Bosox Club Yanks to sweep series at Fenway

Game 1 Red Sox 2 Yankees 1

Game 1 of the series between the two arch rivals was a pitching duel between Fritz Peterson and Sid Hudson. The Yankees struck first in the 1st on a rbi single by Bobby Murcer. Little did they know this would be the only scoring for them. In the fourth Dick Gernert hitting .103 would tie it up with a HR to left. The Yanks try to go with Peterson all the way. but leading off the bottom of the ninth Billy Goodman batting .171 parks one in the right field seats to end the game.

 

Game 2 Red Sox 11 Yankees 7

Enough of the pitching crap like game 1, game two was batting practice for the hitters, as the two teams combined for 34 hits. Throw in a few walks and an error and the fans got to see lots of action. As in game 1, the Yanks scored first and were cruising along with a 6-1 lead after three innings. After a leadoff HR by Vollmer and a 6-2 lead the Yanks were almost through the inning. But Billy Goodman comes through again this time with a two out bases load hit. Scoring two runs. Hoot Evers follows up with a double off the green monster and after four innings it all tied at six. The Red Sox would go on to score another 5 runs during the next 4 innings totally demoralizing the Yanks. Bahnsen who started for the Yanks gave up 16 hits in 6.2 innings. For Boston Ike Delock who came in for middle relief, picked up the win while Ellis Kinder earned a save.

 

Game 3 Red Sox 9 Yankees 8

The Red Sox further embarrass their rivals with an 18 hit clubbing in the final game of the series. Just to make the loss sting even more they spot the Yanks to a 7-2 lead after 6and 1/2 innings of play. The game MVP Clyde Vollmer knocks in 2 for Boston in the 7^th with a triple for his fourth hit of the day. With Kline for the Yanks in trouble in the 8^th Gary Waslewski comes in to try to save the game for the Yankees and promptly allows 3 runs enough for Boston to tie the game. The Yankees take the lead in the top of the 10^th on a Ron Swoboda HR. Now its Jack Aker with a chance to save the game for the Yanks, but he can’t. Boston scores the final run of the game on the squeeze play with hoot Evers Scoring.

--submitted by Joe Mach--

Redbirds take 2 of 3 from Bucs @ 3 Rivers

Game One in Pittsburgh; St. Louis 1, Pittsburgh 5

The 1956 St. Louis Cardinals moved ahead in time 31 years to what was a futuristic setting for them. Having been accustomed to playing the Pirates at venerable Forbes Field, the Redbirds were amazed at the expansive enclosed ball park called Three Rivers Stadium that now housed the black and gold Corsairs. But what the players were really curious to see was the playing surface, a sort of plastic grass called “Astroturf”.  The Cardinals had heard stories from some of the other teams regarding this new playing surface used in both Montreal and Pittsburgh, but this was their first chance to check it out first hand. As a result, manager Bike Mike had the club take some early infield practice so the infielders could test out the hops and speed of balls hit on the ground. “This stuff feels like I’m playing ball in my living room”, Stan Musial commented. “I like the true hops”, shortstop Alvin Dark chimed in, “but you really need to be ready as that ball is on you almost as soon as it leaves the bat.”

Musial seemed especially reluctant to playing first base against lefthanded hitters, so manager Bike Mike only played Stan at first when lefty Vinegar Bend Mizell started the opener. Musial was returned to the outfield in games two and three, with righties starting.

On to the game. The aforementioned Mizell continued to pitch very well for the Cardinals, keeping the Bucs hitless through the first five innings. Pirate starter Mike Dunne was almost as good, surrendering Rip Repulski’s first home run of the year in the fourth for the only run of the game.

Bobby Bonilla broke up Mizell’s no-no with a single in the sixth, but the Pirates didn’t score so it remained 1-0 St. Louis. Dunne pitched around a Bill Virdon double in the 7^th, and the home club came to bat in the last half needing some offense. Mizell lended a helping hand, walking lead off hitter Jim “Strange Days” Morrison, one of six free passes the lefthander would give up, and then a slender young pedigree named Barry Bonds tripled home Morrison. After a strikeout and intentional walk, pinch-hitter Darnell Coles got Bonds home on a sac fly to delight the home crowd with a 2-1 lead.

