Game 106: The Riders get 12 hits and five scoreless innings from the bullpen to beat Baltimore 9-3. Zoilo Versalles continues to blister the opposition with three hits, including a double (Milwaukee's only extra base knock). This is one of the few occasions we've won a game started by Fred Norman, but he went only four innings.

Game 107: It seems like Nate Colbert has been stuck on 18 home runs for a while, but he breaks out of his power slump with a two-run shot today, keying a 4-1 win over the IronBirds. Ron Reed throws eight 5-hit innings to pick up his seventh win. Colbert now has 90 RBI.

Game 108: Milwaukee sweeps Baltimore, a team that owned us the first two seasons of this league. Skip Lockwood throws seven shutout innings; Dave LaRoche and Darold Knowles contribute one each as the Riders squeak by in a 1-0 game. Eddie Leon drives in the only run with a double.

At 45-63, we head to Boston to face the 53-55 Stranglers.

Game 109: Tommy John allows 10 hits but manages to limit the Stranglers to a single run in his 6.2 innings of work; Milwaukee hits four doubles and scores four times to win their fourth straight game, 4-1.

Game 110: Gorman Ely throws five shutout innings and the Riders score just enough runs to win their fifth straight, 2-1 over the Stranglers. Jack Heidemann has three hits and a key RBI. Ely improves his record to 7-6.

Game 111: Milwaukee sweeps their second straight series, scoring four in the first and getting six shutout innings from Fred Norman, who wins for the first time this season after 14 losses. Mike Lum's three-run homer is the decisive blow.

We host Cleveland next.

Game 112: The winning streak ends as the Riders are shut out 4-0 by Cleveland's Mel Stottlemyre, who also contributes two hits and two RBI to the Flames' attack. Ron Reed suffers his 12th loss of the season.

Game 113: Cleveland gets 11 hits, eight off Rider starter Skip Lockwood, but they can't get any of them home; Nate Colbert hits a three-run homer in the third and the Riders return the favor, shutting out the Flames 5-0.

Game 114: Zoilo Versalle commits two errors, including one in the top of the ninth that leads to two Cleveland runs, allowing the Flames to take the series with a come-from-behind 3-2 decision.

The Riders head east to face the New York Mammoths (73-41).

Game 118: Skip Lockwood allows two in the first and one in the second.. for a team like the Riders, it's a fatal blow. Milwaukee doesn't score until the seventh and can never catch up, dropping the opener 4-2.

Game 119: Ted Abernathy chokes again, allowing four runs in the eighth, and Hells Angels comes back for an 8-7 win. Nate Colbert homers and drives in three runs to reach 101 RBI for the season. Eddie Leon's 45 RBI rank second on the team.

Game 120: Rudy May handcuffs the Riders again, picking up his 19th win as the Hells Angels batter Darold Knowles for three runs in a 4-3 win. Gorman Ely's good start (1 run in five innings) is for naught.

We host 40-80 Oakland next.

Game 121: Oakland's Steve Dunning, 3-15 entering the game, walks 10 batters in his seven innings of work, but that is not enough to allow the Riders to get a run home. Meanwhile, Fred Norman allows six runs in the first two innings and the A's romp to a 7-3 win. Norman is 1-16.

Game 122: Blue Moon Odom becomes the latest beleaguered pitcher to save his job by shutting down the Riders; he throws seven shutout frames as the A's win 4-0.

Game 123: Swept by Oakland; this is a new low for the Riders. The A's take this one 8-1. Sam McDowell throws a complete game, improving his record to 12-13, while Skip Lockwood falls below .500 at 9-10.

We head to Kansas City to face the Blue Sox next.

Game 124: Frank Howard, acquired recently in a trade, joins the Kansas City lineup and blasts a three-run home run to lead the Blue Sox to an 8-3 win. Tommy John falls to 7-8 for the Riders.

Game 125: Fred Norman allows only two hits over six innings and outduels 15-game winner Claude Osteen to beat KC 2-1. Norman's second win of the year features three hits from Eddie Leon.

Game 126: Don Wilson throws a complete game two-hitter

(walking only one batter) to beat the Riders 2-0. Ron Reed takes his 15th loss.

We host Minnesota next.

Game 127: Skip Lockwood allows only a solo home run by Manny Sanguillen during his seven innings, but the score is tied at 1 when he leaves the game. It remains that way as the Riders come to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Ronny White singles with one out and advances to second on a walk to Ted Ford. After a ground out by pinch hitter Richie Hebner, Eddie Leon hits a grounder to Rennie Stennett. Stennett's throw to first is wide, and White scores the game winner!

Game 128: Nate Colbert hits a solo home run and a two-run double to back Tommy John, who improves to 8-8 with seven strong innings as the Riders win game 2 against Minnesota, 5-3.

Game 129: Milwaukee sweeps Minnesota, beating 20-game winner Mickey Lolich in the finale with homers from Eddie Leon and Nate Colbert. Gorman Ely allows only one run in five innings and improves to 8-7.

We head north to face Detroit.

Game 130: Detroit scores early and often off Fred Norman, then holds on for a 6-4 win, breathing again only when Nate Colbert strikes out with the bases loaded to end the game.

Game 131: Ron Reed pitches two scoreless innings, but the first five men he faces in the third go on to score and the Stars take a second straight game from the Riders, 5-2.

Game 132: Detroit sweeps, scoring five in the first off Skip Lockwood and surviving a four-run Rider rally in the ninth to win 10-7. Nate Colbert is 0-5 with seven men on.

The Riders head to Washington to face the Commandos.