The Brewers concluded the 9-game home stand with 3 games against the Los Angeles Spinners.
The Spinners great starting pitching- on this day in the person of Kerry Krieg- shuts down the Brewers offense almost entirely and the Spinners win game 1, 3-0. Krieg gets the complete game shutout while allowing only 5 hits to the Brewers with the only extra base hit being an Oscar Vargas double (his 2nd of the season.) Erik Sloan pitched well enough for a win in this one had he received the usual Brewers run support. He gave them 7 1/3rd innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits, striking out 4 and walking 1. He falls to 4-4 with a 5.23 ERA.
Oddly enough the Brewers find their offense again against the Spinners veteran ace, and possible HOF'er, Jose Santos. Santos comes into the game with a 6-3 record and a wonderful 2.48 ERA and then gives up 8 runs on 8 hits in just 1 inning pitched (he lasted into the 2nd inning but didn't get an out in that frame before being pulled). The Brewers win 12-3. Steve Green gets the start, and the win, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits in 6 2/3rds inning pitched, with 5 strikeouts and no walks allowed. He improves to 5-3 with a 4.22 ERA. Bobby Erbakan (.342/.391/.594) went 2 for 5 in the game with 4 RBI, hitting his 3rd triple and 7th HR of the season. John Flores (.333/.371/.606) getting a few more starts recently (with the Brewers facing a few more left-handed starters) continues to shine. He went 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI and hit his 3rd HR of 1974. Ryan Rodgers (.452/.550/.532) continues to roll as he went 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and 2 walks in the game.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, the Brewers offense was once again slowed to a crawl by a Spinner starter- this time the unheralded 5th starter, John Tegel- and they lose to L.A. by a score of 2-1. The game went into the 9th with L.A. leading 1-0 but reliever Jordan Stephens gave up a solo HR to Spinners left fielder Alex Meza. While the Brewers got a run back in the bottom of the 9th thanks to Joe McPhillips hitting his team-leading 10th HR, that was all they could manage and they drop a series to the oncoming Spinners, who are now just 5 games behind Denver. What a tough loss for Brewers starter Harry Lyerly, who bounced back well in this one, allowing just 1 run on 7 hits while striking out 7 and walking 2. Lyerly takes the loss and drops to 3-5 with a 4.86 ERA. It was only the 2nd start of the season for Lyerly in which he hasn't allowed a single HR. Ryan Rodgers (.453/.548/.539) is the only Brewers who had multiple hits in the game as he went 2 for 4 and hit his 7th double.
