[Nick Soulis]

Series #198



1974 Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 76-86
Finish: 5th in AL East
Manager: Del Crandell
Ball Park: County Stadium
WAR Leader: Don Money (5.1)
Franchise Record: 3-7
1974 Season Record: 2-1
Hall of Famers: (1)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1974.shtml

1937 St. Louis Browns
Record: 46-108
Finish: 8th in AL
Manager: Rogers Hornsby
Ball Park: Sportsmans Park
WAR Leader: Harlond Clift
Franchise Record: 1-3
1937 Season Record: 0-3
Hall of Famers: (2)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SLB/1937.shtml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Browns Stun Competition With Win
Lowly St. Louis Comes Back From 3-1 Hole



Game 1
At County Stadium
1937 St. Louis Browns 1
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 2 (15 inn)
WP: B. Castro (1-0) LP: B. Trotter (0-1)
HR: H. Clift (1), B. Coluccio (1)
POG: Ed Sprague (8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 118 P)
1974 Brewers Lead Series 1-0

Game 1 of the best-of-seven Field of Dreams series between the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers and the 1937 St. Louis Browns delivered instant October magic, as the Brewers prevailed 2-1 in an epic 15-inning showdown at Milwaukee County Stadium. Ed Sprague was brilliant for Milwaukee, tossing eight innings of one-run ball and keeping the Browns quiet after a third-inning solo homer from Harlond Clift. The Brewers finally answered in the eighth with a game-tying RBI double from Don Money, and both teams' bullpens held firm for six more frames. The deadlock was finally broken in the bottom of the 15th when Bob Coluccio, 0-for-5 entering the inning, launched a leadoff walk-off home run off Bobo Trotter, sending the crowd into a frenzy and giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the series. Despite nine hits and four walks, the Browns stranded 11 runners, while Milwaukee squandered several chances before Coluccio’s heroics sealed the win in a 4-hour, 40-minute marathon. Game 2 is set for tomorrow night, with the Browns eager to even the series.

Game 2
At County Stadium
1937 St. Louis Browns 7
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 4
WP: O. Hildebrand (1-0) LP: B. Castro (0-1) S: B. Trotter (1)
HR: J. Briggs (1)
POG: Beau Bell (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B, R)
Series Tied 1-1

Under the clear October skies at Milwaukee County Stadium, the 1937 St. Louis Browns staged a gritty comeback to top the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 and even their Field of Dreams series at one game apiece. Trailing 4-3 entering the ninth, the Browns capitalized on Milwaukee’s shaky bullpen, erupting for four runs in a tense final frame. Right fielder Beau Bell led the charge with a clutch two-run single that broke the tie, capping off a standout night where he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks, and a double. Despite collecting just 10 hits to the Brewers’ 13, the Browns made the most of their opportunities and played clean defense behind Oscar Hildebrand’s 8-inning effort. Hildebrand allowed 12 hits but minimized damage with timely outs, while Bobo Trotter nailed down the save in the ninth. Milwaukee’s early 4-1 lead, highlighted by Johnny Briggs’ third-inning homer and Darrell Porter’s triple, faded as St. Louis chipped away methodically. Defensive miscues by Robin Yount and Pedro Garcia proved costly for the Brewers, whose bullpen faltered down the stretch. The series now shifts to Sportsman's Park for Game 3 on Friday, where the Browns look to ride the momentum of a gutsy comeback win.

Game 3
at Sportsmans Park
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 6
1937 St. Louis Browns 4
WP: B. Champion (1-0) LP: C. Hogsett (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Bill Champion (6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 113 P)
1974 Brewers Lead Series 2-1

Under the crisp October sky at the Field of Dreams in Sportsman's Park, the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers seized control of the series with a hard-fought 6–4 win over the 1937 St. Louis Browns in Game 3. Right-hander Bill Champion delivered a masterclass on the mound, tossing 6.2 shutout innings while scattering just three hits and working around five walks to earn Player of the Game honors. Milwaukee built a 4–0 lead through five innings thanks in part to Don Money’s bases-loaded walk and George Scott’s two-RBI double. Though the Browns mounted a late comeback with two runs apiece in the eighth and ninth innings—capitalizing on Brewers errors and timely hits from Rogers Hornsby and Beau Bell—it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit. The Brewers’ bullpen bent but didn’t break, with Tom Murphy closing out the win despite allowing two unearned runs. St. Louis manager Jim Smith remained optimistic, saying, “We lost. We’ll deal with it. The series isn’t over.” With the Brewers now leading the series 2–1, the pressure shifts squarely onto the Browns as they look to even things up in Game 4 tomorrow night.

