Ned Yost

Brewers Win with Moore Offense

Brewers 5, Yankees 3
Brewers now 84-57 (1st by 4.0 games)
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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.

Mariners in Giving Mood, Brewers Sweep

August 22 Leave a Comment

Brewers 8, Mariners 5
Brewers now 72-50 (1st by 6.0 games)
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Moose Haas recovered after allowing a grand slam in the first inning.

SEATTLE — Sometimes, you don’t have to be the team that wins the game. Just as long as you aren’t the team that loses it.

The Brewers didn’t play their best baseball today. They really didn’t deserve to win. But the Seattle Mariners simply gave them too many second chances. Eventually, the Brewers won by default.

The Mariners took a 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an improbable rally. With no one on base and two outs, Al Cowens singled and Moose Haas walked both Richie Zisk and Dave Revering. Dave Henderson then launched a grand slam to put the Brewers into a huge hole.

Then the Brewers duplicated the start of the Mariners’ rally in the top of the second, again with two outs and no one on. Ed Romero, filling in for an injured Ben Oglivie, singled to center. Ned Yost walked. Jim Gantner then hit a routine grounder to Todd Cruz at short that should have ended the inning. Second baseman Paul Serna, though, was late covering the bag and everyone was safe. Paul Molitor reached on an infield single, scoring one. Todd Cruz then made a throwing error that scored two more runs. And Cecil Cooper singled in two more.

What do we have? Five Brewers runs, and although one of the runs was technically earned, none of them should have scored. Suddenly, the Brewers had a 5-4 lead that they didn’t really deserve.

Well, they did deserve it… Because the Mariners certainly didn’t deserve to lead. It’s complicated…

After that six outs of insanity, the bats went quiet for both teams until the bottom of the eighth. Once again, the Mariners struck with a long ball with two outs. This time, it was Al Cowens with a solo shot to tie the game at five.

But of course, this was not a game the Mariners were meant to win. Ned Yost led off the top of the ninth inning with a single to left. After Gantner bunted Yost over, Floyd Bannister was removed in favor of shut-down closer Bill Caudill. Let’s set the scene…

Caudill, known as “The Inspector,” entered the field to the playing of the Pink Panther theme song. Caudill was 10-4 with a 1.85 ERA. He has been close to automatic.

After a first pitch strike to Paul Molitor, the Kingdome organist giddily played The Inspector’s theme music again. Then on the next pitch, Molitor ripped a single to left that scored Yost, taking second on the throw, and giving the Brewers a 6-5 lead.

“I was looking for a fastball,” Molitor explained. “I came up against him in a similar situation in Milwaukee and he struck me out on fastballs, so that was all I was looking for and I got one.”

Molitor then stole third and scored when Robin Yount laced a single off of Caudill’s glove to make it 7-5. Yount then stole second, the team’s fourth swipe of the night, and scored off of Gorman Thomas‘ single off of the left field wall.

The Brewers scored eight runs in all, but only three of them should have scored. But sometimes, you can win by simply not being the worst team on the field that day. That was the case on this night.

The Brewers swept the Mariners and next play the Angels tomorrow in Anaheim. The Red Sox beat the A’s 4-2 to keep pace six games back of the Brewers.

Game Notes: The Brewers are in search of a right fielder and a left handed reliever. They did pursue outfielder Ellis Valentine of the Mets, but nothing materialized. … Frank DiPino has been dominating the Pacific Coast League and is expected to be called up when rosters are expanded to pitch the second game of a double header with Cleveland on September 2nd.

The Doctor is Out, Brewers Lose

August 15 Leave a Comment

Blue Jays 3, Brewers 2
Brewers now 68-48 (1st by 4.5 games)
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1982 Donruss Doc Medich — Doc Medich made his unimpressive Brewers debut.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers couldn’t wait to get rid of Randy Lerch. He was removed from the rotation after a start on July 30. He made his last relief appearance on August 2nd. After a pretty decent spot start as part of a double header on August 12th, Lerch was sold to the Montreal Expos. Today, Doc Medich made his debut as Lerch’s replacement.

