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The Crew looked to build on their big victory over the Cardinals with a Sunday night battle against the Marauders at Ireland Park, hoping to extend the winning streak to a modest two games. The game didn't have much of a pace early on as both teams struggled defensively and the pitchers had a hard time finding the strike zone. As the game moved into the middle innings, the Brewers managed to push across 6 runs to take a 6-2 lead. The Marauders weren't about to roll over, scoring 8 unanswered to take a 10-6 lead. Down by four, the Brewers put together a nice rally of their own and scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to get it within one. Knowing that time was working against them, the Brewers held the Marauders offense at bay in the top of the sixth and quickly hustled to get their final hacks in before the power went off. After two quick outs the Brewers found themselves still down by a run with little time left, however they were not prepared to give up just yet. A two out double gave the Brewers life by putting the tying run in scoring position, but they only had a couple minutes to take advantage before the lights would be shut off. The next batter drew a walk putting runners on first and second with two out, but now it was only seconds away from the end of the game. The next hitter was able to see one or two pitches before time finally ran out on the Crew. It was a tough pill for sure as they would've liked the chance to bring that runner home and tie the game, however they made their own bed by kicking the ball around and not taking advantage of earlier opportunities. Credit to the Marauders for battling hard and not giving up, however the Brewers couldn't help but think they had just beat themselves. Next up for the yellow and blue is a Friday matchup vs the Red Sox, should be a competitive game with first pitch set to fly sometime around 6pm at Nelson Park. The Brewers are hoping to bounce back from this game and begin a new winning streak.

2010 will be the Brewers second season in the BVBL. They will look to build off a solid rookie year which saw them win the regular season title, but they will ultimately be aiming to change how it ended. Losing in the finals to the Hobos will be used as motivation for this edition of the Brewers as they now have a taste and are looking for more. The Brewers will sport a re-vamped line up on opening day of 2010. The new additions will look to make the club much stronger come playoff time, when the games matter most. The Brewers now know what it takes to win and believe they've made the necessary adjustments to get them back where they need to be. There's no question the level of competition in this league is tough. All teams have improved during this off-season and the Brewers are expecting nothing less than a battle from start to finish. One thing is certain, the Brewers will be hungry. With year one in a new league now under their belts, the Brewers are looking to enjoy another competitive season. Building off their past success but ultimately not satisfied with the same result. The Brewers hope to remain healthy throughout the entire season but realize injuries are going to happen. We look forward to facing the best from our competition so let's hope injuries don't play a part for the entire roster of the BVBL players. There is a definite sense of pride to putting on the Brewers uniform which has been built over many years and many successes. The Brewers promise to play hard in victory, while also strive to be gracious in defeat. Good luck to all teams, we'll see you on the diamond.

It wasn't how they wanted to end their season, losing the last game, but the 2009 Brewers are not hanging their heads. After capturing the regular season crown in their first season in the very competitive BVBL, the Brewers looked to cap off year one with a long playoff run and hopefully a championship. Their quest began with a hard fought series against the Cubs, who proved to be scrappy opponents battling all the way to their final out. Although the Brewers won in two straight, the Cubs proved they belonged and will no doubt be hungry to improve next season. From there, it was onto a semi final matchup against the Mudhens who were fresh off an opening round defeat of the very skilled Cardinals. This series was a battle as well as the Hens took the Brewers to a deciding game 5 before the crew managed to squeak it out, thanks in large part to a dramatic grand slam off the bat of Jon Eidt. The Mudhens are a very good team, and this particular series could've gone either way in the end. It was then onto the finals for the Brewers, as they prepared to battle the Hobos in a best of five series for the Vintage Gold Championship. Although confidence is never a question, the Brewers ran into some tough luck and quickly found themselves down two games to none. Both of the first two games were tight battles that could easily have seen the Crew up 2-0, however the Hobos had a little too much depth on the mound and that proved to be the difference. The Hobos deserve credit for playing extremely sound baseball during the entire playoffs, they seemed to get stronger as the series progressed. In the end, it was a sweep for the Hobos and a tough end to an otherwise great season for the Brewers. The loss provides the Brewers a sense of what needs to be changed next year in order to make it back to the big dance, and possibly capture the title in 2010. The Brewers will be improved and ready to get redemption next season, that much is certain. Overall it was a very enjoyable 2009 season, the competition and parity in this league is very impressive. Winning the regular season title is an accomplishment the Brewers don't take lightly, and we expect teams to be gunning for us next year as a result. We welcome that challenge, thanks for a great first season in the BVBL.