Game 4
at Sportsmans Park
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 6
1937 St. Louis Browns 2
WP: K. Kobel (1-0) LP: J. Bonetti (0-1)
HR: R. Hornsby (1), H. Clift (2)
POG: Kevin Kobel (8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 91 P)
1974 Brewers Lead Series 3-1

The 1974 Milwaukee Brewers moved one win away from clinching the Field of Dreams Series #198, defeating the 1937 St. Louis Browns 6–2 in Game 4 behind a stellar outing from left-hander Kevin Kobel. In front of 18,815 fans at Sportsmans Park, Kobel commanded the mound with eight strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out four, earning Player of the Game honors. Rookie shortstop Robin Yount delivered the decisive blow in the fifth inning, singling home two runs with the bases in motion to give Milwaukee a 4–1 lead. Paul Molitor and George Scott added pressure on the basepaths, while Kurt Bevacqua chipped in a two-run single in the eighth to give the Brewers a cushion. The Browns managed solo home runs from Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby and third baseman Harlond Clift, but their bats were largely silenced by Kobel’s craft. Three defensive miscues by St. Louis added to their struggles, and starter Joe Bonetti’s solid effort unraveled due to poor defense and untimely hits. With the Brewers now leading the series 3–1, they’ll look to close it out tomorrow night under the lights in St. Louis.

Game 5
at Sportsmans Park
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 0
1937 St. Louis Browns 1 (10 inn)
WP: B. Tortter (1-1) LP: B. Castro (1-2)
HR: H. Clift (3)
POG: Russ Van Atta (8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 112 P)
1974 Brewers Lead Series 3-2

With their backs against the wall, the 1937 St. Louis Browns delivered a thrilling 1-0 extra-inning victory over the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the Field of Dreams series, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 3-2. Before a packed Sportsmans Park crowd under clear October skies, left-hander Russ Van Atta pitched eight masterful shutout innings, scattering just three hits while striking out four. Though the Browns left 10 men on base, it was Harlond Clift who ultimately broke the deadlock in the bottom of the 10th, blasting a walk-off solo home run off Brewers reliever Bill Castro to electrify the home crowd of 18,842. The Brewers wasted a gem from starter Ed Sprague, who tossed seven scoreless innings, but their bats remained silent, producing only five hits and stranding six runners. St. Louis’s bullpen duo of T. Thomas and B. Trotter held firm in extra innings, with Trotter earning the win. The series now shifts back to Milwaukee, where the Browns look to even the series in Game 6.

Game 6
At County Stadium
1937 St. Louis Browns 5
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 4
WP: J. Knott (1-0) LP: T. Murphy (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Rogers Hornsby (3-4, RBI, R)
Series Tied 3-3

Facing elimination on a chilly October night in Milwaukee, the 1937 St. Louis Browns showed remarkable grit, rallying late to edge the 1974 Brewers 5–4 and force a decisive Game 7. The Browns pounded out 15 hits, but it was Joe Vosmik’s clutch RBI single in the top of the ninth off Tom Murphy that proved to be the difference. Rogers Hornsby, named Player of the Game, went 3-for-4 and sparked the offense with a key RBI single in the seventh to begin the comeback. Despite trailing 4–1 after three innings, St. Louis clawed back with timely hits and steady relief from Jack Knott, who threw four scoreless innings to earn the win. The Brewers, who got early production from Don Money and Bobby Coluccio, were stymied over the final six innings and left nine men on base. As the series now shifts to a winner-take-all Game 7, momentum belongs to the scrappy Browns, who refused to go quietly into the cornfield night.

Game 7
At County Stadium
1937 St. Louis Browns 6
1974 Milwaukee Brewers 4
WP: C. Hogsett (1-1) B. Chmpion (1-1) T. Thomas (1)
HR: H. Clift (4)
POG: Harlond Clift (1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB)

In a stunning comeback and ultimate coronation, the 1937 St. Louis Browns claimed a thrilling 6–4 win over the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers in Game 7 of their Field of Dreams series. Trailing 4–0 after a turbulent first inning, the Browns dug deep and mounted a relentless rally, scoring six unanswered runs across the middle innings. Harlond Clift, the series MVP, delivered the decisive blow with a two-run homer in the fifth off Brewers starter Bill Champion, giving St. Louis the lead for good. The Browns’ bullpen, led by Tommy Thomas’ four scoreless innings of relief, held off multiple Milwaukee threats, including a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. The game ended with a quiet fly out to center, setting off jubilant celebrations on the Browns’ bench. As a cold, cloudy night wrapped Milwaukee County Stadium, the long-overlooked Browns stood tall, their improbable journey culminating in a comeback from 3 games to 1 down few could have imagined. “This one’s for every underdog who never stopped believing,” Clift said, basking in the moment.

1937 St. Louis Browns Win Series 4 Games To 3

Series MVP:

(.290, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R, .677 SLG, 1.066 OPS, Winning HR Game 7)