[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 5-1 (week), 71-42, 2nd place, 1 gb L.A., MGL (season)

A nice bounce-back week for the Brewers but with L.A. still red-hot the team remains in 2nd place in the MGL.

August 7, at Baltimore: 4-3.

August 8-10, versus Charlotte: 2-5, 11-0, 6-5.

August 12-13, at Portland: 5-1, 5-3.

On Sunday the Brewers beat the Lords to take 3 of 4 in that series. A big 3-run 7th inning gave the Brewers the lead, which they barely hung onto as the Lords scored 2 9th inning runs. The big hit for the Brewers came off the bat of relief pitcher Ben Flynn, who came in to pinch-hit for starter John Weaver and hit a 2-out, 2-run homer. Weaver (4-5, 3.82) got credit for the win, allowing 1 run on just 1 hit over 6 innings. Although Flynn was the batting hero he also almost gave up the lead, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in his 2 1/3rd, but closer Tim Shore came in to get the final 2 outs and collected his 19th save. Little Joe Willemse stays hot, going 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI in this one, and swiped his 4th bag (though he also got caught stealing for the 2nd time.)

The Brewers suffer their only loss on the week in the first game of 3 against the Charlotte Sting in Denver. In spite of a solid start from Erik Sloan (6-4, 3.70), who gave up 3 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings, the Brewers lose as they just couldn't get anything much started against Sting left-handed starter Chris Harpster (7-6, 4.46). Rich White went 2 for 4 in the loss and Brett Taranto hit his 14th homer of the season.

Bobby Erbakan (.375/.409/.635) helped ensure that game 2 was a bit different. Bobby was 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI and hit a pair of homers to get to 21 on the season, which matches his career single-season best total in this category. Sekien Hamasaki (12-3, 3.30) got far more run support than he needed, as he blanked the Sting on 7 hits and no walks while striking out 8 in his 8 innings pitched. RodRod, Brett Taranto, and Joe Willemse (natch) all contributed 2 for 4 days, with RodRod and Taranto both driving in 2 runs apiece and Willemse scoring twice.

It took 11 innings but the Brewers took the series when Zacarias Martell (.280/.372/.432) came up with the walk-off game winning single to score Casey Bromwell who had doubled to lead off the inning. Steve Green did not get credit for the win but he did have an impressive game, striking out 12 batters while walking none, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits over 8 2/3rds innings. He also went 2 for 4 at the plate. Tim Shore (5-2, 2.25) got the win in relief. Rich White (.291/.344/.427) was 3 for 5 in the game with 2 runs scored and an RBI and hit his 8th home run and 22nd double.
Bobby Erbakan (.378/.413/.637) was 3 for 5, hit his 32nd double and drove in 2 runs (89).

After a well-deserved day off on Thursday, the Brewers headed north-west to Portland to take on the Wild Things.
Game 1 saw another strong start from staff ace Sadahige Kawasaki. Kawasaki (13-7, 2.52) went the distance, giving up just 1 run on 6 hits. Zacarias Martell (.284/.373/.437) was the hitting hero, going 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and hitting his 17th double of the season. The only bad news for the Brewers in this one came when Rich White had to leave the game after being shaken up in a base-path collision. There is no word yet how long he will be out of action.

And the week ended with another victory over Portland with veteran lefty Erik Sloan (7-4, 3.61) getting credit for the win. Sloan gave up just 2 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings. Tim Shore pitched a flawless 9th, including striking out 2 batters and inducing a harmless fly out from the other, to earn his 20th save of the season. Bobby Erbakan (.379/.415/.638) continues his MVP-caliber season, going 3 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base to give him 11 on the season. Val Guzman (.266/.380/.433) was 2 for 3 in the game, continued to show surprising on-base skills by drawing 2 more walks, and picked up his 20th stolen base of the season, which easily leads the team (Erbakan is 2nd.)