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Twin killing Brewers rally in Game 1, run away with Game 2
Posted: Tuesday May 23, 2000 01:25 AM
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The makeup doubleheader started out as nothing but a waste of a good off-day. By the time it ended, the Milwaukee Brewers wanted to play three -- and the Houston Astros were glad they'll never play in County Stadium again. The Brewers made the biggest ninth-inning comeback in their history in the first game of a doubleheader Monday, scoring seven runs in the ninth before Jose Hernandez's solo homer in the 10th beat the Astros 10-9. "You're not expecting to win that game, absolutely not," said Jeromy Burnitz, whose two-out, two-run single tied the score. "But you've got to keep plugging and see if something crazy happens." In the second game, the Brewers rode the momentum. Burnitz hit a three-run homer and Jason Bere pitched eight strong innings as Milwaukee swept the twinbill with a 6-1 victory over the reeling Astros, losers of seven straight. "Usually, doubleheaders are tiresome, but we finished up the first game with such an emotional lift that we wanted to keep playing," Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said. "Some guys were ready to play three, that's how good the morale was." The Brewers did it in front of one of the smallest crowds in the history of County Stadium, which is in its final year. It was Milwaukee's first doubleheader sweep since July 29, 1997, when the Brewers were still in the AL. The first game featured the biggest ninth-inning comeback in the majors since May 10, 1994, when Atlanta recovered from a seven-run deficit against Philadelphia before winning in 15 innings. It also was the seventh time in major league history a team had blown a lead of seven or more runs in the ninth inning and lost the game. Milwaukee finally swept a three-game series with Houston that began last Tuesday, when the Brewers won a 16-inning contest before the remaining games were rained out on Wednesday and Thursday. Both teams originally were scheduled for a day off Monday, but since Houston doesn't return to Milwaukee this year, the Astros made a 24-hour stopover on their way home from Montreal, where they were swept in a three-game series. At 15-28, Houston has slumped to the NL's worst record. "When you've only got 15 wins and you were expected to contend, that's tough," Jeff Bagwell said. "I believe this thing has got to turn around. We're not that bad of a ballclub." The doubleheader was announced with just three days notice, leading to the tiny crowd and cheap ticket prices. Milwaukee sold bleacher seats for $1, and though the team was charging $10 for the best seats, fans who paid for any seat were allowed to move up.
In the second game, Burnitz -- who was 4-for-7 with five RBIs on the day -- and Charlie Hayes hit back-to-back homers off Kip Gross (0-1) in the third inning. Ron Belliard, who has a 12-game hitting streak, added a two-run double in the fourth, while Bere (3-3) scattered seven hits and cruised into the eighth inning before allowing a solo homer to Ken Caminiti. All the drama was in the first game. Milwaukee was down 9-2 entering the bottom of the ninth before scoring seven runs against Doug Henry, Jose Cabrera and Billy Wagner, who blew his fourth save chance of the year. Hernandez, who hit his third homer in three days, also had a two-run double in the ninth inning, while Burnitz's single to right tied the game. In 30 years of baseball, the Brewers had never come back from more than four runs down in the ninth. "I don't remember something quite like that before," Hernandez said. "On the home run, I just saw a good pitch and hit it. ... All the hard work was in the comeback." It was the largest lead lost by Houston since July 15, 1994, and the Brewers' biggest comeback in any inning since September 1998. Hernandez hit a one-out pitch from Joe Slusarski (0-2) into the left-field bleachers. David Weathers (3-1) pitched the 10th. "That's a lot of runs to ask any team to score, especially against a quality team like that and especially against a closer like (Wagner)," Lopes said. "Everybody will talk about the home run, but that comeback was because of eight or nine guys getting the job done." The ninth began with a walk to Burnitz. Lyle Mouton had a run-scoring double, followed by a two-run double off Henry by Hernandez. Marquis Grissom singled in a run against Cabrera, cutting the lead to 9-6. Wagner then walked Raul Casanova before striking out James Mouton and Ron Belliard. But Mark Loretta singled to drive in Hernandez, and Burnitz's two-run single to right - his first career hit against Wagner -- tied the game. "As soon as they tied the game, you could just feel the letdown," Houston manager Larry Dierker said. "I was not optimistic at that point. ... It's the worst I've seen in 35 years. It was terrible." The Astros' bullpen collapse wasted seven good innings from Shane Reynolds, who still hasn't lost this season. Houston scored three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to build its lead. Richard Hidalgo's three-run homer in the third inning scored Craig Biggio, who went 5-for-6 on the day, and Bagwell. Notes: Reynolds also didn't get a decision last Tuesday, when the Brewers beat the Astros in 16 innings. In winning Monday, Milwaukee clinched its second straight series win for the first time this year. ... Woodard was scheduled to start one of the games against Houston that was rained out last week. He hadn't started a game since May 11, though he struck out one batter in a relief appearance at Pittsburgh on May 14.
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