It could turn out to be a classic. At least regionally, the matchup between the Brewers' Ben Sheets and Chicago Cubs' Kerry Wood includes the elements that make legends.

We saw the first chapter of it this past Tuesday. While more Milwaukee area sports fans were focused on the Bradley Center, where the Bucks battled the Charlotte Hornets in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, a crowd of around 26,000 watched the first matchup between Sheets and Wood at Miller Park.

Sheets won it, but Wood impressed the fans with 12 strikeouts in seven innings and a no-hitter into the fifth inning.

Before his elbow injury, Wood already had reached marquee player status, with his 20-strikeout performance and great rookie season of 1999.

Sheets has all the makings of achieving similar status. He received international exposure by beating Cuba in the Gold Medal game of the Olympics at Sydney.

He earned the admiration of Olympic coach and former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda. Once you do that, you have an unpaid PR man in your corner. Lasorda has been singing Sheets' praise all around the country.

Sheets start with the Brewers was inauspicious, but after a two-game stint in the minors -- so he would not get rusty during a time when the Brewers didn't need a fifth starter - he has won three straight. Sheets will go after his fourth straight this weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Brewers and Cubs look to be developing a true I-94 Rivalry, without some of the bitterness that pervaded the rivalry with the White Sox. Any time Sheets and Wood are matched up face-to-face the rivalry could take on legendary dimensions over the years to come.

The Brewers are on a pace to hit more than 240 homers and break Harvey's Wallbangers' franchise record. They are on track to hit more than 150 at Miller Park.

When Jeromy Burnitz and Devon White hit back-to-back homers Thursday, it marked the fifth time they have done so this season. That matches the full season total for 2000.

"I've said it since the spring," manager Davey Lopes said. "These guys are going to hit home runs, off any pitcher, in any park, at any time. They also will strike out a lot, but they can hit for power."

If you've been out to Miller Park lately, you've seen that the infield turf looks a little like your lawn after a drought in August. Because the turf has to be put in during a cold March, it never properly rooted. A heavy early season schedule stressed it out pretty badly.

So, it will be replaced, likely when the Brewers go on the road next week. The outfield turf also might be replaced in the future. It has not yet been determined if the Brewers or the baseball district will pay for the new grass.

Lopes and GM Dean Taylor will face some interesting decisions next week when Mark Loretta and Geoff Jenkins should return from the disabled list. Who will go to the bench? Who might be sent to the minors? Could anybody be traded? See more on this in Monday's column in The Brew Crew Review.

Former Brewer Jim Gantner and his wife, Sue, have opened a great coffee house in the Green Leaves Center in Hartland. I'll be out there signing copies of "Down in the Valley: The History of Milwaukee County Stadium" and "The Making of Miller Park" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Benning's Books, right next store to the coffee house.

Gumby will be doing some tailgate-style grilling on the deck outside the two shops. Join us for a brat, get your books signed and talk a little ball. The Brewers play at 6 that night, so you could spend the day with baseball.

Jeromy Burnitz earns this honor with a career-high three homers - one a 450-foot shot - in Thursday's win over the Cubs. Burnitz has 20 lifetime homers against the Cubs, more than he has against any other team.

His tape measure homer took one bounce off the concrete in right field and bounced through an open panel and out of the ballpark.

"That one felt a lot different than the first one, which I didn't hit that well (375 feet)," Burnitz said. "The second one I crushed. I can't hit a ball any better than that.

"I have no idea why I've had success against the Cubs. The wind blows out at Wrigley a lot so I've had some there. Most guys have a team or two they hit better against."

It has to be Jeffrey Hammonds rather unique at-bat and adventure on the basepaths Tuesday night. Hammonds reached first after he swung at a bad third pitch for strike three.

Chicago catcher Todd Hundley couldn't handle the pitch, allowing Hammonds to run to first. Then, when Hammonds tried to steal second, Hundley's throw looked like one of my low slices on the golf course. It sailed into right center, and the hustling Hammonds came all the way around to score.

The Brewers dropped games to the Cubs on Monday and Wednesday nights, but won on Tuesday and Thursday. Paul Rigdon was not as sharp as he had been, as the Brewers lost, 7-6, on Monday night. Rondell White's two-run single in the eighth provided the winning hit.

Sheets came back with his win Tuesday. Richie Sexson returned from missing a game with a bruised knee to homer.

Sammy Sosa and Matt Stairs homered off Milwaukee starter Jamey Wright to power the Cubs to a 6-3 win on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Burnitz hit his three homers and Allen Levrault earned his first major league win in a 11-1 decision over the Cubs. Devon White also had his ninth career grand slam homer. Sosa hit a 420-foot homer for the Cubs.

The Brewers beat Julian Tavarez, the head case who has taken up residence in Chicago after pitching in Cleveland and other assorted places.

The Pirates come to town for a four-game series that ends with a rare Monday day game. Jimmy Haynes, Rigdon, Sheets and Wright will start for the Brewers. The Pirates come to town in last place in the NL Central. Brief summaries of all Brewers' home games can be found on the Brew Crew Review message board on this site.