Brewer fans, remember Earl Stephenson? No? Well, current Brewer Chase Anderson matched the 1972 starter for the Brewers when he took the mound last night at Target Field.

Stephenson garnered a 3-5 record, starting 8 games and made 35 appearances during the ’72 season, his only year in Milwaukee. Stephenson actually started the ’72 campaign as a long reliever, but midway though the season when he did get to start, he did it without allowing an earned run in his first two starts. A feat that had not been matched since Chase Anderson this season.

Stephenson’s run began on 6/25/72 when he spread out 6 hits over 7 innings, not allowing a run during the second game of a double header against the Red Sox at County Stadium. In his second start (also in Milwaukee) on 6/29/72, he went 7 and a third innings, allowing 6 hits, and a run, BUT it wasn’t earned due to an error. Stephenson’s streak came to an end in probably his best performance that season on 7/5/72, going 8 and two thirds innings in California against the Angels. He allowed 7 hits in that game, with the earned run coming with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in a  1-0 loss. That’s 23 innings over three games without allowing an earned run.

As far as current starter Chase Anderson, he also went his first two starts in a Brewer uniform ( 11 innings) without allowing an earned run. On 4/8 against Houston he went 5 innings allowing 4 hits, and then on 4/13 in St. Louis he went 6 innings also allowing just 4 hits.

Monday night in Minnesota the streak came to an end in the bottom of the second when Twin’s right fielder Miguel Sano came to the plate and knocked a 3-2 pitch out of the park for a solo home run. Anderson went 12 innings over three games with out surrendering and earned run.

The end result the Brewers dropped the rain shortened game against the Twins 7-4, and fell another game under .500. As far as Anderson’s night he gave up 11 hits in his 5 innings  of work, giving up 5 runs (4 earned) and took the loss. The Crew will try to bounce back this afternoon when 0-3 starter Wily Peralta (10.13 ERA) takes the mound, first pitch is at 12:10 (CST).

My only question is: Why didn’t they play the final innings of the rain out before the game today? They’re in Minnesota not California…and Wednesday’s game is first at 6:30pm (CST). Come on Counsell you have to fight for these things.

(photos courtesy of: sfchronicle, sandiegouniontribune, brewers)