The verdict? Not impressive. He allowed only two runs through 5 1/3 innings, but the Blue Jays had six hits and walked six times. As a veteran arm, Medich is supposed to stabilize the bullpen. So far, not so good.

The play of the game was in the Brewers’ half of the sixth inning. After Ned Yost led off with a single, Paul Molitor came to the plate. He squared to bunt, pulled the bat back and slapped it down the third base line. Rance Mulliniks made a nice play to stab the ball and throw to second for the force. Damaso Garcia turned and fired to first. First base umpire Larry Barnett called him out. Manager Harvey Kuenn busted out of the dugout to argue the clear mistake, but to no avail. There were two outs and no one on.

Robin Yount then launched his 20th home run of the season over the left field wall. It was a solo shot to tie the game at two instead of giving the Brewers a 3-2 lead.

Jim Slaton, who relieved Medich in the top of the sixth, was terrific. For the first 2 2/3 innings of relief, Slaton didn’t allow a baserunner. Then, with Rollie Fingers unavailable with a sore pitching elbow, Slaton walked Alfredo Griffin to lead off the ninth. After a sacrifice bunt and a flyout, Ernie Whitt hit an RBI single with two outs for the eventual game winning run.

After winning the first three games of a five game series with the Blue Jays, the Brewers blew the final two. Suddenly, there are questions. Is Doc Medich the answer? Though Fingers’ injury is not thought to be serious, can this team win without him?

“At this point, we’ll stay with what we have,” Kuenn said in regards to the starting rotation. “You never can tell. Maybe we’ll make another deal.”

Only players with the team before August 31st are eligible for the postseason, so if a deal is going to be made it needs to be made soon. After seeing Medich today, one needs to be made soon.

The good news is that Fingers received a cortisone shot and is expected to be back for the Oakland series, which starts on August 17 following a day off.

Game Notes: The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles to pull back to within 4 1/2 games of the Brewers in the AL East. … Damaso Garcia was picked off for the third time in the series. … In the sixth inning, Cecil Cooper recorded a single, his 1,000th hit as a member of the Brewers. … Prior to the game, Jerry Miodzik of Port Edwards was named the winner of the Rollie Fingers Look-Alike Handlebar Mustache Contest. Fingers picked the winner from 11 finalists, and there were more than 600 entries from across the state. … Gorman Thomas hit his 32nd home run of the season.

Mighty Wallbangers Shut Out

July 8 Leave a Comment

Twins 3, Brewers 0
Brewers now 45-35 (2nd)
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1982 Topps Stickers Pete Vuckovich — Pete Vuckovich wasn't perfect, but perfection wouldn't have been good enough in this shutout.

MILWAUKEE — What? The Brewers have been shut out? The mighty Harvey’s Wallbangers?

It happened. For the first time in 137 games, it happened. And the last time they were shut out, on June 8, 1981, it was also at the hands of the Twins.

The loss was Pete Vuckovich‘s fourth this season and eighth in two seasons with the Brewers. He still shares the AL lead in wins with 10. He wasn’t perfect, but he allowed only three runs in a complete game loss.

The thing is, this game could have easily swung the Brewers’ way. Twins starter Jack O’Connor was fantastic, but the Brewers were inches away from swinging this game the other way. In the first inning with two on and two out, Gorman Thomas launched a fly ball to left field that was snagged at the wall by Bobby Mitchell. In an identical situation in the fifth with two on and two out, Robin Yount hit a shot to the warning track in right.

It was a painful loss, one that dropped the Brewers to two games back of the AL East lead (the Red Sox won), but it wasn’t meant to be.

But what was meant to be? Cecil Cooper and Rollie Fingers in the All-Star Game. Reserves were announced today, and the deserving duo join shortstop Robin Yount on the squad. That’s nice. All three have played at an All-Star level. But what about Gorman Thomas, who leads the AL in home runs? What about Pete Vuckovich, who leads the AL in wins? What about Ben Oglivie?

