NLCS Game # 2 - ' 82 Brewers vs ' 88 Mets

Johnson's Slam Evens Series

Howard Johnson's grand slam in the seventh inning erased a tenuous 1-0 Milwaukee lead, and New York hung on to take Game 2 by the score of 4-3. The NLCS is now tied at one game apiece as the series shifts to New York. Johnson's heroics spoiled an otherwise stellar outing by Brewers' starter Moose Haas who struck out eight Mets' batters, allowing only one walk. 

Paul Molitor hit a ball to the deepest part of Miller Park in the third inning to put Milwaukee in front 1-0. That lead would hold until Haas ran into trouble in the seventh.

Coming into the seventh inning, Haas had retired 11 in a row, but that would quickly change. After allowing consecutive singles to Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds, Haas walked Gary Carter. With Haas hovering around 93 pitches, Brewers' manager Harvey Kuenn elected to stay with him which proved to be costly. Howard Johnson ripped a Haas changeup that was left low and inside over the right field wall to make the score 4-1. Jim Slaton then came on and got the Brewers out of the inning.

Milwaukee rallied to close the gap to 4-3 in the home half of the seventh. With one out, Mets' reliever Terry Leach walked pinch hitter Don Money, and he took second on a Paul Molitor single. Brewers' first baseman Cecil Cooper rapped an RBI single ending the day for Leach and brought Gene Walter into the game. Ted Simmons followed with another run scoring single. With Cooper representing the game tying run on second, Brewers' slugger Gorman Thomas struck out chasing a 2-2 slider up and in to end the threat.

Milwaukee had a golden opportunity in the ninth. Pinch hitter Mike Brouhard singled and Paul Molitor reached a throwing error by Mets' third baseman Howard Johnson to put runners on first and second with no one out. Met's closer Randy Myers then beared down to bail Johnson out. Myers got Robin Yount to pop up to second baseman Wally Bachman and Cecil Cooper grounded into a game ending double play.

The Game 3 pitching matchup at Shea Stadium will see Milwaukee ace Pete Vuckovich toeing the slab against Mets' lefty Bobby Ojeda.

*ICYMI > Game 1 > http://buzzingthetowersawx.blogspot.ca/2014/10/nlcs-game-1-82-brewers-vs-88-mets.html