Don Robinson came on in the 8^th and set the Redbirds down in order. The Pirates then put the game essentially out of reach by plating three more runs in the bottom half, Junior Ortiz’ two run shot the big blow. Robinson then finished off the Cardinals in the 9^th, and the two clubs ended the day tied in the NL East at 6 up and 4 down for the season.

Game Two in Pittsburgh, St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 0

With their Astroturf jitters behind them, Musial being a possible exception, the Cardinals felt much more relaxed heading in to game two. Ken Boyer committed the only Cardinal error in the opener. But they felt they could handle most anything hit their way. Manager Bike Mike put veteran Whitey Lockman at first base in game two, shifting The Man to right field where he would hopefully relax and start to hit a little. His .275 might be okay for the average ballplayer, but it’s a downright slump for Musial.

Meanwhile the Pirates were anxious to face a righthander, as they wanted to get their potent left-hand hitting bats into the game. Tom Poholsky took the mound for the visitors, while the locals countered with former Yankee farmhand and Colorado school boy standout Brian Fisher.

The Cardinals notched a quick run on a leadoff single by Don Blasingame, a hit-and-run single by Al Dark, and Musial’s fly to deep center playing the Blazer. Stan just missed the pitch, or else he would have had a three run homer, or at least an extra base hit.

There was no further scoring until the fifth, when Poholsky singled for his first hit of the season, and the suddenly hot Blasingame tripled him home. The Blazer then scooted home when Fisher uncorked a wild pitch, trying to get Dark to bite on a breaking ball in the dirt.  Poholsky was strong, and sailed through the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, with his mates plating one more to make it 4-0.

He labored a bit in the 8^th and 9^th, surrendering a double and a single, but managed to finish off the shutout in impressive fashion, giving up six hits and only one walk, while striking out three. The shutout made the righthander 2-0 on the season, and lowered Poholsky’s ERA to 1.93 on the season.

Game Three in Pittsburgh; St. Louis 6, Pittsburgh 4

The two clubs squared off in game three to see who would take the series, in what turned out to be the best of the three contests. The gray uniformed Cardinals sent little Murry Dickson to the hill while the Pirates countered with Doug Drabek. The Pirates broke the seal on the scoring plating solo runs in the second and third innings, as Dickson struggled with his command.

Ken Boyer lead off the Cardinal fifth with his third home run of the year, slicing the lead in half. It did not take long for the lead to melt away completely, as Rip Repulski followed Boyer with his second home run of the series. But the Cardinals weren’t done, as Whitey Lockman reached on an error, and scored on a double by catcher Hal Smith. Smith then scored when Dickson singled. Suddenly the Cardinals had turned around the Pirate two run lead with a two run lead of their own, 4-2.

But just like the Cardinals, the Pirates struck back quick in the bottom half. Drabek was lifted for pinch-hitter John Cangelosi, who promptly singled. Andy Van Slyke then knotted the score with a long two run bomb into the seats in right. The Pirates got a walk and another single in the inning off of the struggling Dickson, but lost a man at the plate to avoid taking the lead.

After a scoreless sixth, manager Bike Mike went with lefthander Jackie Collum to replace the tiring Dickson, hoping he could tame the Pirates lefthanded batters. Meanwhile the Cardinals regained their two run lead, notching a pair of seventh inning runs on singles by Smith, Red Schoendeinst, and a double by Al Dark.

Collum surrendered a lead off single to Ortiz in the seventh, but then set down six in a row, setting the stage for the ninth. Don Robinson set the Cardinals down in order in the top half, striking out the last two.

Rookie Larry Jackson came on for St. Louis, and the kid was calm pitching around a one out single to notch his third save of the season. He looks like the kind of hurler who will be a top of the rotation starter before too long, but for now Jackson has been used out of the bullpen.

