[BirdWatcher]

The Brewers face the 5th place Baltimore Lords for 4 games at Centennial Stadium with a chance to put more distance between them and the team immediately behind them in the standings and try to climb up closer to contention.
Instead, the drop 3 of 4 and fall behind Baltimore into 5th place.

Things got off to a good start in the first game as the Brewers won 6-2. Steve Green got the win, working 8 innings and giving up 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 8 and walking 3 batters. He improves to 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA. The offense is once again led by Bobby Erbakan and rookie Joe McPhillips. Erbakan (.304/.383/.433) went 4 for 5 and hit his 14th double of the season. McPhillips (.270/.354/.513) was 2 for 3, driving in a pair of runs, hitting his 6th double of the year.

The following day, though, the Brewers could only manage 2 hits against Chris Sutherland. Sutherland, you might recall, tossed a no-hitter against Phoenix earlier in the season. It was tough luck for young Justin Peacock, who hurled another fine game, lasting 6 1/3rd, giving up 2 runs (only 1 earned) on 7 hits while striking out 6 and walking 2. Although Peacock's record dropped to 2-2 with the loss, he now sports an impressive 2.10 ERA in his 4 starts this year. (Peacock has a 2.17 ERA in his 13 major league appearances, including 7 starts, spread over the 1971 and 1972 seasons.)

The Brewers were defeated by the Lords, 6-3, in the opening game of a Sunday double-header. Veteran lefty Daniel Torres, on a roller-coaster ride this season, had another horrible start, working 4 1/3rd innings, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits and 6 walks (3 K). He drops to 3-5 with a 4.45 ERA. After winning consecutive ERA titles the past 2 seasons (2.14 and 1.96) it seems pretty clear and third is not in the offering. Antonio Puente (.230/.325/.405) went 2 for 4 in the loss and hit his 6th HR of the year.

It took 14 innings but the Lords managed to win the series by taking a 5-4 win in the night-cap. Harry Lyerly got the start for the Brewers and lasted for 7 1/3rd, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 8 and walking 3 (but amazingly once again not allowing a single HR.) Lyerly obviously didn't get a decision in the game and sees his ERA rise to 3.19. Eric Singer suffered the loss and falls to 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA. Oscar Vargas (.212/.262/.313), getting the start at third, went 2 for 5 and hit his 2nd HR of the season.