[BirdWatcher]

The Brewers next take on the 9th place Detroit Falcons.

The four-game series starts with a Monday double-header.
The Brewers get a narrow 2-1 victory in the opening game behind a very fine performance by veteran lefty Daniel Torres, who allows just 1 run on 6 hits in 6 1/3rd innings pitched, striking out 7 and walking 1. Left fielder Ryan Rodgers (.316/.414/.368) paces the offense with a 2 for 3, 1 RBI game and gets a huge outfield assist, throwing out Falcons third baseman Eddie Siegmund at home plate to end the 4th inning. Eric Singer works the last 2 innings to get the save, his 2nd (3.15 ERA.)

A fine performance by starter Steve Green (7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 HA, 9 K, 2 BB) and a great game at the plate by rookie Joe McPhillips lead the Brewers to a 5-2 victory in the night cap. McPhillips (.228/.326/.374) went 3 for 4, scoring 2 runs and driving in 1, hitting his 11th double and 5th HR of the season. Green improves to 7-6 with a 3.05 ERA. Another rookie, Mike Foster (.276/.306/.366) also homered, his 3rd, while going 2 for 3 and driving in 3 runs.

A disastrous 6-run 3rd inning against Brewers starter Matt Helm proved to be too much for the home team to overcome in game 3 and they lost 7-5. Helm lasted just 4 1/3rd innings, giving up the 6 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 2. Helm drops to 4-5 with a 2.67 ERA. The Brewers fought to climb back into the game behind some good hitting by Bobby Erbakan (.271/.342/.381), who went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI, Andrew Kennedy (.289/.320/.380), who was 3 for 4 and hit his 22nd double, and Joe McPhillips, who hit a monster solo HR in the 8th inning to get the Brewers within 2 runs of the Falcons. But in the end they fell short.

And in the final game of the series the Falcons lefty ace, Colby Muir, handcuffed the Brewers hitters to get a 5-0 victory (with a little help from his bullpen.) The Brewers manage only a single hit in the game (an Andrew Kennedy single) along with a pair of walks drawn by Ryan Rodgers. Erik Sloan, meanwhile, gives up 5 runs (3 earned) over 7 innings pitched to get take the loss (he did strike out 8 while only walking 1.) Sloan falls to 3-3 with a 1.85 ERA with Denver and 11-6, 2.05 for the season.

Having to settle for a series split after such a promising start was a blow for the team, especially at home, and they remain 8 1/2 games behind the first place Charlotte Sting, still in 3rd place.