‘87 Friars take 2 of 3 from ‘93 Fish

Game 1 at Florida,

Bret Barberie "Pirates" and veteran Walt Weiss were the hitting stars for the fish today.  Weiss went 3 for 3 and drove in 3 runs while Barberie collected 3 hits as well with 2 RBI.  Both teams were tied at 2 until the fourth inning when Padre starter, Mark Grant run into control issues as he walked 3 batters.  Florida plated 3 runs to take a 5-3 lead...The friars got back in the game on their next at bats when Johnny Kruk smacked his first homerun of the year, good for 3 runs to make the score 5-4 Florida. It would not be enough as the Marlins scored consistently the remainder of the game to take the first game by a score of 10-7. Pat Rapp earned his first victory of the year has Bryan Harvey nailed down his 3rd save.  Padre starter, Mark Grant took the loss as he and Mark Davis were shelled for 9 runs in 7 innings.

Game 2 at Florida,

The swinging friars hammered Hammond in the second game on 9  runs on 14 hits. 14 of the hits included 4 homeruns each hit by Mack, Martinez, Bochy, and Jefferson.  Andy Hawkins threw 6 strong innings for San Diego allowing only 3 runs on 8 hits. Lance McCullers pitched the final 3 innings in relief, striking out 4 batters while only surrendering one single. Lance McCullers earned his third save as Andy Hawkins improves to 2-0. Tony Gwynn banged out 3 hits in 5 at bats to improve his batting average to .472! Padres 9....Marlins 3.

Game 3, at San Diego,

Padre right hander, Jimmy Jones was the story of this game as he pitched 7 strong innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out 4 batters.  Chris Brown connected for a two run homerun in the second to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. Later in that same inning, Flannery walked and went to third when Florida starter, Ryan Bowen started then stopped his delivery for a balk. This mistake proved fatal on the next pitch when Garry Templeton lined a single to plate Flannery to make the score 3-0.  The Marlins would add a couple runs but could not over come stellar Padre pitching.  Mark Davis and Goose Gossage finished the game for San Diego as the Goose earned his 5th save of the season...San Diego 3...Florida 2.

--submitted by Joey Scigliano--

2000 Phils take 2 of 3 from ‘37 Reds

Staff reporter J.Ryan reports from the “the Vet”

Pitching reigned supreme in this 3 game set

‘53 Brownies take 2 of 3 from ‘65 Sahx

Fenway Park was the scene of a couple of wild contests in which the '53 Browns had ninth inning comebacks to snatch a couple of wins away from the home standing Red Sox.

And just like the recently completed MLB ALDS series, the Red Sox won the game played in St. Louis, thus the road team won all three games in this series.

Game One in Boston - Browns 10, Red Sox 9

The Browns travelled from Toronto to Boston to start week 4, yet much of the first game in Boston was similar to the final game north of the border. The Browns coaxed 11 walks in this contest, whereas they had 12 in the final game against the Blue Jays, and came back late to win.

This one featured a lot of scoring, with both teams surrendering big leads. Jim Lonborg took the hill for Boston, facing fellow righty Duane Pillette. After a quiet first 1/3 of the game, which featured only one run, that plated by Lonborg himself who reached on an error and later scored on a Carl Yastrzemski double, the Browns bats came alive. They put three on the board in the fourth, and knocked Big Jim out of the box in the fifth with four more tallies. Light hitting shortstop Billy Hunter was in the middle of both rallies, singling in the 3rd and doubling in the fourth to drive in run in each frame. The 2 RBI tripled Hunter's season RBI total.

The sixth inning was Boston's turn to thrive, as they scored 5 of their own to cut the Browns lead from 7-1 to 7-6, Tony Conigliaro's 3-run homer was the big blow. Venerable Satchel Paige was the victim of most of the damage. Paige stayed around to get battered in the 8th inning as well, giving up three more runs to give the Red Sox a 9-7 lead going into the ninth.