The Pirates have some young talent of their own, as Andy Van Slyke is off to a terrific start while Bobby Bonds’ son Barry looks like he has a bright future. The younger Bonds is a lot like his dad with great speed and good power. He could be a perennial 30/30 guy someday, perhaps even hitting as many as 40 homers once he matures a little and gets stronger.

St. Louis returns home to face the 1983 Montreal Expos in their next series, while the Pirates remain in Pittsburgh for two against the Boston Braves, before traveling to Beantown to close out the series.

--submitted by Michael “Bike Mike” Roberts--

‘75 GIANTS SWEEP 3 FROM PADRES

GAME 1 - Giants 5, Padres 4
The Giants and Padres went back and forth with each other until Gary Matthews' two-out, walk-off RBI single lifted San Francisco to its third consecutive win. Losing pitcher Rich Rodriguez walked two batters in the ninth after two were out. Matthews then ripped a belt-high fastball past the diving Tim Tuefel, sending San Diego to its fifth defeat in six games.

Neither starting pitcher fared well but did keep their teams in the game. San Diego's Frank Seminara took a 4-3 lead to the sixth before Gary Thomasson's pinch-hit homer tied the game. Seminara left after seven innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs. Giants starter Mike Caldwell allowed four runs and six hits in six innings of work but could not hold le ads of 2-0 and 3-2.

The Giants opened the scoring with a pair of runs with four singles in the first. San Diego answered back quickly, tying the game on Darrin Jackson's two-run HR in the second. San Francisco went ahead 3-2 in the fifth as Derrell Thomas walked, stole second and later scored on Willie Montanez' sacrifice fly. San Diego again fired back fast in the sixth on doubles by Gary Sheffield and Fred McGriff followed by Jackson's RBI triple. The loaded the bases with  one out but were foiled when Caldwell induced a 6-4-3 double play from Jerald Clark.

Matthews finished with three hits in San Francisco's 11-hit attack. Montanez and Chris Speier added two hits apiece. Jackson continued his tear against KOD pitching, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. The SD centerfielder (homer, double triple) needed just a single for the cycle. Charlie Williams provided three innings of yeoman work in relief, throwing 59 pitches to gain his first win of the season.

GAME 2 - Giants 4, Padres 3
Another ninth-inning come-from-behind victory for the Giants, this one a bit more dramatic.

Trailing 3-0 and facing Nasty Boy Randy Myers, the Giants show no mercy for the struggling Padre closer. Myers retired
two of the first three hitters he faced in the ninth but couldn't retire another batter after that. Three singles, two walks and a wild pitch later, San Francisco celebrated another walkoff victory after Jack Clark's bases-loaded single ended the game. Myers was tagged with the loss and his second blown save, allowing four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning as his ERA ballooned to 12.27.

This after starting pitcher Craig Lefferts and reliever Mike Maddux set-up San Diego perfectly for the win with eight scoreless innings of work. The Padre duo silenced SF on two singles and didn't allow a walk. The Padres eeked out a run in the third off Giants starter John Montefusco with a pair of walks. In the eighth, San Diego made it 3-0 as Fred McGriff and and Darrin Jackson walloped back-to-back homers. Outside of that, Montefusco was on his game, finishing with 5 Ks and permitting just six hits in eight innings, easily his best effort of the season. Winning pitcher Dave Heaverlo (2-0) was the beneficiary of San Francisco's last-inning heroics after hurling a scoreless ninth.

GAME 3 - Giants 5, Padres 2
Jim Barr goes the distance, allowing seven hits and two unearned runs as the Giants move to 7-5 for the season. San Francisco broke a 1-1 tie with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Giants added two more in the seventh, more than enough for Barr, who could have had a shutout if not for a passed ball and error, which led to the Padres only runs. Derrell Thomas delivered three hits for the Giants, including a first-inning triple to help SF take a 1-0 lead. Padre starter Andy Benes suffered his second loss, allowing 8 hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings.
The Giants banged out 10 more hits, raising their team batting average to .279, second-best in the National league. The Padres, who fell to 2-10, have a team ERA of 2.80 but are dead last in batting at .227 and have a 1-6
mark in one-run games

