[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 4-3 (week), 36-21, 1st place, MGL (season).

June 8-10, at Los Angeles: 2-3, 1-6, 14-7.

The Brewers headed to L.A. for 3 games and just barely escaped without getting swept. In the first game Steve Green (5-2, 3.71) once again pitched well, giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings, but didn't get the run support he needed and suffered the loss. Zacarias Martell (.371/.435/.569) did his part though as he went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and hit his 4th HR of the season. (The young starting catcher is having a terrific sophomore season thus far and is currently 2nd in the All-Star voting at his position in the MGL.) This is also the game where the Brewers lost the services of RodRod for a little while.
In the second game, Harry Lyerly (3-3, 2.93) suffered the loss, giving up 6 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits in 6 1/3rd innings. Ryan Rodgers (.308/.495/.338) was 2 for 4 in the loss.
The Spinners fans sensed a sweep in game 3 as the home-town club scored 7 runs in the first two innings and held a 7-3 advantage going into the 7th inning. With the powerful 1-2 punch in the bullpen of Shouta Hori and Yu-Bao Tong surely the Brewers wouldn't be staging a come back, especially on the road in the good hitter's park that Avalon Park is. Not so fast, said the Brewers. They scored twice in the 7th to make things interesting and then nine times in the 8th to put the game away. Joe McPhillips (.312/.361/.571) made his presence felt in his first game back from the IL and a short rehab stint in AAA, as he went 4 for 6 in this one, scoring 3 runs and driving in 3 more and hitting his 4th HR of the season. Sadahige Kawasaki (6-3, 2.91) was taken off the hook by his offense, as he allowed 7 runs on 11 hits in just 5 innings pitched. Two young relievers just recalled from AAA, Ben Flynn and Mike Lizarraga, combined to keep the Spinners scoreless over the final 4 innings. Special note should also be paid to Joe Willemse (.286/.301/.374), getting more playing time in the absence of RodRod. Willemse chipped in with a 4 for 6 day of his own with 3 RBI.

June 11-13, at Oklahoma City: 7-4, 6-1, 2-3.

The Brewers headed to Oklahoma City next to take on the Diamond Kings. In the first game, the offense stayed hot and Matt Helm (5-1, 2.17) tossed another nice start, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits over 7 1/3rd innings. Josh Schaeffer (.340/.429/.597) only collected one hit in this one, but it was a big one, a 3-run HR in the 8th inning, his 9th long ball of the '75 season.
Game 2 saw a solid start from staff ace Cheol-han Lee (7-2, 3.58). Lee worked 7 innings, giving up 1 run on just 1 hit (though also 5 walks). Ben Flynn, pitching well since returning from AAA lately, worked the final 2 innings to get his 2nd save of the season. Josh Schaeffer (.345/.434/.615) was 2 for 4 and hit HR #10, which easily leads the team.
The final game of the series saw a fine pitching duel between Erik Sloan (4-1, 3.16) and Chris Steele in which neither was awarded a decision. The game went into extras tied at 2-2, and in the bottom of the 10th, Tim Shore (0-2, 12.46, since joining Brewers) gave up the walk-off HR off the bat of Jared Stephens.

June 14, versus San Francisco: 8-3.

The Brewers end the week by coming back home and start the home stand with 3 games against the San Francisco Velocity. Game 1 is a tight 3-2 game going into the 7th inning but then the Denver offense plates 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th to take a lead they would not relinquish. Joe McPhillips (.314/.385/.581) was once again Player of the Game, going 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored, 2 RBI, hitting his 5th HR. Jonathan Koch (.226/.271/.288), off to a horrible start this season, did hit his 2nd HR of 1975 in this game- a Grand Slam!- but also committed his 6th error. Another good start for Steve Green (6-2, 3.67), who 3 runs on 6 hits over 8 innings pitched.

Notes from around the league: The Columbus Whalers are hot again, having won 6 straight, and with an impressive 44-14 record, they lead the SJL by 8 games over the Boston Berserkers (36-22.) Reigning SJL champs, Jacksonville, are in 3rd place, 11 1/2 games out (32-25.)
The Brewers lead the MGL by just a game and a half over Brooklyn (35-23) and now have a 4 game lead over Detroit and Baltimore (each at 32-25.) Andrew Kennedy continues to lead all of the WPK in batting average at .400 and Josh Schaeffer leads the MGL in OPS at 1.016.