Sunday State Sports Briefs: Game 6 tonight in NLCS and Brewers on the edge

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MILWAUKEE - At this point they’re all “the biggest game of the season” for the Milwaukee Brewers. Backs to the wall, the Brewers come home to host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

One loss ends the season for Milwaukee. Shawn Marcum takes the mound with the pressure on. He will be opposed by St. Louis’ hard-throwing right-hander Edwin Jackson. So far in the series, who starts hasn’t had much impact. An outstanding St. Louis bullpen has held the Brewers in check for 21 and two-thirds innings with a 1.66 earned run average. The Milwaukee faces more pressure than the Cardinals, the series is switching to Miller Park – where the Brewers won a major league-best 57 games during the regular season.

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Former Brewer farmhand Nelson Cruz hit his sixth home run of the American League Championship Series Saturday, leading Texas to its second straight World Series in a 15-5 victory over Detroit. The Rangers took the best-of-seven series four games to two. A nine-run fourth inning for Texas made the outcome apparent early. Cruz also set a post-season record with 13 runs batted in and was selected MVP of the series. Miguel Cabrera had two homers for the Tigers, but they were never in the game after blowing an early 2-0 lead. Michael Young drove in five runs for the Rangers with a pair of doubles and a homer. Texas will play at either Milwaukee or St. Louis Wednesday when the 2011 World Series kicks off.

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With two weeks to prepare for them, the Packers are worrying more than they normally would for a winless St. Louis Rams team. The Rams had their bye week last week. A new offensive system has actually set second-year quarterback Sam Bradford back after an outstanding rookie season. The Rams looked like they were ready to emerge as a power in the weak Western Division of the NFC after missing the playoffs by one-game last season. The absence of left tackle Chad Clifton worries the Packers, who want to make sure All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers is protected. Green Bay should win the game. But, there are enough variables that no one is relaxing coming into today’s contest at Lambeau Field.

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A second straight overtime win gives Michigan Tech a sweep of the weekend series against the Wisconsin Badgers. It's the first home ice sweep for Tech against UW since 1998. The Huskies scored just 20 seconds into the overtime period to take a 3-2 decision. Tech has started its season with four straight victories, while the Badgers have dropped three of four starts. Wisconsin got goals from Keegan Meuer and Tyler Barnes, but still lost in disappointing fashion. The Huskies got off to a strong start last season as well – then won only one of their last 33 games. All three UW losses have come in overtime.

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This time the start of the college basketball season in Madison was more low-key. The University of Wisconsin men's hoops team held their first practice of the season at the Nicholas-Johnson Pavillion yesterday morning. It lasted about two hours, starting with passing and catching drills. UW stressed fundamentals which are always a theme for Bo Ryan-coached teams. Pre-season All-America candidate Jordan Taylor got no special attention.

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SCORES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

--Division III

(CCIW)

Augustana 19, Carthage 13

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(Northern Athletics Conference)

Aurora 33, Maranatha Baptist 14

Benedictine 20, Concordia-Mequon 14

Lakeland 20, Wisconsin Lutheran 7

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(Midwest Conference)

Grinnell 17, Lawrence 15

Ripon 31, Beloit 27

St. Norbert 28, Carroll 7

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(WIAC)

UW-Eau Claire 31, UW-La Crosse 21

UW-Oshkosh 24, UW-Platteville 3

UW-Stevens Point 31, UW-River Falls 10

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AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Milwaukee Admirals 3, Chicago Wolves 2 (SO)

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES

Madison Abundant Life/Madison Country Day 54, Oneida Nation 32

Menominee, Mich. 42, Marinette 7

Oshkosh Valley Christian 34, Stockbridge 0

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