--Submitted by Ron Leone--

Redlegs sweep Anemic Amazin’s

8/24 - 8/27 - Shea Stadium - Flushing, NY
GAME 1 - Reds 3, Mets 1
  It would be safe to say that Dave "Kong" Kingman is in the lineup purely for the long balls that he can send into the stratosphere, so when he makes a huge error in the 3rd that leads to 2 unearned runs nobody can blame him...right ?  With the Met offense practically non-existent these days (have we heard that line before ?) Jerry Koosman was tasked with being virtually perfect.  Kooz, who's record is 0-2 with a 1.90 ERA just can't catch a break whatsoever.  After Kong misplayed light hitting Roy McMillan's fly ball in left, Cincy starter Bob Purkey bunted the diminutive shortstop over to 2nd.  Johnny Temple grounded out weakly to short, for what should have been the 3rd out of the inning.  With added life the Redlegs sent Don Hoak to the plate and Hoak launched Koosman's 2-2 offering into the visitor's bullpen in left to make it 2-0.  If you were a Met fan watching the game on WOR-TV 9 you could have shut your sets right there and gone on to more productive if not mundane tasks.  The Mets just can't score runs.  Kooz and Purkey would duel the rest of the way until Cincy added a key insurance run in the 9th when Roy McMillian struck again.  This time McMillian doubled home Smoky Burgess to make it 3-0.  The Mets managed to scratch out a run in their final at bat when "Steady Eddie" Kranepool singled home Wayne Garrett.  Alas, it was much too little and way too late to mean anything.

GAME 2 - Reds 3, Mets 2
New York actually had a 2-1 lead after 4 innings in this one, but Jon Matlack could not bear the pressure of having to be perfect and the Reds scored 2 an won.  Matlack's record fell to 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA.  His opposing number, Don Newcombe (2-30, 1.50) had an easier time of it facing New York's anemic offense, which features 4  of their first 5 batters hitting below the Mendoza line.  Kingman hit a solo shot in the 4th in  a losing effort.  Cincy scored solo runs in 3 consecutive innings (4-6).  Newcombe only needed 87 pitches to disperse of the Amazin's.  Red catcher Ed Bailey went 2 for 3 on an afternoon where his team banged out 10 hits.

8/28 - Crosley Field - Cincinnati, OH
GAME 3 - Reds 7, Mets 4
Good News for New York !  They scored 4 runs.  Bad News for New York, they had Randy Tate on the mound and he and reliever Bob Apodaca yielded 7.  Why can't the Mets score when their big 3 (Seaver, Kooz & Matlack) are on the hill ?  Why do the supply the much needed offensive support to a pitcher who should be toiling in Tidewater, not Flushing is on the hill ?  These questions are hard to answer and they frustrate those who root for this team as well as the man (Andy Weinrib) who manages it.  Cincy got workmanlike effort out of Harvey Haddix (2-1, 1.82).  Haddix got 26 outs and gave up 3 earned runs over his tenure.  Schmidt came on to get the final out in the 9th where John Stearns represented the tying run at the plate.  The "Dude" didn't come through as he flew out to Vada Pinson in shallow right to end it.  Felix Millan went 3 for 4 for the Flushing 9, but the real hitting star was Jerry Lynch (4-5 with 2 RBI).  Gus Bell was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI as Cincy closed out the sweep of the fast fading flushing 9.

Expos take 2 of 3 from Cubbies @ Wrigley

8/24 - 8/26 - Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
GAME 1 - Cubs 5, Expos 3
Montreal came roaring out of the gate with 3 quick runs and the focus to beat up on an aged Kenny Holtzman.  The Rock, Tim Raines led the game off with a homer and The Hawk, Andre Dawson hit a 2 run shot in the 3rd, but that was it for the 'Spos.  Holtzman was able to turn the clock back a decade and pitch like it was the summer of '69, not '79.  Dave Kingman hit a mammoth shot off of Expo starter Bill Gullickson to make it 3-1.  The following inning the Cubbies unloaded on Gullickson to the tune of 4 runs and never looked back.  Tim Wallach and his 2 errors were equally to blame along with Gullickson's pitch selection.  Nothing the Cubs hit that inning was soft.  Ivan DeJesus had a huge bases clearing triple.  He later scored on Wallach's second error.  Holtzman posted goose eggs the rest of the way, until he gave way to Bruce Sutter who closed out the 9th for his second save of the campaign.

