Game 25: Don Sutton and Stan Bahnsen combine to shut out the Riders 7-0. Doug Rader reaches base four times for the Sunsets and hits his first home run of the season.

Game 26: Rich Gossage blows his first save of the season, allowing two runs in the ninth (one on a passed ball, but Gossage started the inning by allowing two hits and a walk to the first three batters). With the score tied at four, Dave Campbell gets the final out of the ninth; Rollie Fingers mows through three Rider batters in the bottom half. Campbell retires the Sunsets in order in the 10th, and Frank Taveras leads off the bottom half with a single. Taveras steals second and then scores one out later ahead of Joe Rudi's throw home after Bill Madlock's single. Riders win, 5-4.

Game 27: Milwaukee outhits LA 9 to 8 but Doug Rader's 3-run, inside the park home run keys a 5-1 victory for the Sunsets, who go back in front by one game in the division.

Game 28: LA once again makes much better use of their hits, shelling Jon Matlack for seven runs in the second inning and adding on throughout the remainder as they establish division supremacy with a 12-7 victory that gives them a 3-1 advantage in the series. Matlack's ERA climbs above 9.00 and the Riders may need to address this deficiency in their rotation if they hope to compete.

While interleague play returns, a familiar face is up first as the Riders will face old division opponent Oakland, now 16-12, and then the New York Brakers.

Game 29: Lary Sorensen strikes out seven in five 1-hit innings and the Riders beat their old division opponents 11-1 at Oakland Coliseum. Milwaukee hits seven doubles, two by Ted Sizemore.

Game 30: Bill Madlock has three hits and scores three runs, Hal McRae hits a three-run homer, and the Rider bullpen does just enough to hold off a late Zoo rally as Milwaukee win 8-6.

Game 31: AAA prospect Kenneth Jack, catching today to give Thurman Munson some rest, hits a double and home run, driving in six, to spark the Riders to an 11-5 victory over the Brakers. Tommy John struggles through six but gets the win, his fifth of the season.

Game 32: Down 6-2 after seven innings, the Riders rally for five runs over the final two frames to steal a 7-6 win from the Brakers. Len Randle's bases-loaded single wins it in the ninth.

The Riders head to Wrigley Field to face the Goats.

Game 33: The Riders have four players with two hits each and a whole bunch of players with none; Chicago pecks away and pecks away and take a 3-2 series-opening win. Milwaukee wastes a rare good outing from Jon Matlack.

Game 34: Hal McRae is 6-6 and Larry Biittner drives in five runs as the Riders get righteous revenge with a 23-5 blowout at Wrigley. Biittner hits his first home run of the year and Lary Sorensen pitches five scoreless innings for his fifth win. Leadoff man Jerry Mumphrey gets eight at bats and has three hits.

Game 35: Larry Biittner continues his hot hitting with a 4-4 game, including a tie-breaking single in the ninth, and the Rider bullpen rescues Bill Lee as Milwaukee rallies for a 7-6 win over the Goats. Frank Taveras drives home three and Richie Hebner hits a home run. Biittner's day puts his average at .353 for the season.

More interleague play is next as the Riders will face St. Louis and their other former division opponent Kansas City over the next four days.

Game 36: Bob Randall hits his first double of the season and drives home two runs as the Riders defeat the Pi 6-3 at Busch Stadium. Tommy John pitches into the eighth and improves to 6-1.

Game 37: Five different Riders have three hits each (including the red hot Larry Biittner, who hits three doubles) and Milwaukee rolls over St. Louis, 11-3. Bruce Kison goes seven innings and improves to 4-2.

Game 38: Jon Matlack has his second consecutive good start, but the Riders once again do nothing at the plate for him. Milwaukee eventually falls in 11 innings, 3-2, to Kansas City. Dave Laroche takes the loss, giving up a walk and two hits without retiring a batter in the 11th.

Game 39: Milwaukee evens the score with KC, getting seven RBI from Richie Hebner in a 15-5 blowout. Ted Sizemore has four hits, Larry Biittner drives in three, and Lary Sorensen gets his sixth win.

The Riders head to Boston to face the Red Sox.

Game 40: The Riders ambush the Red Sox, putting 10 runs on the board in both the first AND second innings, establishing a new season high for runs scored in a 27-8 rout. Larry Biittner and Frank Taveras each drive in five runs; Ted Sizemore scores five times. Milwaukee collects 28 hits, including three home runs and six doubles.

