[BirdWatcher]

Well, the Brewers are at least making it interesting if nothing else.
They nearly get the 4-game sweep of the Sting though they fall just short in the final game.

Game 1, Harry Lyerly outduels Jalen Cotton (16-8, 2.01) and the Brewers win 4-2. Lyerly took a shutout into the 7th inning when he allowed 2 runs but then he shut the Sting down again and finished with 8 innings pitched, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 7 and walking 4. Lyerly improves to 13-7 with a 2.68 ERA. Ryan Rodgers (.305/.424/.358), having recently returned from the IL, went 3 for 4 in the game, hitting his 8th double of the season. Liann-wei Hua gets the save, his 3rd, and sees his ERA improve to 0.91.

Saturday's game is postponed by rain and therefore Sunday turns into a double-header.
In the first game of the twin bill, the Brewers get another great start, this time from Steve Green, who works 7 innings giving up just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 5 and walking none. The Brewers win 3-1 and Green improves to 9-6 with a 2.94 ERA. Kevin Curtis (.189/.332/.303) provides a good deal of the offense, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI. Miguel Solis gets his 10th save (1.93 ERA.)
In the night-cap the Brewers bats come alive and the pitching remains sharp and they win 7-2. Erik Sloan gets the win and improves to 15-7, 2.11, after giving up 2 runs on 8 hits in 8 1/3rd innings pitched. He was hurling a shutout going into the 9th inning but then got in a bit of trouble and needed some bailing out, which was provided by Sam Pruiett who got the final 2 outs on just 3 pitches. Bobby Erbakan (.282/.351/.400) was 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored in the game. Andrew Kennedy (.301/.331/.396) , third in the MGL in batting average, went 3 for 4, driving in 2 runs and hitting his 2nd triple of the season.

In the final game of the series the Brewers, on the strength of a 5-run 5th inning, carried a 5-1 lead into the 6th inning with staff ace Cheol-han Lee on the mound. It felt like an inevitable win. But then Lee couldn't get out of the 6th inning, giving up 4 runs. The game remained tied 5-5 after 9 innings played. Eric Singer, probably the most disappointing member of the Brewers 'pen this season (while simultaneously being the highest paid reliever and 4th highest paid player on the team), gave up 2 runs in the top of the 11th before Sam Pruiett once again came in to put out the fire. The Brewers went meekly in the bottom of the inning (other than a Pat Rondeau single) and lost 7-5. Singer falls to 3-5 with a 3.94 ERA. Ian Dube (.267/.278/.320), who has done a fine job filling in during the absence of Jonathan Koch (who has just returned from the IL), went 3 for 5 in the game, hitting his 4th double (though also committing his 4th error.) Chad Brown (.285/.314/.374), who has been scuffling at the plate for the last few weeks, went 2 for 5 with 3 RBI in the lead-off slot, having driving in the 3 with a bases loaded triple in the 5-run 5th, his 7th triple of the season.

Having taken 3 of 4 from Charlotte the Brewers remain the only team other than Charlotte not now mathematically eliminated from contention in the MGL, but at 8 1/2 games back with only 11 to play they have nearly no chance to over-take the Sting. The Sting's magic number is down to 4.