THE SIDELINES : Brewers’ Gantner to Have Surgery

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers said today that second baseman Jim Gantner will undergo surgery to repair severe damage to a ligament in his left knee suffered in a play at second Tuesday night.

The surgery on the medial collateral ligament was to be done this afternoon by team physician Dr. Paul Jacobs.

Known for his quick pivots at second base where he was unyielding in the face of hard-charging baserunners, Gantner had been producing at the plate as well. He batted .330 since the All-Star break to raise his average to .274.

But as he took a low throw from shortstop Billy Spiers on a potential double-play grounder in the seventh inning Tuesday night, Gantner was roll-blocked by the New York Yankees’ Marcus Lawton. Umpire Dave Phillips called an automatic double play because of Lawton’s interference.

Second baseman Billy Bates has been called up by the Brewers from their Denver farm club.