Game 124: Moosehead Paul Splittorff enters the game with a 5-15 record, but that doesn't stop him from shutting down the Riders, and Minnesota takes the opener 4-1.

Game 125: After loading the bases with none out in the bottom of the ninth, Milwaukee gets two RBI groundouts to tie the score, then win it in the 10th on Wayne Nordhagen's single.

Game 126: Milwaukee explodes for 18 hits (16 of them singles) and 16 runs to give Britt Burns his 13th win, 16-3 over Minnesota. Willie Aikens is 4-4 with four RBI and Bill Madlock drives in five.

Cleveland is in town next.

Game 127: Cleveland's Dan Petry throws six shutout innings as the Riders are shut out (predictably) the day after scoring 16 runs. Jon Matlack is not nearly as sharp and the final score is 7-0.

Game 128: Jeffrey Leonard hits his first home run of the season but his teammates leave a bunch of runners on base (Leonard himself strands six in his other four at bats) and the Riders drop an 8-5 decision to Cleveland.

Game 129: Milwaukee is swept as Cleveland pounds a succession of Rider pitchers in a 13-7 beating.

Things don't get any easier as Anaheim is in town next.

Game 130: The freefall continues; Britt Burns can't get out of his own way and falls to 13-11 after allowing five runs in five innings; the Riders lose 8-6.

Game 131: Milwaukee plays Anaheim even for 11 innings, but then Sammy Stewart has to pitch. Anaheim scores five times in the 12th and wins 10-5. Damaso Garcia falls a single short of the cycle.

Game 132: The losing streak reaches six games as the Riders are shut down by Steve McCatty and are blown out, 10-1. Lary Sorensen takes a beating and falls to 5-14 on the season.

We head to New York to face the Mammoths.

Game 133: The Riders steal five bases and break the game open with a three-run ninth, helping Tommy John to his 14th victory, 8-2 over the Mammoths.

Game 134: The Mammoths bounce back to even the series, breaking a 4-4 tie with three in the sixth off Rick Sutcliffe and Sammy Stewart.. there is no scoring after that inning.

Game 135: The Milwaukee offense finds itself again; Hal McRae paces a 16-hit attack with a single, two doubles, and a home run and the Riders roll to a 12-4 win.

Milwaukee heads to Atlanta to face Georgia Force.

Game 136: Hal McRae continues his hot hitting with three hits and three RBI, but the rest of the Rider lineup is basically helpless against Steve Trout, and Georgia Force takes the opener 11-3.

Game 137: Bill Madlock's 8th-inning grand slam is the only thing that makes the final score somewhat respectable as the Force romp, 11-6.

Game 138: Milwaukee survives a blown save by Rich Gossage and salvages the series finale, winning 4-3 on Damaso Garcia's 10th-inning single. Gossage allows a leadoff double in the 10th but retires the next three hitters to finish it off.

Milwaukee hosts the Chicago Goats next.

Game 139: The Goats are extremely rude guests, scoring two in the first and six more in the second on the way to a 15-4 win. Jon Matlack takes another beating.

Game 140: Milwaukee outhits Chicago 13-12 but falls far short in the run column, losing 11-5.

Game 141: Chicago completes a sweep of the Riders, scoring twice in the eighth to tie the score and winning 7-4 with a three-run 12th.

Cincinnati comes to town next.

Game 142: Milwaukee gives up a 3-2 lead in the eighth but ties it in the ninth, then allows two in the top of the 10th. A leadoff walk followed by two singles in the bottom half bring the Riders within a run, but Wayne Nordhagen hits into a double play and Milwaukee is down to their last out. After an intentional walk to Tim Blackwell, Damaso Garcia ties the score with a single. Len Randle follows with a double and the Riders win 6-5.

Game 143: Milwaukee once again sends the game to overtime with a run in the ninth; this time they win in the 13th, scoring on Frank Taveras' single for a 5-4 decision.

Game 144: Lary Sorensen gives the bullpen a much needed rest, throwing seven shutout innings. Willie Aikens blasts a three-run homer in the first and Milwaukee goes on to shut out the Communists 6-0.

It's off to Washington.

Game 145: Milwaukee collects 12 hits but the bottom of the lineup is helpless with runners on base and Tommy John suffers the consequences as Washington squeaks by the Riders, 3-2.

