1970 Season Preview:

Game 1: The 1970 season begins at home, as we host Minnesota, now under new ownership. Milwaukee gets an encouraging performance from Tommy John, who allows only one run in 6.2 innings, and they jump on Mickey Lolich early, scoring four in the third. Terry Harmon starts the inning with a triple and scores on Al Ferrara's single. Tommy John drives in the final run of the inning with one of his three hits. Milwaukee eventually takes a 9-0 lead but almost gives it all back as Fred Norman and John Strohmayer struggle in their Milwaukee debuts. Dave Laroche and Darold Knowles finally quell the uprising and the Riders win, 9-7.

Game 2: AAA pitcher Brandon Rometti gets his first start, and lasts only three innings (6 hits, no walks, three runs). Jack Heidemann hits a home run for Milwaukee, who takes a 4-3 lead into the ninth, but the Mooseheads score three in that frame to take the lead back. Richie Hebner scores on a passed ball in the bottom of the ninth but the rally ends there and Minnesota wins 6-5.

Game 3: Terry Crowley has three hits and a walk in his first start, and Danny Coombs throws seven strong innings as the Riders win the rubber match, 4-1. Darold Knowles picks up his second save.

Our first road trip of the year takes us to Cleveland to face the Flames.

Game 4: Larry Hisle and Nate Colbert each go yard for the first time this season and the Riders get a strong performance from the bullpen in a 5-3 win at Cleveland. Four relievers combine for five innings with only one run allowed; Ted Abernathy throws the ninth and gets his first save.

Game 5: Ron Reed throws seven strong innings, walking none, and the Riders make the most of their eight singles to win the game, 4-3. Gary Wagner gets the last out for his first save; he's the third Rider to record a save this season.

Game 6: As encouraging as Tommy John's Opening Day start was, this one was disastrous. Cleveland scores nine runs in the fourth on the way to an 18-0 win. Milwaukee manages only seven hits and strikes out 10 times.

Unsure what to expect, we return home to face the 5-1 White Sox.

Game 7: Brandon Rometti gets no help from his defense, which commits three errors, and allows seven runs (four unearned) in 4.2 innings. The White Sox score at least once in each inning from the second through the seventh. This negates an unusual powerful attack from the Riders, who pound out 15 hits, and Chicago wins 11-9. Nate Colbert is 3-3 with a three-run homer.

Game 8: The Riders drop back to .500 after an 11-0 blowout loss. It was a close game until the sixth, when Chicago exploded for nine runs, getting six of them on two homers by Bill Melton. An error by Richie Hebner doesn't help matters any, and five runs score after two were out.

Game 9: Swept! Chicago puts 11 on the board for the third consecutive game, beating Milwaukee 11-6. Bill Zepp allows five in the first, and the White Sox hit three homers. Richie Hebner hits two triples for the Riders.

Our final warmup before divisional play will come at Boston (5-4).

Game 10: Ron Reed allows 12 hits in only four innings of work, and the Stranglers make short work of the Riders, 7-2. Milwaukee has nine hits, all singles.

Game 11: Milwaukee finally ends their skid, getting a grand slam from AAA 3B Ethan Natz to highlight a seven-run seventh inning that boosts the Riders to a 10-8 win. Ted Abernathy gets the win despite allowing three runs in 1.1 innings of relief, while John Strohmayer becomes the fourth Rider to record a save. Nate Colbert drives home three to reach 10 for the season.

Game 12: The general trend of poor pitching continues, as the Stranglers rattle nine extra base hits (out of 17) into the far reaches of Fenway on the way to a 14-1 win over Brandon Rometti. Al Ferrara's solo home run accounts for Milwaukee's only run.

Divisional play begins against Kansas City, one game ahead of us at 6-6.

Game 17: Darold Knowles suffers his first blown save, surrendering three runs in the top of the eighth, but the Riders rally for five in the bottom half and hold on for an 8-5 win over Anaheim. Ethan Natz has four RBI and Eddie Leon scores three. John Strohmayer gets the win after finishing the eighth in relief of Knowles.

Game 18: Anaheim blows us out of the park, 17-2. We manage only four singles, and the bullpen takes a beating.

Game 19: Bill Zepp allows nine runs in the first two innings, raising his ERA to 14.06, as Hells Angels destroy us again, 20-1. Bullpen is in pretty bad shape at this point.

Game 20: Milwaukee holds Anaheim to single digits in this one, but still can't generate any offense, falling 6-1 and giving Chris Short his first win of the season.

Our first interleague series feature New York and Atlanta before we face Oakland to wrap up the first round of divisonal play.

Game 21: Milwaukee ends its skid behind Tommy John, who throws seven shutout innings in a 5-0 win. AAA catcher Noah Dorgan hits a two-run double in his first start.

Game 22: Brandon Rometti walks seven in 4.2 innings, and reliever John Strohmayer is rocked for four runs in his brief stint. Milwaukee collects 11 hits but can't match the Brakers' firepower in this one. New York evens things up with a 10-6 win.

Game 23: Noah Dorgan hits a two-run triple in this one, one of three triples by the Riders as they defeat Georgia Force, 8-5. Eddie Leon has three hits and Nate Colbert drives home two runs, giving him 15 for the season.

Game 24: Bill Zepp takes another beating as the Georgia Force wins the second game 14-7. Milwaukee has 12 hits but most come in a meaningless 6-run ninth inning. Eddie Leon hits his first home run of the season.