EDIT: WHOOPS! That should read September 7-9, 1973. Sorry.
The Brewers hit the road and start in Phoenix where they take on the 4th place Speed Devils for 3 games.
In game 1 the Brewers suffer a heartbreaking loss in a low scoring, back and forth game. The Brewers take a 2-1 lead in the top of the 8th inning but then give up 2 runs in the bottom of the frame and lose 3-2. Erik Sloan gives the Brewers a good start, allowing just 1 run on 6 hits in 7 innings pitched but gets a no-decision. The normally rock steady Jaden Francis takes the loss, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits (1 HR) in his inning pitched. Francis falls to 2-3 with 2.64 ERA. Chad Brown (.290/.312/.359) continues his hot stretch at the plate, going 2 for 5 with 1 run scored in the loss.
The Brewers bounce back, as they often do, in the second game of the series, and get a 6-4 win. Matt Helm was mediocre in the start, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and a pair of walks in 5 innings pitched. Justin Bismark, who replaced him in the 6th, was credited with the win and improves to 3-0 with a 3.25 ERA. Sam Pruiett has been pitching great lately and worked the final 2 innings for his 5th save (3.42 ERA.) Joe McPhillips (.271/.369/.486) was named Player of the Game and went 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored, 2 walks, and hit his 6th HR of the season. Ryan Rodgers (.355/.463/.454) went 3 for 5 in the game and scored 1 run.
Cheol-han Lee picked a bad time to go through a rough patch. Fortunately, in this one his teammates picked him up. Lee allowed 6 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits in 6 innings pitched. When he left the game the Brewers trailed 6-4, having tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the 6th. There are 2 key facts to keep in mind about the Phoenix Speed Devils. One is that they have 3 great left-handed hitting power hitters. The other is that they have 3 premiere relief pitchers in their bullpen (though they are all right-handers.) So when trailing late to the Speed Devils you just have to hope to capitalize on some mistakes and scratch out a couple of runs any way possible. What you don't expect is to score 10 runs in a single inning. But in this game, that is exactly what the Brewers accomplished. With the 10 run 8th inning the Brewers ended up winning 15-9, giving up 3 runs to the Speed Devils in the bottom of the 8th but then closing the door. Eric Marino picked up his 1st win as a Brewer with a solid inning in relief. As you might imagine there were many stars on offense. Pat Rondeau (.369/.394/.453), heating up lately and looking very much like he will win his first batting title, went 4 for 6, scoring 2 runs and driving in 1. Bobby Erbakan (.353/.406/.484) contributed a 3 for 6, 2 run, 4 RBI game and hit his 23rd double. Andrew Kennedy (.347/.388/.461) went 2 for 6, scored twice and drove in a pair, and hit his 32nd double. And Jordan Stephens, although he gave up hits to the only 2 batters he faced, did hit a towering homer, his 3rd of the season, when he was brought in to pinch hit in the 7th (prior to taking the mound.)
With the series victory the Brewers gain a bit of ground and though they remain in 3rd place they only trail by 2 1/2 games.