Brewers record: 3-3 (week), 44-20, 1st place, MGL (season)
June 11-12, versus Brooklyn:
4-9,
2-3.
June 14-16, versus Los Angeles:
2-1,
5-6,
5-4.
June 17, at Phoenix:
8-0.
The visiting Brooklyn Aces win the final two games after having lost on Saturday to take the series against the Brewers.
In game 2,
Steve Green's (3-6, 5.84) slide into mediocrity continues, as he gave up 9 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits in just 4 innings pitched. The bullpen was very good (4 innings from
Ben Flynn and 1 from
Victor Colon) but the damage had already been done.
Brett Taranto went 3 for 5 against Brooklyn ace Aaron McNally, who went the distance for his 8th win. And
Val Guzman was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and hit his 5th home run of the season.
Game 3 was much closer, with
Jim Atwell deserving a better outcome.
Atwell went 7 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 7 and walking 3 batters and left the game with a lead which the bullpen could not preserve.
Jason Gottula (4-3, 2.60) blew the save and took the loss.
Josh Schaeffer went 2 for 4 and hit his 6th home run in the loss.
After a much needed day off, the Brewers took on the L.A. Spinners in the first of three at Centennial Stadium.
In game 1, team captain Matt Helm (1-0, 2.45) pitched a gem to win a low-scoring affair.
Matty lasted 7 2/3rds innings, giving up just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking 4.
Tim Shore worked the 9th for his 13th save.
Bobby Erbakan went 2 for 3 and
Joe McPhillips hit his team-leading 8th home run in the victory.
The Spinners got the win in game 2, when they scored 4 runs in the 9th inning to break extend what had been just a 2-1 lead, then held off the Brewers rallly in the bottom of the 9th that fell a run short.
Sadahige Kawasaki (5-5, 2.74) was saddled with the loss, having given up just 2 runs on 10 hits over his 8 innings pitched.
Brett Taranto went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base (his 7th) and
Bobby Erbakan was also 3 for 5 with 2 RBI in the loss.
The Brewers rallied for 3 runs in the 8th inning in game 3 to overcome a deficit and then won in extra innings on a
Rich White fielder choice ground ball on which
Bobby Erbakan slid in under the tag for the walk off win.
Sekien Hamasaki remains undefeated in spite of giving up 4 runs on 8 hits in his 7 innings pitched and
Ben Flynn (3-1, 4.65) got the win in relief. The heart of the order led the way for the Brewers offense with
Brett Taranto gathering 2 hits in 5 at-bats and scoring twice, also hitting his team-best 7th triple,
Joe McPhillips going 2 for 4 with a run scored and another driven in, and
Bobby Erbakan also going 2 for 4 with 1 run scored, 1 RBI, and hitting his 6th double of the season.
On Saturday afternoon's game in Phoenix, left-handed veteran starter
Erik Sloan returned to the mound in a Brewers uniform for the first time since suffering a season ending torn UCL on September 11th of last year. In spite of lowered expectations from recent scouting reports,
Sloan (1-0, 0.00) was masterful in his first outing back, getting the shutout on just hits allowed while striking out 5 and not walking a batter. He also got plenty of run support with
Bobby Erbakan leading a way with a 3 for 5 game in which he scored 2 runs and drove in 2 others.
Val Guzman hit a pair of doubles to get to add to his team-lead total, which now sits at 13.
Zacarias Martell had been one of the coldest hitters on the team for the past few weeks but he broke out when he slashed an opposite field single in the 6th inning and then followed that up with a 2-run double in the 7th. And
Joe McPhillips is also getting hot after a period of tepid batting, and went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and his 7th stolen base in this one.
