Game 21: New York gets off to a fast start against Bill Lee and the Riders can never quite catch up. Larry Hisle hits a solo home run in the ninth to make it a 4-3 deficit but they do no more, dropping the game at Shea.

Game 22: Jon Matlack is a rude host, holding the Brakers to five hits in eight innings; Milwaukee gets a split with New York by taking a 3-1 decision at County Stadium.

Game 23: Fred Norman throws seven strong innings and the first three batters in the lineup drive in a run each as the Riders defeat San Francisco 4-1.

Game 24: Milwaukee manages only seven hits (three by Gene Michael) and can't get a run across. Charlie Spikes' third error of the season leads to the only run of the game, and Frisco wins 1-0.

We will finish the first round of divisional play with a visit from Anaheim. At 14-10, we are three games in front of Kansas City.

Game 25: Mike Lum hits one of three Rider home runs, driving home five, and Bill Lee throws a complete-game gem as Milwaukee takes the opener in convincing fashion, 17-1. It's the second division series of the season in which the Riders have won the opener by that score.

Game 26: Milwaukee scores in each of the first four innings and Jon Matlack strikes out 10 batters as the Riders win the second game of the series, 6-3. Ramon Hernandez survives a shaky ninth for his seventh save.

Game 27: Milwaukee's bats are silent through five innings, but then the Riders score two runs in each of the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to win 6-2. Darold Knowles throws one of three scoreless frames tossed by the bullpen and gets credit for the victory.

Game 28: Anaheim salvages the finale of the series, as Marty Pattin outpitches Tommy John in a 3-1 decision. John falls to 2-2.

Interleague play returns as we face the Pennsylvania contingent (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) next.

Game 43: Fred Norman throws eight shutout innings and the Riders exact a small measure of revenge by shutting out the Mooseheads, 2-0, in the opener.

Game 44: Bill Robinson ends a back-and-forth affair with a home run in the bottom of the ninth, giving Milwaukee an 8-7 win over the Mooseheads. Nate Colbert has three hits and four RBI in the victory.

Game 45: Milwaukee sweeps Minnesota, taking the finale 11-5 as Ted Sizemore and Gene Michael combine for six hits and six RBI. Bill Lee gets his seventh win.

Milwaukee heads to Chicago to face the Central-leading White Sox (30-15).

Game 46: The fans get a lot of free baseball in this one as the bullpens engage in a pitchers' duel. After Chicago ties the score at two in the sixth off Jon Matlack, neither team scores again until the 14th. In that frame, Thurman Munson singles, advances to third on a double by Mike Lum, and races home on Gene Michael's fly out. Ramon Hernandez allows a leadoff double in the bottom half but closes it out from there for his 14th save.

Game 47: Fred Norman allows only two hits over six innings and the Rider bullpen throws three scoreless frames as Milwaukee squeaks out a 2-1 win over Chicago.

Game 48: Trailing 3-0 after six, Charlie Spikes sparks a five-run inning with a three-run homer off Tom Seaver; Milwaukee holds on for an 8-4 win. Tommy John gets the win and improves to 4-3.

Interleague play is on tap with series against Los Angeles and Houston.

Game 49: Larry Hisle has four hits and Gene Michael has four RBI as the Riders feast on LA's bullpen for an 11-4 win.

Game 50: Don Sutton strikes out nine Riders, but allows two home runs to Larry Hisle, and Milwaukee beats LA 4-1 for their 11th straight victory.

Game 51: A tight game with Houston turns on Thurman Munson's seventh-inning single; Milwaukee sneaks away with a 4-3 win.

Game 52: Larry Hisle continues his hot streak with another home run, and Tommy John throws seven strong innings, walking nobody, for his fifth win, as the Riders beast Houston 4-1.

Milwaukee heads east to visit Washington.

Game 53: Larry Hisle has three more hits, scores four times, and drives in three runs as the Spectres beat Washington 17-2. Bill Lee allows only two unearned runs in eight innings and improves to 8-2.

Game 54: Despite outhitting Washington 12-8, the Riders' winning streak ends at 14 games as the Commandos blast three home runs in a 4-2 win over Jon Matlack (7-4).

Game 55: Milwaukee ensures that their loss yesterday doesn't turn into a skid, getting eight brilliant innings from Fred Norman as they beat the Commandos 2-1. Nate Colbert doubles and drives in two runs, giving him 50 RBI for the season.

At 38-17, Milwaukee has a 14-game lead on its closest divison rival (Kansas City). Division hostilities resume with a trip to Oakland.

Game 56: Bill Robinson's error leads to two unearned Oakland runs in the eighth inning; the Zoo gets a brilliant performance from their bullpen and beats Milwaukee in 11 innings, 4-3.

Game 57: Sam McDowell throws seven scoreless innings for Oakland, earning his second win of the season, as the Zoo takes another game from Milwaukee, 3-0.

Game 58: Oakland is proving to be a bit of a thorn in the Riders' side this season. They rally to tie the game off Ramon Hernandez in the ninth and then win it in the 12th, 2-1, once again shutting down an ineffective Milwaukee offense.

Milwaukee heads home to host Kansas City and will be making some lineup changes.

Game 62: Jon Matlack throws a complete game, striking out 13 batters and walking none, as the Riders beat Anaheim 9-2. Nate Colbert, Thurman Munson, and Charlie Spikes, batting 4-5-6 in the order, each drives in two runs.

Game 63: Nate Colbert hits his eighth home run, a two-run shot that breaks a seventh-inning tie, and the Riders beat Anaheim 4-2. Fred Norman gets his ninth win, Ramon Hernandez his 21st save.

Game 64: Anaheim's Don Money hits a home run in the first off Tommy John, one of only four hits for the Angels and the only run they get. It takes the Riders some extra work to bring this game home, however. They don't tie the score until the sixth inning, when John himself drives home a run with a single. The club leaves the bases loaded in that frame, and doesn't score again in regulation. Finally, in the tenth, the first two Riders draw walks. Larry Biittner hits one up the middle that gets through, Thurman Munson scores, and the Riders have a 2-1 lead. Ramon Hernandez allows a one-out single in the bottom half but nothing else and the Riders are back on track with a six-game winning streak.

The club will face NL power San Diego (39-25) next.