I thought about was I hoped he wasn’t hurt.”

Up to that point, Molitor was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a near miss home run into the depths of dead center field of Tiger Stadium.

“The second thing,” Kuenn continued, “was that he was throwing at him.”

Damn straight, he was.

Look out!

Wilcox then went up and in on Robin Yount. This time, Robin avoided being knocked upside the head. Some players may have reacted by charging the mound. Yount hit a single to center field to score Molitor, who had moved up to second on a wild pitch.

Wilcox was then removed from the game, replaced by Kevin Saucier. Yount would score and the Brewers would hold on to win 5-2.

Wilcox threw three wild pitches in the game and hit two batters, also pelting Ben Oglivie in the eighth. Was Wilcox just wild? Maybe. But Kuenn thinks some of the wild pitches had intent.

“The only thing I can say is that every dog has his day,” said Kuenn. “Every dog has his day.”

Game Notes: It was the fourth consecutive good start for Randy Lerch, who allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings and went the first 4 2/3 innings without allowing a hit … Molitor may have avoided serious injury thanks to the ear flap, which became mandatory for all hitters this season … Jim Gantner, who strained his shoulder on a diving play yesterday, will miss the final two games of the series … Dwight Bernard extended his scoreless innings streak to 7 2/3 … Gorman Thomas was removed from the game in the eighth with a stomach muscle pull. He is questionable for tomorrow’s game … The Brewers are now five games back of the Red Sox in the AL East, the closest they’ve been to first since May 21.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Ben Oglivie, Bob Uecker, Dwight Bernard, Gorman Thomas, Harvey Kuenn, Jim Gantner, Kevin Saucier, Milt Wilcox, Paul Molitor, Randy Lerch, Robin Yount, Tigers

Boo Birds Out in Ugly Brewers Loss

June 12 Leave a Comment

Tigers 7, Brewers 3
Brewers now 29-28 (4th)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Ted Simmons
Ted Simmons may want to consider wearing ear plugs tomorrow.

MILWAUKEE — This team… This team…

This team was in near disaster mode under Buck Rodgers. When he was let go, Harvey Kuenn appeared to have injected new life into this team. They scored runs and prevented runs like at no other time this season for a four game stretch.

Then this team lost three straight games to the Orioles in which they scored a total of seven runs and bowed to three consecutive complete games by Baltimore starters.

When this team bounced back to win the final game of the four-game series with the Orioles 8-6, we thought maybe… just maybe, they were back.

Today, this team lost a 2-0 lead and eventually the series opening game to the Tigers. And once again, the starting pitcher (this time Milt Wilcox) went the distance.

Pardon Brewers fans if we’re a bit schizophrenic, but we have no idea what to make of this team. One day we’re adorning our beloved squad with a lovable nickname after only a few games, and today we’re setting decibel records when Ted Simmons grounded into his second double play of the game.

Mike Caldwell is the perfect representation of this team. He was considered a “cancer” under Buck Rodgers, but in Kuenn’s debut on June 2 Caldwell surprised us all with a complete game masterpiece against the Mariners.

In his next appearance, however, our doubts resurfaced when Caldwell allowed six runs and couldn’t last five innings against the Orioles on June 7.

Today? Today was perfect. We were starting to believe that Caldwell had returned to his June 2 form when he allowed only one hit through the first four innings. Then in the fifth and sixth, he imploded, allowing seven runs on six hits in one-plus innings. The only runs the Tigers would score.

So what do we make of this team? Are they the underachieving trouble-makers they were under Rodgers? Are they the Harvey’s Wallbangers that surfaced for four glorious days beginning June 2? Or are they something in between?

I have no freaking clue.

Game Notes: Cecil Cooper, still out with a right buttock injury, was replaced in the lineup by Roy Howell at first base … Two Brewers errors led to two unearned runs for the Tigers … Ben Oglivie went 4-for-4 with two RBI … Rollie Fingers was not available due to back spasms. He is day-to-day.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Ben Oglivie, Buck Rodgers, Cecil Cooper, Harvey Kuenn, Mike Caldwell, Milt Wilcox, Rollie Fingers, Roy Howell, Ted Simmons, Tigers

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