Brewers Advance To World Series - Await NL Opponent

ALCS: Milwaukee Brewers 3  Chicago White Sox 0

ALCS - Milwaukee Brewers (Glenn Perry subbing for Chad) vs. Chicago White Sox (Bruce Thomas)

Game 1

Milwaukee 5 Chicago 1 

W: Sutton L: Hoyt

Carlton Fisk ripped a homerun in the first inning off of Don Sutton for a quick 1-0 lead. Sutton settled down after that, allowing no walks and only one more hit. However, it looked like it would be all Lamarr Hoyt would need. In the 7th, Ted Simmons ripped a 1-out double...only the 2nd hit off Hoyt. Ben Oglivie hit a deep fly ball down the left field line. Ron Kittle caught it, but when Simmons tagged up and took off for third, Kittle threw the ball away, allowing the tying run to score. That's the way things stayed until the bottom of the 9th. With one out, Robin Yount stretched a base hit into a double. Hoyt gave an intentional walk to Cecil Cooper, then accidentally walked Ted Simmons to load the bases. The White Sox brought in Juan Agosto to face Ben Oglivie. Ed Romero pinch hit, just looking to hit a fly ball. He did just that, ripping the first pitch down the left field line for a game-winning grand slam in his only at bat of the series.

Game 2

Milwaukee 5 Chicago 3

W: Tellmann  L: Dotson  S: Ladd

Chicago again jumped out to a first inning lead. Rudy Law opened the game by reaching 2nd on an error by Robin Yount. Tom Paciorek singled him in, went to 3rd on a single by Greg Luzinski, and scored on a SF by Harold Baines...2-0 White Sox. They stretched it to 3-0 in the 5th on an error by Mike Caldwell and a double by Paciorek. In the bottom of the 5th, the Brewers started a rally with two out. Rick Manning singled, stole 2nd, and scored on a single by Paul Molitor. Scott Fletcher booted a ground ball that would have ended the inning, and Cecil Cooper made them pay with a game-tying double. Manning singled to open the 7th, and Molitor doubled him to third. Manning scored on a ground ball by Robin Yount, and Molitor scored on a base hit by Cooper...5-3 Milwaukee. Tom Tellman, who entered the game in the 7th, got the first out in the 8th, then Pete Ladd retired the final 5 batters for the save.

Game 3

Milwaukee 3 Chicago 1

W: Cocanower  L: Burns  S: Ladd

With their backs to the wall, things started badly for the White Sox as Floyd Bannister was forced from the game with an injury after getting the first two outs in the first. Britt Burns came on and was greeted by a Cecil Cooper single and a Ted Simmons double...1-0 Milwaukee. Chicago tied the game in the 2nd when Greg Walker walked, went to third on a Vance Law double, and scored on a ground ball by Scott Fletcher to tie the game. And that's the way things stayed as Burns shut down Milwaukee, while surprise game 3 starter Bob Gibson did the same to the White Sox. Jaime Cocanower came on to start the 6th and continued to keep Chicago at bay with 3 scoreless innings. In the 8th, Rick Manning walked with one out and went to third on a hit-and-run single by Paul Molitor. Robin Yount drove in Manning with a base hit up the middle. Cecil Cooper hit a long fly ball for the 2nd out, but Molitor advanced to third. With Ted Simmons at the plate, Yount took off for 2nd. When Fisk threw to 2nd, Molitor took off for the plate, sliding in safely to complete the double steal, making it 3-1 Milwaukee. Pete Ladd came on for a 1-2-3 9th, and the Brewers completed the sweep.

Congrats to Bruce on a great season, and congrats to Chad for guiding the Brewers to an unlikely World Series appearance.