Angels Play Role in Race as Brewers Get Sweep : A 10-3 Win at Anaheim Enables Milwaukee to Pull Within 4 Games of Boston

Having spent most of 1988 with their noses pressed against the window of the the American League West race, the Angels finally found a way to wield some influence in the playoff selection process.

This they did by losing 3 times in 3 nights to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Needing no less than a sweep to maintain realistic hopes of catching Boston in the AL East, the Brewers discovered that--and more--in Anaheim as they polished off the Angels for the third straight time, winning 10-3 Wednesday night before a crowd of 22,080.

As a result of two Red Sox defeats in three games against the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee wasable to pull to within 4 games of the lead in the East with 1 1/2 weeks to play. Next up for the Brewers are three games this weekend at County Stadium against the winners of the West, the Oakland Athletics.

“A big series,” said Milwaukee Manager Tom Trebelhorn, hoping it may somehow develop into a preview of the league championship series. “They’re going to try and win 100 games and we’re still in the race, so it’ll be very interesting.”

Then, they get a break in the schedule.

They get to play 2 more games against the Angels.

Milwaukee had to sweat out its first 2 victories at Anaheim Stadium, waiting until the late innings before recording victories of 4-2 and 6-5.

Wednesday, the course was simpler. This time, the Brewers scored 2 runs in the top of the first inning and then broke a 2-2 tie with 3 runs in the sixth--followed by 5 more runs in the final 3 innings.

Triggering it all was, typically, an Angel error.

After Robin Yount opened the sixth inning with a double against Angel starter Willie Fraser (12-11), Rob Deer bounced a ground ball to third base, which was fielded by, and then thrown away by, Jack Howell to put runners on first and third.

One out later, Joey Meyer, the victim of 5 strikeouts in 5 at-bats Tuesday night, singled to left to score Yount. A sacrifice fly by B. J. Surhoff brought home Deer before Darryl Hamilton, pinch-running for for Meyer, stole second and scored on Gary Sheffield’s single.

Sheffield, the rookie shortstop who entered this series batting .167, also hit his second home run in as many nights in the eighth inning against reliever Jack Lazorko. That improved Sheffield’ season home-run total to 3.

In these 3 games, Sheffield went 7-for-13 (.539) with 6 RBIs, which probably says all one needs to know about how the Angels played the Brewers.

Offensively, the Angels managed 12 hits against Don August (12-6), Chuck Crim and Paul Mirabella--but could convert them into only 3 runs. Two came on singles by Chili Davis and Johnny Ray, bringing their respective RBI totals to 91 and 76. Tony Armas drove home the other with a bloop single in the bottom of the second.

All in all, it represented meager production for a team that put at least 2 runners on base in 6 different innings. And in 2 innings, the fifth and eighth, the Angels had 2 runners on base with 1 out and failed to score.

August lasted just 5 innings and allowed 8 hits, but salvaged a victory nonetheless when he yielded just 2 runs before turning matters over to Crim and Mirabella. Together, Crim and Mirabella put 7 runners on base--but allowed only 1 to score.

Fraser, who hadn’t lost since July 24, saw his string of 6 consecutive victories unravel early. Milwaukee scored twice in the first inning after leadoff batter Paul Molitor reached first base while striking out on a wild pitch. Yount then doubled Molitor to third and both runners scored on infield ground-outs.

Solo runs by the Angels in the second and third innings bought Fraser’s streak a little more time, but only until the sixth inning, when the Angels threw that, along with the game, away.

But, at least, the Brewers left happy. Down and all but out when they arrived in town, the Brewers lopped 2 games off their deficit in the East and now can return home with a glimmer of hope.

And the Angels? Today they find themselves 3 games under .500 for the first time since July 26. With 7 of their last 9 games to be played against the Minnesota Twins, the Angels’ bid to finish with a winning record may be an even longer shot than that facing Milwaukee.