The Brewers next take on the other main contender thus far for the MGL title, the Brooklyn Aces, in a three-game series in Denver.
In the first game, the Brewers scored early, plating 3 runs in the 1st inning off talented Aces starter Jose Mendoza, and got a fine pitching performance from Cheol-han Lee to hold on for a 4-1 victory. Lee worked 8 1/3rd innings, allowing just the 1 run on 7 hits, striking out 8 while walking 1. With the win he improves to 5-2 with a 2.76 ERA. He got into a bit of trouble in the 9th but Liann-wei Hua came in and put out the fire for his 3 save of the season (3.60 ERA.) The big blow in the 1st inning was a 3-run HR by Bobby Erbakan (.311/.373/.500), his 2nd long ball of the season. Pat Rondeau (.439/.453/.512) continued his torrid hitting, going 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and picking up his 4th stolen base of the season.
Rookie first baseman Greg Tietz, recently promoted from AAA, had a big day in the second game of the series and helped lead his team to a 7-6 extra inning walk-off victory. Tietz (.353/.421/.529) went 3 for 5 in the game, hitting his first big league home run in the 5th inning and then coming up with the game-winning walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th. And who scored that run? Well, Pat Rondeau of course. Rondeau (.455/.467/.534) hit a single to lead off the inning, went to second on a Cesar Grajeda walk, and then the speedster scored from 2nd on the Tietz single. It was the 4th hit of the game for Rondeau, who went 4 for 6, scoring twice and hitting his 5th double. Rondeau, playing center field in this game, also threw out the speedy Felix Lopez at home plate in the 8th inning, a play that may have set the Brewers up for the win. Two-way player Jordan Stephens (.375/.423/.417), getting the start at third base, went 3 for 5 in the game.
In the final game of the series, the Brewers ran into the red-hot youngster, Shannon Petrik. The left-handed starter, who had celebrated his 25th birthday just two days prior, gave up 3 runs on 8 hits in 6 1/3rd innings pitched but the Aces got the 7-3 victory and Petrik improves to 5-0 with an ERA of 1.83, second best in all of the WPK. Harry Lyerly took the loss for the Brewers, allowing all 7 runs (5 earned) in his 6 2/3rds innings pitched. Lyerly walked 4 while only striking out 2 but oddly did not allow any HR's. he falls to 2-3 with a 3.49 ERA. Ryan Rodgers (.337/.444/.471) was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and his 8th double of the season in the loss. Jonathan Koch (.348/.359/.477), who hadn't done much in the series yet, went 2 for 4 and hit his 9th double.
Even with the loss, the Brewers remain atop the MGL standing at 22-15, with Brooklyn and L.A. both 1/2 game back in second place.