Game 41: Leadoff man Len Randle has three hits and three runs while Rich Gossage strikes out four in a two-inning stint as the Riders beat Boston 6-4.

Game 42: Milwaukee strands a load of baserunners, Rich Gossage blows a save in the eighth, and the Red Sox salvage the series finale with a 10th inning run that beats the Riders 3-2.

The Riders return home to face the Mammoths of New York.

Game 43: Jerry Mumphrey has three hits and three RBI to pace the Riders as they defeat the Mammoths 9-6; Jon Matlack gets a win in a poor outing (5 ER in 5 IP) after failing to get a decision in several solid performances in the last week. Len Randle and Thurman Munson have three hits each, as well.

Game 44: Thurman Munson hits a two-run home run and Lary Sorensen pitches six shutout innings as Milwaukee takes game 2 of the series, 3-1. Sorensen improves to 7-1 and Rich Gossage earns his 12th save, pitching the final 1.2 innings.

Game 45: Thurman Munson has three hits and three RBI, while Ron Reed pitches three solid innings in relief of Bill Lee as the Riders finish the series with a 7-4 win. Rich Gossage earns another save.

The Riders will remain at home to host Georgia Force of Atlanta.

Game 46: Tommy John throws a complete game and gets just enough support from Hal McRae to pick up a 2-1 victory. McRae doubles home the Riders' first run and later breaks a 1-1 tie with a solo home run. John walks none and strikes out four, improving to 8-1.

Game 47: Up 7-3 after six, the Rider bullpen collapses; Skip Lockwood and Rich Gossage each give up three runs and the Force rally for a 10-8 win, scoring four times in the ninth.

Game 48: Jon Matlack allows only two hits in six innings of work and gets the win as the Riders take the finale, 3-2. Bill Madlock homers for the Riders; Rich Gossage pitches the ninth for the save.

A West Coast interleague set with San Francisco and San Diego is next.

Game 49: Held scoreless for seven innings by Jerry Reuss, the Riders rally for five in the last two innings to take a 5-2 win from San Francisco. Len Randle breaks a 2-2 tie in the ninth with an RBI single, then scores on Jerry Mumphrey's two-run single.

Game 50: By an identical 5-2 score, the visiting team wins again. Frisco's Steve Carlton strikes out only two batters in eight innings but shackles the Rider hitters. Bill Lee suffers the loss for Milwaukee.

Game 51: In a World Series rematch, Tommy John outduels Burt Hooton as the Riders win in Milwaukee, 5-1. Larry Hisle hits his 20th double and steals two bases. John improves to 9-1 with eight strong innings.

Game 52: The Gringos get some revenge on Bruce Kison, chasing him in the second inning after putting six runs on the board, but the Riders battle back. Mike Ivie's two-run double in the seventh puts Milwaukee on top, 9-8. Johnny Bench and John Mayberry hit consecutive home runs to lead off the eighth against Dave Campbell, putting the Gringos back in front. Ivie responds with an RBI single off John Hiller in the ninth, his fifth hit (and fifth RBI) of the game. Little-used prospect Ramon Kramer pitches the ninth for Milwaukee and preserves the tie, sending things to extras. Milwaukee loads the bases with one out in the 10th but Richie Hebner's grounder becomes an inning-ending 4-2-3 double play. Bench and Mayberry are due to lead off the bottom half for San Diego. Kramer gets Bench out on a fly ball... Mayberry homers. Game over, San Diego wins 11-10.

The Riders will host Cleveland next before the second round of divisional play begins.

Game 53: Thurman Munson hits a grand slam and Jon Matlack lowers his ERA to 6.44 as the Riders beat Cleveland 7-3.

Game 54: The 6-9 hitters account for eight of Milwaukee's 13 hits and they score some runs late to beat Cleveland 5-1. Lary Sorensen pitches five innings but Dave Campbell gets the win in relief. Campbell is 6-2 this season.

Game 55: Len Randle has three hits and draws two walks; Hal McRae has three hits and three RBI, including his sixth home run; and the Riders beat JR Richard 11-3. Ron Reed gets the win in relief of Bill Lee.

Milwaukee will host Anaheim to begin the second round of divisional play.

