On this day in 1982, the Brewers were making their move. Despite having been under .500 a little more than a month ago, Milwaukee had won 22 of its last 30 games to inch within a game of the first place Red Sox in the AL East, and had two more games remaining in a series against their divisional rivals with the lead on the line.
Sensing a potential pivotal moment in the season, a County Stadium record 55,716 paid to see the Saturday night game. They went home happy as the Brewers scored two runs in the first and three more in the fourth while Pete Vuckovich pitched a three hit shutout in a 7-0 Brewer win. Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper (twice) all homered in the game.
The Brewers lost the next day and gave the lead back to the Red Sox, but retook it on July 11 and went on to hold it more often than not for the rest of the season.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1989-96 Brewer Greg Vaughn, who turns 46.
- 1988-91 Brewer Don August, who turns 48.
- 1971 and 1974-75 Brewer Rob Ellis, who turns 61.