[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 5-2 (week), 95-51, 1st place, MGL (season)

September 11-12, versus Portland: 7-9, 9-7.

September 13-15, at Phoenix: 9-4, 4-1, 13-4.

September 16-17, at Los Angeles: 8-4, 5-10.

A good week for the Brewers was book-ended by the only two losses.
First the Brewers lost the middle game of three against Portland when Erik Sloan had to leave the game having recorded just a single out (while allowing a run on two hits) because, as we would learn later, he suffered a partially torn UCL and needs surgery to repair it. Cheol-han Lee came on in relief and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits over 2 2/3rds and the rest of the relievers in the game don't do much better. Cory Degano (0-3, 6.16) takes the loss. Bobby Erbakan hit his 26th homer and drove in 3 runs and Jake DiCesare hit his 6th homer.
The Brewers reversed the score the next day to take the series against the Wild Things. They scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th to take the lead that they would not relinquish and the big hit was a Joe Willemse 2-run triple, his 5th of the season. Jim Atwell got the start but not the decision as the youngster allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits over 5 1/3rd innings pitched. Ben Flynn (9-3, 3.15) pitched the final 3 innings for the win. Oh, and of course, he also hit his 6th double and drove in a run. Brett Taranto hit his 17th home run of the season in the 5th inning.

The Brewers than traveled to Phoenix to take on the Speed Devils in what our head scout refers to as "a hitters heaven." In the 15 games between these two clubs prior to this series the Brewers had taken 14 of them. And now, with the season series over between these two the final result is Denver-17, Phoenix-1. Oh, the lowly Speed Devils. This is a season they would like to forget.
In game 1, John Weaver (7-5, 3.83) got the start and was solid (as always), giving up 4 runs on 5 hits over 6 innings for the win. And the bullpen, with 4 relievers seeing action, was spectacular over the final 3 frames. This was the game in which Phoenix first baseman Devin Schwisow tied the WPK single season homer mark with his 50th. But it was also a game where Denver's rookie back-up first baseman Sean Wright his his first two big league dingers. Joe McPhillips also homered in the game, his 15th. It was a great game for Zacarias Martell who went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI, hitting his 19th double and 2nd triple.
In game 2, the Brewers got a great start from staff Ace Sadahige Kawasaki (15-7, 2.72). Sadahige allowed 1 run on just 4 hits over 8 innings while striking out 9 and walking 2. Tim Shore pitched the 9th for his 25th save. And what the heck is up with supposedly no-hit, great-field back up utility infielder Nick Ward? Ward just went 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI and hit 2 home runs to get to 4 on the season.
The Brewers get the series sweep by blowing out the Speed Devils in the final game led by Brett Taranto who went 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI, hitting his 9th triple and stealing his 10th base. Sekien Hamasaki (16-5, 3.63) got the win, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits over 7 2/3rds innings. RodRod pitched in with a 3 for 6, 3 RBI game and hit his 18th double. And little Joe Willemse was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI, hit his 9th double and 7th stolen base. Oh, and I should probably mention that Hamasaki himself went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI. While he is not the equal of reliever Ben Flynn at the plate, Sekien is almost surely the best hitter among the starting rotation and has a slash line of .266/.277/.281 on the season.

And that brings us to the last series of the season between the two contenders for the MGL Pennant- the Brewers and L.A. Spinners, in L.A.
Game 1 broke Denver's way, with the red-hot Brett Taranto (.351/.400/.550) breaking a 4-4 tie with a 2-run double (his 34th) in the 6th inning for what proved to be the game winner. Steve Green (12-6, 4.78) got the win, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings. Val Guzman (.265/.376/.443) hit his 15th bomb of the season.
L.A. evened the series in the middle game of the series. Jim Atwell, who has been the #1 overall prospect in the WPK two years running, is finding out just how big the leap from AAA to the WPK is. Atwell (0-1, 10.43) has made 3 big league starts now and it is safe to say he looks over-matched. In this one he gave up 7 runs (all earned) on 6 hits and 5 walks while only lasting 3 2/3rds innings. Cheol-han Lee then took over, and his disastrous 1977 season continued, as he gave up 3 runs on 7 hits over 3 1/3rd. And that was pretty much that. Val Guzman had a nice game, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and hit his 9th triple while also stealing his 27th stolen base. RodRod (.337/.379/.516) hit his 11th homer and drove in 2 runs. Joe McPhillips (.319/.396/.529) went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and hit his 16th home run.