It’s okay. It’s just an exhibition game and a popularity contest. Not like the game actually counts. The Brewers will get back to winning the games that matter tomorrow.

Game Notes: Twins super rookie Kent Hrbek had four hits. … Brewers reliever Jamie Easterly was noticeably limping on a sore right knee prior to the game. If it is not better by July 11, he will undergo an arthroscopic exam. It is the same knee he had surgery on seven years ago. … Ned Yost and his wife Debbie became first time parents of a baby boy this morning. … A huge tailgate party to benefit the MACC fund will be held prior to tomorrow’s game starting at 3:00 in the parking lot near center field. Tickets are $15 and include a game ticket. Tickets for just the tailgate are $10.

Card of the Day: 1982 Topps Ned Yost

July 8 Leave a Comment

It’s somewhat curious that this is Yost’s only card from all of the major 1982 sets. Why no love for a backup catcher?

[VIEW THE FULL 1982 BREWERS TOPPS SET]

Stormin’ Gorman Brings Thunder to Yankees

June 30 Leave a Comment

Brewers 9, Yankees 7 (12)
Brewers now 42-31 (2nd)
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Gorman Thomas — Gorman Thoams hit a two-run homer in the 12th to beat the Yankees.

NEW YORK — What started out as a rout ended up as a thriller. But the Brewers kept their composure and again won in impressive fashion on the road.

The Crew sent Yankees starter Tommy John to the showers early, scoring one in the first and five on six hits in the third. Holding a 6-1 lead midway through the seventh, the lead appeared safe.

But that’s about the point that the clock strikes midnight for Brewers starter Randy Lerch, even on a good day. He quickly hit the wall, allowing three consecutive hits after a leadoff fly out by Graig Nettles. Dwight Bernard and then Rollie Fingers came on to try and stop the bleeding, but by the end of the inning it was a one-run nail-biter.

The drama was a bit unexpected, particularly after a Ned Yost RBI single gave the Brewers a two-run lead heading to the bottom of the ninth with Rollie Fingers still on the mound. Then, Rollie lost grip of the lead again and blew his fifth save, allowing the Yankees to tie the game on two sacrifice flies.

The game was nearly ended in the tenth when Roy Howell hit a two-out single to left with Ben Oglivie on second. But Dave Winfield pegged him out at the plate on a perfect throw, and the game continued.

Gorman Thomas, who previously in the game exacted revenge on Dave LaRoche by smacking a “LaLob” for a single (LaRoche had struck out Thomas on the same slow-pitch softball-styled looper during the playoffs last season), had power in mind in the twelfth. After Cecil Cooper led off the inning with a single, Gorman smashed a booming shot over the left field wall off of reliever Shane Rawley to give the Brewers a two-run lead.

Of course, this was a game filled with dramatic twists and turns, so the bottom of the twelfth wouldn’t be easy. After Rollie Fingers reached the end of his line (he went 4 2/3 innings for his longest outing of the season), Jamie Easterly took the mound. Oscar Gamble and Jerry Mumphrey reached to start the frame, and the Brewers appeared to be in big trouble. But Graig Nettles failed to get a bunt down and would then strike out. Roy Smalley singled to load the bases with one out, and then Dave Collins hit a swinging bunt that Easterly would field and tag out Oscar Gamble at the plate. With two down and the bases still loaded, catcher Juan Espino flied to center to finally end the game.

It was a marathon game, a roller coaster of emotions. But as the Brewers have repeatedly shown under Harvey Kuenn, this team is a powerful, strong-minded and resilient bunch.

The Brewers go for the sweep tomorrow.

Game Notes: After Boston’s 12-3 loss to the Tigers, the Brewers now trail the Red Sox by two games for the AL East lead. … Gorman Thomas now has 19 home runs, tying him with teammate Ben Oglivie and Cleveland Indian Andre Thornton for the league lead. … Thomas is 13-for-24 with five home runs and 13 RBI on the six-game road trip. … Jim Gantner, nursing a sore shoulder, is making improvement and will try to throw in a couple of days. … Don Money has a sore hamstring, but still played.