Welcome to Saturday Scorecard.

Today's edition is dedicated to the memory of Gilbert B. Laur. "Gil," who spent more than 30 years as an usher in and around the press box at County Stadium and Miller Park, died earlier this month at age 96.

In tribute: Brewers right-hander Braden Looper didn't pitch his best game, but after working seven solid innings and posting a victory over Cincinnati Friday night at Miller Park he received the game ball.

And it meant as much to him as if he'd thrown a no-hitter.

While his teammates fanned out across local shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants and leather Barcaloungers on their day off Thursday, Looper was in Granite, Okla., where he attended the funeral for his 84-year-old grandfather, LaVerne Looper.

"Essentially, he was my father, he was the guy who got me started in baseball," said Looper (5-3), who was headed for a no-decision when Corey Hart smacked a 435-foot solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.

The Brewers, who have been sputtering at the plate, collected three hits in the game, including Hart's homer and a two-run shot by Prince Fielder. Hart, who had been in a deep slump for three weeks, lost his grandmother late in the 2005 and was happy to help lift his teammate's spirits.

"That home run by Corey was a gift," Looper said. "It's special. It's one of the games I'll remember for a long time."

In the hunt: Edgerton native Steve Stricker spent last weekend meeting with friends and fans and playing a fun practice round at Towne Country Club, the course he played as a youngster.

Apparently, the trip home helped.

Stricker dominated the first two rounds of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. Stricker shot 63 in the first two rounds and his 14-under 126 broke the previous 36-hole record by two strokes.

"It was a lot of fun -- again," Stricker said.

Stricker, a soft-spoken player who is universally liked and respected on the Tour, is playing well enough that some experts consider him a candidate to compete for his first major championship very soon.

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