[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 6-1 (week), 31-14, 1st place, MGL (season)

May 21, versus Phoenix: 4-3.

May 23-24, at Charlotte: 4-3, 6-2, 6-2.

May 25-27, versus Detroit: 9-8, 7-0, 3-10.

The Brewers start week 7 by winning the rubber match of the 3-game series against Phoenix in walk-off fashion. Young Jim Atwell pitched a strong game but did not get the decision, having lasted 7 innings while giving up 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out 7 batters and walking 3. Jason Gottula (2-1, 1.46) picked up the win with 2 nearly flawless innings. The Brewers broke the 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 9th when Rich White hit a 2-out double to drive in Josh Schaeffer all the way from first base, after Schaeffer had worked a walk. It was White's 2nd hit of the game and his 4th double of the season.

The Brewers then traveled to Charlotte to take on the Sting but game 1 was postponed due to inclement weather.
In the makeup game, now the first game of a Tuesday doubleheader, they again got a 1-run win by scoring in the 9th inning, this time plating 3 runs to come from behind. The visitors overcame a great start by former Brewer Justin Peacock, who is off to a great start for the Sting this season. John Weaver started for Denver, lasted 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and not earning a decision. Javy Bermudez (4-0, 3.60) got the win and Tim Shore earned his 7th save in 8 tries. Reliever Ben Flynn did not pitch in this one but did deliver one of the big hits in the pivotal 9th inning when he drove in 2 runs with a pinch-hit single. Josh Schaeffer drove in the game winner when he followed with a single and the Brewers got the gift of a throwing error from the Sting left-fielder.

In the nightcap, Sadahige Kawasaki (5-2, 2.66) was strong, lasting 8 1/3rd innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, with the runs not coming until the 8th inning when he was starting to tire a bit. John Flores went 2 for 4 in the game and drove in 2 runs, hitting his 1st double of 1978.

The Brewers get the series sweep thanks in large part to another great Sekien Hamasaki (8-0, 1.91) start. Hamasaki worked 8 innings, giving up 1 run on just 5 hits. Ben Flynn came in to clean up a mess created by Victor Colon in the 9th and got a key double play ground out and another easy groundball out to earn his 3rd save of the season. Brett Taranto went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 driven in. And Rich White's one hit was his 5th double of the season and he drove in 2 runs as well.

As previously reported, game 1 of the home series against the Detroit Falcons was the Jim Atwell show. Atwell (6-2, 2.97) was pitching a no-hitter into the 6th inning when he allowed the opposing pitcher, Kantaro Yasui, to hit a lead-off double. It was the only hit Atwell would allow in the game, in which his fanned 14 batters and walked 3. He also hit a single and scored a run in the Brewers big 5-run 5th inning, when they broke a scoreless tie. Joe McPhillips, slumping a bit of late, provided a 2 for 3, 1 run scored and 3 RBI game, drawing a pair of walks, swiping his 5th bag of the season, and hitting his 7th double. Brett Taranto went 2 for 4 and hit his 7th double as well.

The Brewers suffered their only loss of the week the next day when veteran team captain Matt Helm was given his first start of the season. In fairness, Helm actually was pretty good in this one, lasting 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. But the bullpen, which has mostly been solid in 1978, completely imploded. Javy Bermudez (4-1, 6.30), who took the loss, gave up 3 runs on 3 hits without recording an out, and Evan Perez was then charged with 4 earned runs on 4 hits (including 2 home runs) in his 2/3rds of an inning pitched. The Joe's, McPhillips and Willlemse, each went 2 for 4 in the loss and each hit a double, McPhillips' 8th and Willemse's 4th.

With the good week and with the primary contenders up until now- Oklahoma City and Phoenix- both slumping, the Brewers find themselves with a 5 game lead at week's end, over the suddenly hot Brooklyn Aces and Oklahoma City, while Los Angeles is now in 4th place, 7 games back and Phoenix falls to 5th, trailing Denver by 8 games.