Game 146: Bill Madlock and Jerry Mumphrey hit RBI singles in the top of the 10th and Rich Gossage pitches a scoreless frame for his 39th save as the Riders beat Washington 4-2.

Game 147: Two Milwaukee errors lead to three unearned Commando runs and the Riders drop the rubber match, 8-5. Jon Matlack takes the loss, his 16th of the season.

The Riders head to Philadelphia next.

Game 148: The Athletics might lose 100 games this season but not through any special effort from the Riders, who outhit Philly 10-8 but fall way short on the scoreboard, 5-2. Lary Sorensen gets his 17th loss.

Game 149: Milwaukee builds a 7-0 lead, then staves off a big rally to beat Philadelphia 7-5. Tommy John gets the win, his 15th of the season, and Rich Gossage earns his 40th save.

Game 150: Milwaukee gets 16 hits to support Britt Burns, who improves to 14-11 as the Riders take the A's down, 9-3.

Milwaukee heads to Chicago to face the Goats.

Game 151: Milwaukee drops a 3-2 decision in Chicago and ensures a losing season as their record fals to 69-82.

Game 152: Up 4-2 after six, the Riders allow two in the seventh and then lose it in the ninth when Chicago pinch hitter Bruce Bochte leads off with a home run.

Game 153: Tommy John allows 12 hits in six innings and drops to 15-15 on the season as the Goats sweep Milwaukee with an 8-5 win.

The Riders head to Minnesota to face the Mooseheads, who with 96 losses are the only team in the division looking up at Milwaukee.

Game 154: Britt Burns pitches seven strong innings and Bruce Benedict drives in four runs to pace the Milwaukee offense in an 8-1 win over Minnesota. Burns improves to 15-11.

Game 155: Jon Matlack pitches seven scoreless innings and Bill Madlock drives in four runs; even an implosion by the Rider bullpen can't stop Milwaukee from recording an 8-5 win.

Game 156: Milwaukee gets nine hits, but evenly spaces them for the most part, and Minnesota salvages the finale, 3-1.

Milwaukee will finish the season at home against New York and Anaheim.

Game 157: Milwaukee is outhit 10-5, but put three on the board in the first and watch as Tommy John makes it stand up. John goes seven, Ron Reed and Rich Gossage contribute a scoreless inning each, and the Riders win 4-1.

Game 158: Bill Madlock and Hal McRae each hit home runs to spark a 10-3 Milwaukee win; Britt Burns matches Tommy John with his 16th win of the season.

Game 159: Wayne Nordhagen has four hits, including a home run, and scores the eventual winning run on Hal McRae's seventh-inning single as the Riders sweep New York with a 5-3 decision.

The Riders finish the season with a visit from Anaheim.

Game 160: Anaheim puts their usual hurt on the Riders, chasing Lary Sorensen in the fourth on the way to an 11-1 victory. Sorensen finishes the year at 6-19.

Game 161: Willie Wilson hits two triples and drives in four runs as the Angels put 11 on the board for the second straight game, beating the Riders 11-4. Tommy John allows seven runs (three earned) and finishes with a .500 record at 16-16.

Game 162: Britt Burns finishes a fine rookie campaign with six scoreless innings and the bullpen finishes things off as the Riders end the season with a 2-0 shutout win over Anaheim. Rich Gossage gets his 43rd save; Burns finishes with a 17-11 record.

Contraction has hit the APL again, with four more teams leaving the fold. All players on the contracted rosters will be available as part of the 1981 player draft, and Milwaukee ends up with the fourth pick after all the defections.

In the first round, Milwaukee adds a leadoff hitter for years to come in OF Tim Raines.

Milwaukee goes for pitching in Round 2, taking Mike Witt.

The final two picks address looming gaps in the lineup, with SS Roy Smalley and C Rich Gedman added.

1981 Season Preview

The Riders should be improved from 1980, having upgraded several positions in both the major-league and minor-league portions of the draft, but the fact remains that Milwaukee is one of the weakest returning teams and has the second-lowest payroll at $79.2M. One huge weakness is power, as the Riders look to have only one or two hitters who even reach double digits in home runs this season. A division title is a pipe dream at this point.

Milwaukee is in the AL West with

Chicago Goats (heybatr34) [$89.5M payroll]
Minnesota Mooseheads (CRTYonker) [$80.7M]
San Diego Chickens (gcrawfo) [$102.2M, tops in the league]

Milwaukee starts the season at San Diego.