The Sensational 70s - Brewers' Batteries Butcher Wildcard Game

The 1978 Milwaukee Brewers were two outs away from advancing to the National League Divisional Series over the 1979 Montreal Expos when the Brewers' batteries committed the first of two critical miscues that would eventually cost them the game.

The Expos 5-3 victory was built on a 2 wild pitches, 2 throwing errors, and a passed ball that thwarted a 2-1 Brewer lead in the ninth inning. This spoiled an outstanding 7 inning pitching effort by Milwaukee starter Mike Caldwell. The Expos managed only 4 hits and an earned run off Caldwell who enjoyed a career year in 1978. Caldwell was a 20 game winner going 22-9 with a career-best 2.39 ERA. Another amazing exclamation point on his '78 season was the fact that Caldwell had 23 complete games to his credit to lead the American League.

In the fifth inning, Montreal's third hit off Caldwell was a two-out double by Ellis Valentine. Valentine went 3-6 in the game as Montreal's top hitter scoring twice. Tony Perez followed with a single to center which would be the Expos' last hit off Caldwell and gave Montreal a 1-0 lead.

Charlie Moore brought Milwaukee back into the game with a RBI single in the seventh. Sixto Lezcano led off the inning with a single and moved to third on two ground outs. Moore delivered the clutch hit through the hole and into right field to tie the game. Moore's act of heroism was fleeting as he was thrown out trying to swipe second leaving Ben Ogilvie standing at the dish as he was called on to hit for Caldwell. This blunder by Moore would pale in comparison to what was to come.

The seventh was also the last inning of work by Expos' starter Steve Rogers. Rogers spent his entire 13-year career with Montreal. The five-time all-star is the franchise leader in wins with 158 and in WAR with a mark of 45.3. Rogers also leads in games started (393), shutouts (37) and complete games (129). Both Caldwell and Rogers were locked into a pitching duel. Rogers allowed only one more hit than Caldwell striking out 4 while walking 2, but neither man would factor into the decision.

Milwaukee took the lead in the very next inning on another clutch two-out hit. Jim Wohlford came on to pinch hit against Expos' reliever Rudy May. Wohlford was hitting for Jim Gantner who entered the game on a double switch with Brewer reliever Randy Stein. Wohlford singled to center and ended up on third on a ground out and a wild pitch by Expos' reliever David Palmer. Larry Hisle hit a line drive to right field, and despite a valiant effort by Montreal right fielder Ellis Valentine, the ball glanced off his glove allowing Wohlford to count for a 2-1 lead.

Milwaukee handed the ball to closer and former Red Sox pitching coach Bob McClure for the ninth. McClure had a terrific season registering 45 saves which was good enough for third overall in the National League. Montreal second baseman Rodney Scott nicked him immediately for a leadoff single. McClure then got Warren Cromartie swinging on a pitch down and away which got away from Brewers' catcher Charlie Moore. In an attempt to cut down Scott from taking second, Moore uncorked an air ball that landed in center field allowing Scott to advance to third. Andre Dawson brought Scott in with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2 and send it to extra innings.

Moore would make his second throwing error of the game in the eleventh. After Eduardo Rodriguez struck out Chris Speier on a ball in the dirt, Moore's throw to first sailed high and down the right field line which permitted Speier to take second. Rodney Scott lashed a

single into center to score Speier for a brief 3-2 lead. The home half of the inning featured another critical throwing error, but this time, it came for the arm of Expos' third baseman Larry Parrish. Parrish errant throw allowed leadoff Larry Hisle to reach and he ended up on second. Expos' manager Dick Williams elected to walk Sixto Lezcano to set up a possible double play, but that strategy was tanked when Montreal reliever Bill Atkinson tossed a wild pitch to move the runners to second and third. Williams would then instruct Atkinson to issue another free pass to batter Don Money to load the bases and bring the pitchers' spot to the plate. Brewers' manager sent backup catcher Buck Martinez and he dropped down a perfectly executed suicide squeeze play to tie the game 3-3.

The next 3 innings would be uneventful as the Expos and the Brewers only scratched out one single apiece. 

In the fifteenth frame, Montreal started things off with back to back singles from Larry Parrish and Ellis Valentine. Tommy Hutton laid down a sacrifice bunt to give the Expos runners on second and third with one out. The Expos wouldn't need another hit to win this one as Brewer reliever Randy Stein was the victim of a passed ball that allowed Parrish to score the go-ahead run. He then threw a wild pitch to the next hitter which scored Valentine giving the Expos an insurance run making the score 5-3. Woodie Fryman put the Brewers down in order to pick up the save. The win went to Stan Bahnsen who tossed 2.2 innings of 1 hit ball and combined with Fryman to set down the last 11 Milwaukee batters in order.

Montreal now goes on to face the 1975 Cincinnati Reds in one of the NLDS matchups while the other series sees the '76 New York Mets take on the 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers. 

ICYMI: The 1975 Red Sox advanced to the ALDS against the 1978 Yankees. Check out their wildcard win here.