Howell has yet to play anything like the player the Brewers thought they were getting. And his refusal to be a backup isn’t helping.
Roy Howell
Stormin’ Gorman Brings Thunder to Yankees
Brewers 9, Yankees 7 (12)
Brewers now 42-31 (2nd)
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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.
Vuke is Wild, Red Sox Take Finale
Red Sox 9, Brewers 7
Brewers now 40-31 (2nd)
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BOSTON — After winning the first three games of this series, it was easy for Brewers fans to get greedy. We have Pete Vuckovich on the mound for the final game, and he had won eight straight games. The offense had scored 27 runs on eight homers in the first three games. We didn’t only see the fourth win as possible, we expected it.
Well, the offense actually held up its end of the bargain. The Brewers hit two more home runs as Gorman Thomas slugged his 18th and third of the series and Roy Howell slugged his second of the season. With seven runs on 10 hits and the ace on the mound, it should have been enough for the four-game sweep that would have pulled the Crew to within a game of first place.
Well, first place will have to wait. Pete Vuckovich was not on his game. Not even close. In 6 2/3 innings, he allowed eight runs (five earned) on nine hits. Most alarming was that he walked seven. In the pivotal seventh, Vuke walked two and hit a batter to load the bases with two outs before Jerry Remy hit a bases-clearing double.
Sure, the defense also didn’t do its job. An Ed Romero error led to two unearned runs and a Ted Simmons passed ball led to another. But still. When you walk eight (Jim Slaton walked one) in addition to 10 hits, you can’t expect to win many games.
While we could leave disappointed knowing that a winnable game got away, the Brewers can hold their heads high. They outplayed the division leaders for most of the four games on foreign soil. This was a statement series.
The Brewers aren’t going away.
Game Notes: Jamie Easterly pitched for the first time since allowing a Dan Ford grand slam 13 days ago … Jim Gantner has a rotator cuff bruise and won’t throw for five days. Not yet known if he will go on the DL.
Brewers Buckle to Distractions
Yankees 3, Brewers 2
Brewers now 37-30 (2nd)
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MILWAUKEE — The Brewers lost the final game of a three-game series with the Yankees today because of one pitch. And that one pitch may have been off target due to one, ridiculous distraction.
With the Brewers leading 2-0 in the fifth, the Yankees mounted a rally. Jerry Mumphrey led off with a walk and John Mayberry singled to right. But Mike Caldwell, who was fantastic on this day, was primed to get out of the jam. He got Butch Wynegar to fly out to right and struck Graig Nettles out looking on a pitch that just clipped the outside corner.
Well, Nettles didn’t think it clipped the outside corner. He thought it was a ball. And when Yankees don’t get their way, they throw a fit. So Nettles threw a fit and his bat, nearly propelling into the stands. Umpire Dan Morrison immediately tossed him, and Nettles went into bar room tough guy mode, screaming and beating his chest, proclaiming he’d kick Morrison’s tail if not for the fact that manager Gene Michael and third base coach Joe Altobelli were holding him back.
As Nettles threw his annoying tantrum, Caldwell stood on the mound waiting. And waiting.
Finally, Roy Smalley stepped to the plate with two on and two down. It was a good match-up for Caldwell. Smalley, a switch hitter, was hitting a mere .159 from the right side.
The first pitch from Caldwell was launched into the left field seats, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. It was the only run-scoring hit for the Yankees on the day, and the Brewers, too, would be done stepping on home plate.
Once the Brewers were unable to break through in the seventh, it was essentially over. Goose Gossage came in and strangled every bit of life out of the offense. With two on and one out in the seventh, Gossage came on and induced fly balls from Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper. When the Brewers reached on a walk by Ted Simmons and a single by Ben Oglivie to open the eighth, Gossage started throwing his notorious slurve to strike out Gorman Thomas and Roy Howell.
It’s a shame that the offense couldn’t score runs because Caldwell deserved better. He pitched a complete game, allowing only the three runs on four hits, though he did walk six. But it was that one hit — that one pitch — that would cost him.
Caldwell simply let a distraction get to him. Unfortunately, the Yankees are full of distractions and the Brewers have to know how to handle them.
Although recent news may present a significant distraction for the Brewers that could be New York Yankee caliber. It was announced that three or four local sports figures, including at least one member of the Milwaukee Brewers starting lineup, have been interviewed by federal investigators in recent months in connection with purchase of drugs from a local man. While no member of the team appears to be in any legal trouble, the Brewers aren’t talking. And as many as five Brewers were contacted during the investigation, though one was cleared.
You think Graig Nettles’ tantrum was a distraction? That’s nothing. This could change the direction of the team if they don’t handle it properly.
Game Notes: The loss ended the Brewers’ seven-game winning streak … The Brewers had seven hits, but six of them were by Ben Oglivie and Marshall Edwards, who each had three … Ben Oglivie hit his 17th home run in the fourth inning, his sixth in four games.
Three Oglivie Homers Power Brewers to Sweep
Brewers 7, Tigers 5
Brewers now 35-29 (3rd)
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DETROIT — When the Tigers took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, it appeared more than likely that they’d salvage the finale of a four-game series. But when you’re facing Harvey’s Wallbangers, no lead is safe.
Boom… Boom… Boom!… BOOOM!!
It was a two-man show for the Brewers on offense. Ted Simmons and Ben Oglivie collected six of the team’s nine hits. They drove in six of the seven runs. Ben Oglivie mashed three home runs, and twice he drove in Simmons in the process. Simmons had a double and a home run, his ninth of the season.
But this was Oglivie’s day. He hit home runs in three consecutive at bats, clearing the wall in the second, fourth and sixth innings. His third home run (his 15th of the season) was a bomb that bounced off the Tiger Stadium roof in right center. It was the second time he had hit three home runs in a game, and also the second time he hit three against the Tigers, his former team. The last time was on July 8, 1979 in Milwaukee.
Given the opportunity to hit his fourth straight home run in the eighth, Detroit smartly put him on first intentionally. Two batters later, Roy Howell would drive in another run. That’s how it’s going right now for the Brewers. Take the bat out of the hot player’s hands, you’ll have to deal with another.
The typically reliable Jim Slaton started and was knocked around for five runs on seven hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. Jerry Augustine took over and was nearly perfect, allowing only a hit in 4 1/3 innings. Rollie Fingers finished it off with two perfect innings of his own for his 15th save, striking out the side on 10 pitches in the ninth. That’s 6 1/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit baseball. It was the bullpen’s work that allowed Oglivie, Simmons and the Brewers to hit back into the game.
Let’s not underestimate the impressiveness of a four-game sweep of the Tigers in Detroit. This is a team that was tied with the Red Sox for the AL East lead and led the Brewers by six games entering this series. They are now two games back and lead the Brewers by two.
Now down by four games, the Brewers are suddenly major players in the divisional race. While the Brewers now take on the 30-31 Yankees, the first place Red Sox will battle it out with the Tigers.
Game Notes: It was the Brewers’ fifth straight road win and their 12th win in 18 games under manager Harvey Kuenn … The Brewers hit nine home runs in the series … Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Jim Gantner and Cecil Cooper all deserve to play if not start in the All-Star Game, but none are likely to be voted in.
Card of the Day: 1982 Fleer Roy Howell
Howell openly complained about his role early in the season, despite being outplayed by Molitor at 3B and Money at DH. Months later, we appear to be stuck with him.