[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 4-2 (week), 96-56, 2nd place, MGL, 2 gb (season)

September 21, at Charlotte: 5-6

The Charlotte Sting were able to avoid being swept at home by the Brewers when they fought back from a 5-3 deficit to win the final game of the series. Steve Green (13-6, 3.40) took the loss for Denver, giving up 6 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits over 6 innings. Bobby Erbakan went 2 for 5 in the game and hit his 16th homer of the season. Josh Schaeffer hit his 19th double and threw out a runner at third base.

September 23-25, versus Baltimore: 8-5, 4-3, 8-11.

The Brewers return home to Denver for their penultimate home stand of the 1975 season (with just a 3-game series against the Detroit Falcons in October left for the home schedule- unless we can get into the post-season).
In game 1 they win a back-and-forth game with much of the credit going to right fielder Josh Schaeffer, having a career year. Schaeffer went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, and hit his 20th double of the season while also stealing his 17th base of the season. Erik Sloan (9-7, 3.62) got the win in spite of not being at his sharpest. The veteran lefty allowed 4 runs on 9 hits, though he also struck out 7 while walking just 1, over his 6 innings pitched. The bullpen was unusually strong and Jason Gottula earned his 5th save. Andrew Kennedy and Zacarias Martell were also both 3 for 4 in the game.

It took 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to get the win in game 2 for the home squad. It also took Alfredo Elizondo's first hit as a Brewer, in his first at-bat for his new team, as the 24-year old slugging first baseman was brought in to pinch-hit with the bases loaded and two outs and shot a single through the right-side of the infield which plated the winning runs. Sadahige Kawasaki labored a bit through 8 innings, giving up just 3 runs but allowing 11 hits in the no-decision. Jason Gottula (3-1, 3.92) got the win in relief. Joe McPhillips hit his 22nd double in the game and Josh Schaeffer walked 3 times while going 1 for 2.

The Brewers lost in a slug-fest in game 3. Harry Lyerly allowed 6 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits in 5 innings pitched but got a no-decision. The Brewers used 7 pitchers in this one with the unlucky loser being Ben Flynn (4-2, 4.90) who gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in 1 inning pitched. Rich White, who has been one of the weakest links offensively for the team, went 4 for 6 in this one, with 3 runs, 2 RBI, and hit his 1st triple and 5th HR of the season. White also committed a pair of errors though, to get to 12 on the season. Jorge Gonzalez went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and hit HR number 6 and threw out a runner at third base from center field (while not considered a strong armed outfielder, he made an accurate throw to collect his 4th outfield assist as a Brewer, in addition to the 10 he earned as a member of the Chester Big Stick.) Bobby Erbakan was 3 for 3 in the game, scoring twice and driving in two.

September 26-27, versus Phoenix: 13-5, 5-2.

The Brewers next take on the slugging Phoenix Speed Devils. In game 1 it is the Brewers who out-slug the Speed Devils. Joe McPhillips was the Player of the Game, going 2 for 3 with a run and 4 RBI, hitting his 23rd double of the season, but also being caught trying to steal a base for the 10th time. Matt Helm got the start for the Brewers and gave up 5 runs (3 earned) on 11 hits over 5 2/3rds innings and while he did not figure in the decision he did hit the lone HR by the Brewers, his 2nd of the season. Jordan Stephens pitched a fine 2 1/3rds innings for the win, improving to 3-0 with a 5.60 ERA. (Ouch.) RodRod went 2 for 5 with 3 RBI and hit double number 37. Chad Brown went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI's and while he has lost his starting shortstop job to Rich White his bat has stayed pretty consistent this year (.299/.335/.371). He did, however, also commit 2 errors to get to 21 for the season.

In the second game of the series the Brewers get another fine start from Steve Green (14-6, 3.35). Green lasted 8 1/3rd, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 8 and walking 2 batters. Tim Shore got the final two outs for his 13th save (4.02 ERA.) Rich White is getting hot at the plate at home, and went 1 for 2 with 2 runs and 3 RBI and hit HR #6 in the win. Jorge Gonzalez (.340/.358/.474) was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Notes from around the league: The Columbus Whaler's (99-53) magic number is down to 3 as they lead Boston (91-61) by 8 games in the SJL. Everyone else has already been mathematically eliminated. There are tight races in the three batting triple crown categories, with veteran third baseman Trevor Leach holding a narrow lead in batting average as he tries to get the first batting title of his great career. Justin Vargas has taken over the HR lead with 31 and leads in WAR with 7.9. The Boston outfielder is a strong candidate for the SJL MVP award and if so it would be the second of his career. Jake Harris should easily win the SJL ERA title (2.18 and his nearest competitor is at 2.66) and has a good chance to win his 4th Pitcher of the Year award at age 37 (his birthday was 4 days ago.)
The Los Angeles Spinners magic number is now 9, as they continue to refuse to let the Brewers, no matter how well we play, catch them for the MGL lead. The Spinners (98-54) lead the Brewers by 2 games and are given slightly better than an 83% chance to hold on and take the MGL. The third place Brooklyn Aces (88-64) are the only other team not already eliminated, but they are 10 games out and have no chance. Their future HOF center fielder Felix Lopez has caught the Brewers RodRod in the batting title race as they both sit at .347 with L.A.'s Greg Foster in third at .338. Phoenix' Ju-ao Ju should easily win the HR and RBI crowns as his 45 HR's is 11 better than his nearest competitor (teammate Devin Schwisow) and he leads over Baltimore's Mike Walters in RBI, 124 to 118. It looks like another pitching Triple Crown and MGL Pitcher of the Year award for Aaron McNally. He is the only 20-game winner thus far (20-5), leads in ERA (2.38) over Denver's Sadahige Kawasaki (2.59), and has 170 K's, 17 more than his nearest competitor (L.A.'s Kerry Krieg.)