GAME 2 - Expos 5, Cubs 4
Great matchup between Steve Rogers (1-2, 2.97) and Lynn McGlothen.  Both teams exchanged solo runs in the 2nd.  Montreal got theirs via a leadoff homer by yesterday's goat, Tim Wallach.  The Cubbies played small ball and got a sac fly from their pitcher.  Both pitchers would not allow another run until the 7th.  Gary Carter led off the top of the inning with a double.  He moved over to third on a ground out by Warren Cromartie.  Doug Flynn caught the defense napping an laid down a perfect Sac bunt to score Carter to make it 2-1 'Spos.  Rogers got 2 quick outs in the bottom of the inning, but yielded a seemingly harmless single to Steve Ontiveros.  That single was harmless until pinch hitter Bobby Murcer parked on into the bleachers to make it 3-2.  Chicago's lead would not last long as Cromartie singled home Andre Dawson to re-tie the game.  Bruce Sutter was on board and his splitter just wasn't fooling anyone.  He did manage to get the first 2 outs in the 9th, but Tim Raines singled and promptly stole both 2nd and 3rd before Brian Little walked.  Al Oliver  fought back from an 0-2 count to single home Raines.  Dawson did the same to knock in Little and give Montreal a 5-3 lead.  With closer Jeff Reardon ready to go Steve Rogers surprisingly came out to start the 9th. With 1 out pinch hitter Larry Biittner tripled off the ivy and scored on Ivan DeJesus' ground out to short.  With Bill Buckner on deck Rogers knew that Steve Dillard was the last batter he was going to face.  Rogers reared back and found some octane left in his empty tank to fan Dillard for the complete game victory.

GAME 3 - Expos 3, Cubs 0
The operative word here is 3.  It was the 3rd game of the series...The Expos needed 3 pitchers to get the shutout and it took 3 runs to give those pitchers a sense of security...oh and he hitting star of the game, Terry Francona went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's.  The power of 3's was the theme of the day.  It would have all tied in neatly if they scored those runs in the 3rd inning, but this isn't Hollywood.  Montreal score 2 in the 2nd inning when Carter led off with a single and Francona, making a rare start in right, homered to right off of Cub starter Mike Krukow.  Expo  starter Charlie Lea was cruising until his shoulder went on him in the 3rd inning (3 again).  He was immediately removed from the game and sent home to Montreal for further examination.  Ray Burris was the star of the game going the next 5 2/3 innings and fanning 5 and not allowing a run until he gave way to Reardon who got the final out.

Tribe sweeps Blue Jays to move to 12-2

8/24 - 8/26 - Cleveland Municipal Stadium
GAME 1 - Indians 10, Blue Jays 2
Jim "Mudcat" Grant (1-1, 2.86) went 8 solid innings (2ER) and easily notched the victory as errors and poor pitching did in the Blue Jays Pete Walker (7R/4ER - 4IP).  The Indians had 3 run innings in both the 1st and 3rd to put the game out of reach.  Toronto's offense just couldn't negotiate that huge cavern nicknamed the "mistake by the lake".  Preston Ward went 3 for 5 with his 2nd homer of the season.  Larry Doby had 3 RBI and hit his 4th round tripper.

GAME 2 - Indians 3, Blue Jays 2
This time rain and lack of offense did in Toronto.  They Blue Jays got good pitching, but the Indians got better pitching.  Ray Narleski had a 3 hit shutout going, but tired due to the rain delay.  Don Mossi notched the rare 3 inning save, but did make it interesting by giving up 2 runs in the top of the 8th to cut Cleveland's lead to 1.  Minnie Minoso went 2 for 3 and had an RBI.  Vernon Wells hit the 2 run shot in the 8th to make the game really close.

