| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Maybe it should have been Jeffrey Hammonds
Poster Night.
Hammonds hit a two-run homer in the first inning and had three
hits and three RBIs as the Colorado Rockies ended a 10-game road
losing streak by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 10-2 Saturday night.
"We played with reckless abandon because we've been struggling,
and that's the only way we can continue to play in order to try to
beat these struggles," Hammonds said.
|
Wickman still has a presence in Milwaukee
|
|
MILWAUKEE -- While Bob Wickman is gone, the Milwaukee
Brewers weren't about to be stuck with 30,000 posters of their
former closer.
Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Night went on as scheduled Saturday
night at County Stadium, a day after the Brewers dealt their
All-Star to Cleveland.
"We would only hope that future poster promotions don't scare
away our players when we go to them with the idea early in the
season," Brewers spokesman Laurel Prieb said.
Wickman, the team's closer for more than three seasons, was
traded with pitchers Steve Woodard and Jason Bere for slugger
Richie Sexson and pitchers Paul Rigdon and Kane Davis plus a player
to be named.
"That's a little late to get a poster of him," said Helen
Roselli, an elderly fan from Germantown, a Milwaukee suburb. "But
I'm happy to get one. He did a good job when he was here. He's a
native of Wisconsin, too."
Her daughter, Kathleen DeWall, also of Germantown, quickly
added, "That's why it's a shame he's leaving."
Wickman's former teammates were happy to see the team continue
with the promotion.
"Absolutely," outfielder Geoff Jenkins said. "I'm going to
put one in my locker just to remember him."
"It's a nice collector's item now," shortstop Mark Loretta
said.
Reliever David Weathers, one of Wickman's best friends on the
team, had a plan for his poster.
"It was funny timing," he said. "I'm going to get one and ask
him to autograph it for me."
|
The Rockies spoiled the Brewers' debut of Paul Rigdon (0-1),
acquired Friday in a seven-player trade with Cleveland. Rigdon
sandwiched two strikeouts around a single by Neifi Perez before
Hammonds lined the first pitch 370 feet for his 17th homer of the
season.
"Hey, live and learn," Rigdon said. "I went right at him and
he hit the ball out of the park."
Saturday was Bob Wickman Poster Night, but the right-handed
closer was also in the trade with Cleveland on Friday. Still, the
Brewers handed out most of the 30,000 posters.
Colorado scored six in the ninth on Perez's sacrifice fly, Larry
Walker's RBI single, Todd Helton's RBI double, former Brewer Jeff
Cirillo's two-run double and Brent Mayne's RBI single, all off Bob
Scanlan.
Jeromy Burnitz, the subject of trade talks, hit his 22nd homer
with two outs in the ninth to spoil the shutout. Angel Echevarria
followed with his first homer of the year. Both were hit off David
Lee, the third Colorado pitcher.
Julian Tavarez (6-2), who made 250 relief appearances since his
last start four seasons ago, went 5 1/3 innings, allowed four hits,
struck out three and walked none.
"That always feels great when you get a lead," Tavarez said.
"You're so much more comfortable when you're ahead 2-0 in the
first inning."
He lowered his ERA from 5.36 to 4.85.
"It's different than just pitching one inning. It felt good,"
Tavarez said. "I'm happy I'm in the rotation. I appreciate that
they're going to give me another chance."
Tavarez's previous start came with Cleveland against the
Minnesota Twins on July 20, 1996. He had a no-decision when the
Indians rallied to win 6-5 after he allowed five runs in 3 2/3
innings.
Colorado made it 3-0 in the fourth when Hammonds walked, went to
third on Mayne's single and scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
Walker doubled with two outs in the fifth and scored on
Hammonds' single for a 4-0 lead.
The first four runs were scored with two outs, much to the
delight of manager Buddy Bell.
"That was nice to see. We haven't done that too much in our
losing streak," Bell said.
Rigdon left after five innings, allowing seven hits while
striking out three and walking two.
Tavarez, who allowed only one runner to advance past second, was
relieved by Gabe White in the sixth after pinch-hitter Raul
Casanova and Marquis Grissom singled. White retired Geoff Jenkins
on a grounder and Charlie Hayes on a fly to center.
"We got the win that we needed so bad," Tavarez said.
Milwaukee manager Davy Lopes praised both starters.
"He threw the ball pretty good," he said of Rigdon. "He made
a couple of bad pitches to Hammonds and other than that he did OK.
"Tavarez has a good arm and he made some quality pitches. But we
just didn't hit. He gave them what they needed."
Game notes
Milwaukee's Jeff D'Amico is a candidate for NL pitcher of
the month. Sunday's starter is 4-0 with a 0.45 ERA in five starts
in July. ... Eight of the 25 players on Milwaukee's roster played
in Colorado's organization. They are Juan Acevedo, Curtis Leskanic,
Jamey Wright, Henry Blanco, Casanova, Hayes, Echevarria and Chris
Jones. ... The Rockies lead the NL in runs scored (626), but are
last in home runs (102). The last team to hold that distinction was
the 1943 Brooklyn Dodgers; before that, the 1898 Baltimore Orioles.
... The Brewers purchased the contract of Scanlan from Triple-A
Indianapolis. ... Jones and Echevarria exchanged uniform numbers;
Jones will wear 38 and Echevarria 39. ... Since the All-Star break,
the Brewers have made only three errors in 16 games, and none in
their last 11. ... The Rockies started five players batting higher
than .300; the Brewers none.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 14
Baltimore 3
Baltimore 4
Cleveland 0
(2nd game)
Seattle 6
Toronto 5
Anaheim 6
Chi. White Sox 5
Minnesota 6
NY Yankees 2
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 1
Detroit 10
Texas 2
Oakland 12
Boston 1
Atlanta 13
Houston 5
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 3
Chicago Cubs 8
San Francisco 1
Florida 4
Arizona 2
Cincinnati 4
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles 0
Pittsburgh 10
San Diego 2
Colorado 10
Milwaukee 2
|