It was a chilly night at Nelson Park as the Brewers and Cubs clashed in game 2 of the first round BVB playoffs. Having squeaked out a win just a few nights earlier, the Brewers knew they'd better be ready for another tough battle as the Cubs surely were a confident bunch. It didn't take long for the Brewers to gain control, as they managed to push across two runs in the first inning and take a 7-1 lead into the middle innings of the game. From there is was pitching combined with solid defence, which once again proved to be too much for the Cubs on this night. This series only went two games but both of them were very competitive throughout, and the Cubs definitely have reason for optimism in 2010. The Brewers will now enjoy a week off to rest some nagging injuries, as they wait to see who their second round opponent will be. It was discussed in the parking lot after the game, the possibility of watching the other series games on Tuesday night. Once it was made official the Duff was going to be attending, veteran Dan Lisac couldn't commit quick enough. Apparently Duff plays a big role in DL's decision making. do-do, la-doot-da-doo.... CAM.

Game one of the BVB playoffs took place on Friday night at Nelson Park between the Brewers and Cubs, and it certainly was a memorable one. The Brewers knew their opponents were going to come out looking to redeem themselves after a sloppy contest a few nights earlier, and that's exactly what happened. It was a tightly played game for both teams without much offense but plenty of quality defence. As the game moved to the fifth inning still scoreless, the intensity continued to mount and the veteran Brewers stuck to their game plan in hopes things would eventually start to click. The Cubs managed to take a 1-0 in their half of the fifth, and it looked like it might just hold up as the Brewers struggled to put anything together. That is until their half of the fifth. Down by a run the Brewers finally took flight via a sacrifice fly by catcher Dave McDuffe, tying the game 1-1. The Brewers managed to put together another rally in the sixth inning, but it was snuffed out on an attempted squeeze play that turned into a clutch inning ending double play for the Cubs. Heading to the bottom of the seventh with the score still tied, the Brewers and Cubs continued to battle. Fortunately for the Brewers they managed to get a runner on first with two away, and it was time for some drama. The next batter hit a mile high fly ball which meant the runner was off on contact. Not sure what happened on the play but somehow the ball found green and the Brewers runner was flying around the bases in an attempt to score. It was a bang-bang play at the plate, but one the umpire got right. The throw was a little up the first base line which caused the catcher to leave the corner of the plate open. By the time his tag hit the Brewers player, his foot had just barely crossed. Both teams will now enjoy an off day on Saturday before renewing hostilities on Sunday night, 7pm at Nelson Park. Its sure to be another highly contested battle, as the Brewers know their opponents are a confident bunch despite the loss. If Friday night is any indication of what's in store for Sunday, its sure to be a great ball game.

Needing a win to lock up first place, the Brewers closed up their regular season with a Tuesday night tilt against the Cubs at Nelson Park. The Brewers have been playing their best ball of the season on both sides of the field and that trend continued on this night. For the second game in a row the Brewers took a quick 2-0 first inning 2-0 lead and never looked back. With the victory, the Brewers and Cubs will renew acquaintances again in the first round of the playoffs which begin on Friday night. It took the Brewers bats a while to get going this season, but as the playoffs arrive they seem to have rounded into form nicely. Lately its been all three facets of their game clicking all at the same time, and the results have helped prove that point. Since beginning the season with a 3-3 record, the Brewers finished strong by going 12-1-1 in their final 14 contests. Its been a very enjoyable and competitive season for the Brewers and we look forward to an exciting playoffs as well. Once the ball game was over, it was time to celebrate being the Lutz Cup champions. As is the norm, the Brewers made their way to the parking lot to enjoy some fine beverages and share some laughs. The camaraderie developed during these after-game sessions has helped make the 2009 Brewers a special team to be a part of. Despite the lack of can crushing or levitating on this night, the Brewers attempted to put a plan in place for the series opener on Friday against the Cubs. The final score of Tuesday nights game has already been forgotten as the Brewers expect the scrappy Cubs to be ready and come out looking for redemption. Good luck to all of the teams during the playoffs, play hard and have fun.