GAME 3 - Indians 6, Blue Jays 1
Gary "Ding Dong" Bell went the distance and allowed only 1 run on 4 hits while fanning 8.  Toronto once again lacked offense and pitching.  Rocky Colavito went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI to increase his season average to .458.  Vic Power also went 3-4 and boosted his average to .333.  The top 4 guys in Cleveland's batting order are hitting over .325.  Preston Ward sits at an unbelievable .538.  Good pitching + Good hitting = Cleveland's 10-2 start and first place standing.

Chisox sweep punchless A’s @ Comiskey

8/24 - 8/26 - Comiskey Park - Chicago, IL
GAME 1 - White Sox 9, A's 4
Jim Nash (0-3, 8.22) continued his dreadful season by getting shellacked by the normally light hitting Southsiders (13 hits, 8R/5ER, 6 IP).  After Ken Henderson lifted a fly a sac fly to center to score Pat Kelly in the first it looked like Nash might settle in and find what he had been missing all year.  That illusion was put to rest when he gave up 4 runs in the 5th and got chased after yielding 3 more in the 6th and 1 more in the 7th.  Nash was serving up hits like a waiter at the Sizzler serves up drink refills.  While Nash was being generous, Stan Bahnsen (1-1, 8.10) wasn't exactly posting a Cy Young like performance (7IP / 4R), but it was good enough to get the job done.  Bill Melton hit his 3rd homer of the season and Dick Allen went 3 for 4 to boost his season average to .200.  In a losing cause Reggie Jackson went 3 for 4 as his average jumped to .475.

GAME 2 - White Sox 2, A's 0
Jim "Kitty" Kaat went the distance, scattered 7 hits and just about had his way with the fading A's.  John "Blue Moon" Odom (2-1, 4.18) went the distance as well, but needed to be perfect as he had no offensive support.  All of the offense occurred in the 3rd inning when the Pale Hose plated 2 in a rally that started with 2 out.  After Carlos May lined back to Odom and Bucky Dent grounded out to short, Pat Kelly and Tony Muser singled.  A wild pitch scored Kelly and advanced Muser to second.  Ken Henderson singled to center to score Muser and give Kaat all the runs he would need to work with.

GAME 3 - White Sox 4, A's 2
Knuckleballer Wilber Wood (2-2, 3.45) baffled the A's all day en route to a complete game victory.  Catfish Hunter started slow and righted the ship, but the 3-0 lead that he spotted Chicago was way too much for his team's meager offense to overcome.  Chicago's lefty hitting backstop, Ed Herrmann, was the hitting star of the game.  Herrmann had 3 of Chicago's 7 hits, which included a 2 run homer in the bottom of the second with one out.

INJURY -  Oakland catcher Dave Duncan sustained a season ending injury in the opener when a Ken Henderson foul tip broke his throwing hand.  Jim Pagliaroni will assume the duties as the starter with Phil Roof or Rene Lachemann being called up as backups.

Week #3 – TWIB Notes

8/20

- Al Kaline, Harvey Kuenn & Red Wilson combined for 4 hits each vs the Toronto Blue Jays

- 4 hits Walker Cooper (vs SF) & Derrell Thomas (vs BSN)

- Charlie Lea (MON) tosses a 6 hit shutout vs NYM

 

8/21

- Rocky Colavito hit 3 HR’s vs BOS in a losing effort &  Mickey McDermott fanned 13 Indians, but gave up 7 runs.  Bos 9, Cle 8

- Bobby Murcer (2HR) for SF vs BSN.

- Ron Fairly (2HR) for LAD vs STL

- Bobby Murcer (CUB) 4 hits vs PIT

- Frank Howard (LAD) took the “Golden Sombrero” vs STL.

- Catfish Hunter tossed a 1-0, 4 hit shutout of the Angels.

 

8/22

- Andrew Dawson (2HR) vs NYM

- Reggie Jackson hit 2HR’s & had 4 hits vs ANA

- Tony Fernandez had 4 hits vs CIN

- Lindy McDaniel tossed a 5 hitter vs LAD

That's all for now folks! See you next week on This Week In Baseball - “Mel Allen”