[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 5-2 (week), 23-9, 1st place, MGL (season)

May 7-8, at Baltimore: 4-5, 3-2.

May 9-11, versus Oklahoma City: 3-5, 3-2, 6-2.

May 12-13, at Brooklyn: 7-1, 4-2.

Having won the first game of 3 at Baltimore, the Brewers drop game 2 when their late innings come-back attempt falls short. Sadahige Kawasaki (2-2, 2.91) takes his second straight loss as he gives up 5 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits over 6 1/3rd innings pitched. Josh Schaeffer had a good day at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI and hitting his 3rd home run of the season and swiping his 4th base.

The Brewers win the rubber match though when they get another good start from Sekien Hamasaki (5-0, 2.05) and get an unexpected 3-run home run from little Joe Willemse in the 6th inning to account for all of their runs. Hamasaki pitched 6 2/3rds innings, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. Evan Perez got the final out of the game after closer Tim Shore had to leave having recorded two outs in the 9th (it turned out he had a very minor hamstring strain) and got his first save of 1978. Brett Taranto and Rich White each went 2 for 4 in the victory.

Next up for the Brewers were the second place Oklahoma City Diamond Kings. And in game 1 the Diamond Kings fine young left-handed changeup specialist Joe Shetler shut the Brewers down until very late in the game and held on for the win. Steve Green's (1-4, 7.41) miserable 1978 continues, as he allowed 5 runs on 10 hits over 7 1/3rd innings. (On the plus side, he did hit his 2nd double of the season.) Brett Taranto went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and hit his 2nd double of the season and Joe McPhillips hit his 6th home run of 1978. Josh Schaeffer was hitless in the game and struck out twice but he also threw out 2 runners on the base paths to get to 3 outfield assists this year. With the loss the Brewers found themselves in a tie for 1st place with Oklahoma City.

In game 2 the Brewers regained sole possession of 1st place when John Weaver gave them his finest start of the season and Ben Flynn provided the walk-off magic in the 10th inning. Although Weaver did not get a decision, he lasted 8 scoreless innings, giving up just 3 hits and walking 3 batters. Tim Shore unfortunately got his first blown save of the season or Weaver would have gotten the win. Jason Gottula (1-1, 2.16) came in and got the win. Although reliever Ben Flynn did not throw a single pitch, he made his presence felt when he hit a 2-out walk-off double to win the game as a pinch-hitter. It was Ben's 3rd double of the season and he continues to show his usual excellence as a batter. Joe McPhillips took the team lead (and is now 2nd in the MGL) in home runs when he hit his 7th.

And the Brewers took the series by winning game 3 behind the solid pitching of rookie starter Jim Atwell (5-1, 3.59). Atwell, the top prospect in the WPK two years running, hasn't been exactly dominant, but he is certainly not disappointing thus far either. In this one he lasted 8 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 9 hits while striking out 4 and (amazingly, for a guy whose biggest weakness is a lack of control) walking none. Atwell, who was a two-way player in college and is a pretty decent hitter, also went 2 for 2 with 2 RBI in the game. Josh Schaeffer, just putting up another fine season as he always quietly does, went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and picked up his 4th outfield assist. And backup catcher Kirk Patnode went 1 for 3 but also scored 3 times and drove in a run.

The Brewers then flew to Brooklyn to take on the perpetually under-performing Aces.
And the Aces under-performed again in game 1 as their lefty strikeout specialist Joel Travino wasn't fooling anyone in this game. Earlier in the day the Brewers had brought Jon Williams back up from AAA while sending Casey Bromwell back down to Chester. Apparently the time away from the big leagues did Williams some good as he led the offense in this one with a 2 for 4, 3 runs scored, 1 RBI, 1 walk day and hit his 2nd home run of the season. Oh, and he also stole 2 bases to get to 3 on the year. Kirk Patnode had another big day, going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI. And Jake DiCesare continued to make RodRod dispensable as he went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and continues to provide fine defense at the hot corner. Sadahige Kawasaki (3-2, 2.63) also got back on the winning track with 8 strong innings, giving up just 1 run on 4 hits.

And the Brewers make it 4 straight wins behind Sekien Hamasaki (6-0, 2.12) who is establishing himself as an early Pitcher of the Year candidate. Hamasaki went 7 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2. Tim Shore pitched the 9th to earn his 6th save in 7 chances this season. Little Joe Willemse went 2 for 4 with an RBI in the game and continues to perform well as the primary replacement for Bobby Erbakan while Bobby is on the IL. And Val Guzman, not having a great year at the plate thus far, did hit his 8th double, which easily leads the team. But it was a Josh Schaeffer clutch RBI single in the 8th inning that gave the Brewers the lead they did not relinquish.


So the week ends with the Brewers having stretched their lead out to 3 games ahead of Oklahoma City and 4 ahead of the surprising Phoenix Speed Devils. L.A. is in 4th, 6 games out, and Brooklyn in 5th, 7 games off the pace.

And the Columbus Whalers have once again climbed to the top of the pile in the SJL, with a 1/2 lead over the very surprising Seattle Alligators (that can't last, can it?) and a 1 game lead over the recently flat El Paso Dawgs. Philly is just 3 games back with Milwaukee and Boston both hanging in there at 4 games behind the leader.