With only two games remaining in their regular season the Brewers faced off against a short handed Red Sox squad Sunday night at Ireland Park, in a huge game for establishing playoff seedings. The Brewers knew they still had a good chance of landing top spot in the league, but in order for that to happen they needed to win both of their remaining games. Sundays game got off to a good start for the Brewers as they took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning courtesy Jon Eidts fourth homerun of the campaign. It seemed to spark the offense as the Brewers bats continued to breakout in a huge way on this night, eventually taking control of this contest midway through. The Red Sox were missing a few of their key players and as a result only had 9 guys on this night, which played a huge part in the eventual outcome of this game. The Sox remain a team to watch out for come playoff time, and the Brewers expect more from them should they meet up again in the big dance. The Brewers enjoy an off day Monday before concluding their regular season on Tuesday night versus the Cubs, who have clinched 8th spot in the standings. If the Brewers can win this game they will lock down top spot and thus face the Cubs in the first round of the playoffs. Its sure to be a big game and the Brewers expect the Cubs to come out fighting. Hopefully the fire displayed on Sunday night will carry over to Tuesday, as well as into the playoffs. Good game, fellas.

After a brutal defeat at the hands of the fast charging Hobos, the Brewers looked to get back on the winning side of things as they played the Marauders @ Nelson stadium on Sunday night. After the pounding they took on Friday, the Brewers wanted to come out and try to take control of this game right from the beginning. It wasn't pretty at times but the Brewers managed to give their pitchers enough run support, and from there is was up to Steve Vali, Jim Fay and Adam Thoburn to preserve the 10-2 victory. Once again the Brewers looked a little shaky on defence, but they were able to make all the important plays whenever the Marauders mounted an attack. Their offense was much better on this night, which hopefully helps explain how pathetic it was only two days earlier. After nearly three weeks of inactivity before Friday nights game, the Brewers are now in the middle of a tough stretch which sees them play a bunch of games this week as they look to solidify their place in the playoffs. Next up for the Brewers is a Tuesday night battle against the Mudhens, who are on a roll but haven't played in over a week. Every game is so important from here on, and the Brewers are hoping to take advantage of their busy schedule to get themselves ready for playoff time. Mike Sutton (aka the crusher) is on beer duty, and will be looking to break his record of 32 crushed cans in a row... should make for an exciting night all around.

After an up and down beginning to their Vintage careers, the Brewers have put together a nice winning streak to help give them a slight lead atop this very competitive league. After losing their sixth game of the season to put their record at a mediocre 3-3 mark, the Brew Crew have reeled off 8 straight wins and are looking to keep their hot play going into the second half of the season. Its been a real team effort this year as all three facets' of their game are clicking for the '09 edition of the Brewers. Solid pitching will always be the key to winning, but the Brewers have received excellent defence as well and their bats have finally come around after a sluggish start. A lot can also be said for having an actual coach too because it allows the guys to go out and concentrate on playing without having to worry about lineups etc. The Brewers have been welcomed into this league with open arms, and we're glad the transition has been as enjoyable as its been so far. The level of talent is this league is very high and the Brewers are excited to be part of it, and hopefully for many years. We are looking forward to playing out the remainder of the season, and hopefully making a long run in the playoffs. Good luck to everyone, have fun and stay injury free.