Game 56: Mike Ivie has four hits and four RBI to pace a 20-hit attack as the Riders beat Anaheim 16-9 in a slugfest. Milwaukee settles things with a 10-run seventh. Elias Sosa wins his first decision of the season with a scoreless inning of relief.

Game 57: Bruce Kison pitches eight 3-hit innings and Larry Biittner drives in three as the Riders shut out the Angels, 6-0.

Game 58: Hal McRae hits two homers and Jon Matlack goes seven innings as the Riders sweep Anaheim with a 9-1 decision. Richie Hebner steals his first base of the season.

Minnesota will be in town next.

Game 59: Four Mooshead relievers provide 2.2 innings of scoreless relief and Bert Campaneris hits a key two-run homer in the seventh to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 victory in the series opener. Jim Bibby pitches well for the Mooseheads to earn the win. Lary Sorensen loses for only the second time this season.

Game 60: Willie Stargell hits an RBI grounder in the first and a two-run homer in the sixth to back Minnesota starter Moose Haas, who goes eight innings to even his record at 5-5 with a 4-2 victory over the Riders.

Game 61: Milwaukee narrowly avoids a sweep, getting triples from Mike Ivie and Jerry Mumphrey to back another masterful performance from Tommy John, who wins his 10th game in a 4-2 win.

The Riders head to LA to face the Sunsets.

Game 62: Milwaukee scores eight runs in the first inning, chasing Jim Barr with only one out, and cruises to an 11-0 victory over the Sunsets. Bruce Kison pitches eight shutout innings; Thurman Munson homers and drives home three.

Game 63: The bottom of the Riders lineup paves the way to victory as Frank Taveras drives home four and the 7-8-9 hitters have two hits each; Jon Matlack pitches eight near-brilliant innings (walking none) to lower his ERA below 5.50. He improves to 7-3 as the Riders win 8-1.

Game 64: Milwaukee struggles against Mark Lemongello and the Sunsets rally to tie the game at two off Rich Gossage in the ninth. Milwaukee goes in order in the 10th against Rollie Fingers, and Dave Campbell allows a run in the bottom half on Doug Rader's single. LA avoids the sweep with a 3-2 comeback victory.

The Riders will play two against the NL's Detroit Tigers next.

Game 65: Len Randle drives in three runs from the leadoff spot and Bill Lee makes it through four full innings as the Riders beat the Tigers 9-4. Jerry Mumphrey has three hits and three runs scored; Ron Reed gets the win in relief.

Game 66: The hits are nearly even (13-12) but the runs are nowhere near.. Tommy John limits the damage done by the 11 hits he allows, while his Rider teammates get a number of key hits in a 10-2 win over Detroit. John improves to 11-1; Larry Hisle homers and drives in four.

Milwaukee will host Washington next.

Game 67: Washington commits six errors and the Riders explode for 30 hits in a record-setting 27-0 win over the Commandos. Leadoff man Mike Ivie drives in seven runs as the #9 spot has six hits (Frank Taveras 4-4 and Len Randle 2-2). Thurman Munson has six hits; he and Hal McRae score four each. Munson hits the game's only home run. Bruce Kison goes seven for the win.

Game 68: Tony Armas hits a two-run homer in the fifth, but Richie Hebner answers with a three-run shot in the sixth. Rich Gossage pitches two hitless innings for his 18th save and the Riders win 3-2.

Game 69: Bud Harrelson commits four errors, Richie Hebner drives in four more runs, and Bill Lee gets through the fifth to earn his second victory of the season as the Riders beat the Commandos 11-4 to close out the homestand.

Milwaukee leaves town for a road trip that will take them to Montreal and Cincinnati.

Game 70: Milwaukee has a rare power surge, hitting four home runs, all solo shots, off former Rider Fred Norman. They need every last one of them, too, after Lary Sorensen allows a three-run homer to Steve Garvey. Dave Campbell and Rich Gossage pitch two scoreless innings each to preserve a 4-3 win. Sorensen improves to 8-2.

Game 71: Tommy John allows three home runs and John Montefusco handcuffs the Riders as the Loria Lynchers even the series with a convincing 10-4 win. John falls to 11-2; Bill Madlock hits a too-little, too-late three run homer to make the score a bit more respectable.

Game 72: Montreal hits three homers off Bruce Kison and scores four times in the seventh to cement an 8-6 win over Milwaukee.

The Riders travel to Cincinnati next.