[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 5-1 (week), 9-3, 1st place (tie), (season).

April 18-20, versus Baltimore: 11-3, 9-1, 5-0.

It is nearly always good news for the Brewers offense when they get to come home to Centennial Stadium, and this series was certainly no exception to that.

In game 1, Brett Taranto went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI and hit his 1st triple of 1976. Taranto was one of 7 Brewers to collect multiple hits in this one. Josh Schaeffer, off to a slow start, went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored. He also stole his first two bags off the season and threw out a runner at third base. Cheol-han Lee (2-0, 5.40) got the win, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits over 8 innings pitched.

Game 2 saw more of the same, with RodRod leading the way offensively this time, going 3 for 5 with 4 RBI and hitting 2 doubles in the victory. Bobby Erbakan went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and hit his 2nd HR of the season. Erik Sloan improves to 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA, giving up just 1 run on 6 hits in his 7 1/3rd innings pitched.

And the series wraps up with a Steve Green complete game shutout as the Brewers get the sweep. Green (1-1, 0.00) allowed just 2 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2. RodRod went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI, hitting his 3rd double of the season. Brett Taranto was 2 for 3 with a run scored, another driven in, and hit his 2nd double.

April 21-23, at Detroit: 3-2, 9-2, 2-5.

The Brewers then head to Detroit to take on the struggling Falcons.
The visitors take a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the 8th and escape with a narrow 3-2 victory. Sekien Hamasaki's first start of the season was a solid one, as he gave up just 1 run on 3 hits in 7 innings. Ben Flynn pitched the final inning to pick up his 2nd save of 1976. Josh Schaeffer went 4 for 4 in the game and stole his 3rd base and Joe McPhillips, off to a very slow start at the plate, finally started coming alive with a 3 for 5, 2 run game, hitting his 2nd double of the season.

The Brewers get another big game from Rich White (.514/.575/.714), who goes 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 driven in, hitting 3 doubles to get to 5 on the year, in game 2. Captain Matt Helm (1-0, 2.51) pitched strong again, giving up 2 runs on 9 hits in 7 1/3rd.

In the final game of the series, the Brewers clawed their way to a 2-2 tie at the end of the regulation 9, only to see the Falcons walk-off with a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 11th. A tough no-decision for Sadahige Kawasaki (1-1, 2.05). Sadahige allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 10 hits in 7 1/3rd innings pitched. Ben Flynn (1-1, 4.15), who has been pitching so well up to now, took the loss, allowing the 3-run blast in the 11th after having pitched a fine 10th inning. Jorge Gonzalez, off to a very slow start, went 2 for 5 with an RBI in the loss. Former Brewer Hector Hard went the distance for the win, throwing just 112 pitches in his 11 inning victory.

Notes from around the league: The Washington Night Train have caught the Columbus Whalers for a share of 1st place in the SJL. Both teams are now 9-3. The normally strong Jacksonville Wolf Pack have dropped into a last place tie with the Seattle Alligators, both with 4-8 records. (The Chicago Fire have now won 5 in a row and are tied with fellow expansion club Houston in 8th place at 5-7.)
The Brewers share the lead in the MGL with the Charlotte Sting. Oklahoma City has been playing well and is next at 8-4. In spite of their win against the Brewers yesterday, the Detroit Falcons still sit in last place with a miserable 2-10 record.