Boston's other Monster, big Dick Radatz, came on in the ninth to finish off the Browns. But Radatz could not control his blazing fastball, as a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. After Moose struck out Don Lenhardt, Billy Hunter was credited with yet another RBI, working Radatz for his third walk of the frame to force in a run. Pinch-hitter Roy Sievers then struck out, before Bobby Young singled to left center to plate the tying and lead runs. Jerry Stephenson replaced Radatz, and appropriately walked Johnny Groth before getting Vic Wertz to fly out to center fielder Jim Gosger to end the disaster.

Bobo Hollomon came on and pitched around a single and a walk of his own to preserve the win. Paige, despite giving up 6 runs in three innings, had the good fortune of getting credited with the win.

Game Two in Boston - Browns 8, Red Sox 7

In a case of deja vu all over again, once again the Red Sox squandered a two-run ninth inning lead, and once again Satchel Paige was the pitcher of record who benefited from the ninth inning 3 run rally.

Lou Kretlow took the mound for St. Louis, making his debut as a starter, facing talented Boston righty Earl Wilson. Kretlow was in trouble during his entire 3.1 inning stint, giving up 9 hits and four runs, all earned.

The Red Sox used 12 hits, at least one by each of the 8 starting position players, to build a 7-5 lead going in to the ninth. The top of the order, Felix Mantilla, Rico Petrocelli and Carl Yastrzemski, combined for 7 of those 12 hits.

With Radatz' problems from the yesterday's game, the Red Sox stuck with Jay Ritchie on the mound in the ninth. Ritchie had taken over for Wilson in the seventh. Once again the base on balls was a key to the Browns rally, as Don Lenhardt pinch hit to start the inning and walked. Bobby Young then hit a ball to Ritchie's right, but in his haste to get Young at first he threw low, pulling Lee Thomas off the bag and getting charged with an error in the process. Johnny Groth then effectively ended the Browns chance at a second straight comeback by grounding into a double play, Lenhardt moving to third. But another walk, this time to Vic Wertz kept the game going. Jerry Stephenson then replaced Ritchie, and Dick Kryhoski greeted him with a double to the alley in right center that plated the tying runs. Clint Courtney then finally got his first RBI of the season, singling in Kryhoski, who scored on a somewhat daring and aggressive wave of the runner by the Browns third base coach. Jim Dyck's fly out ended the inning, but for the second straight day the Browns put a 3-spot up in the ninth inning to erase a 2 run defict.

Marlin Stuart came on and coasted through the ninth, striking out the final two batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.

Game Three in St. Louis - Red Sox 5, Browns 2

In a fairly uneventful contest compared to the first two, Bill Monbouquette pitched 7.2 innings of clutch baseball to best Bob Cain and the Browns 5-2. Monbo allowed 11 hits, struck out only 1 while walking 2, but was tough when he had to be in keeping the Browns from lighting up the scoreboard.

Each team had a dozen hits, with Felix Mantilla, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Malzone and Eddie Bressoud getting two knocks apiece for Boston. Johnny Groth lead the Browns with three hits, and had the game's only home run.

The battered Moose Radatz from game one came on in the eighth and got the final four outs, striking out three and walking only one this time, to earn his fifth save.

--submitted by Bike Mike--

‘80 Cubs take 2 of 3 from ‘92 Dodgers

The 1980 Chicago Cubs and the 1992 Los Angeles Dodgers squared off in a 3 game set. What a series it was, too, as all 3 games were decided by one run.

Game 1 – Dodger Stadium
The Cubs rolled into Chavez Ravine looking to keep pace with the red hot Mets in the National League East. Chicago started Rick Reuschel and Reuschel again amazed both the Dodgers and his manager,Jim Walden, as he won his 3rd game against no losses. LA countered with the "Bulldog", Orel Hershiser. Both pitchers scattered 6 hits, but it was Hershiser who gave up 3 runs to Reuschel's 1 as Los Angeles lost game 1.

LA opened the scoring as Karros doubled to start the 2nd and was singled home by Mike Scioscia. Chicago would counter in the top of the 3rd as Jerry Martin led off the inning with his 3rd HR of the year.Lenny Randle would single and Reuschel would bunt him to second. A right hook into left field by 2nd baseman, Mike Tyson, would score Randle. The Cubs would add another run in the 4th and it would stay that way until the 9th. Dick Tidrow would relieve Reuschel in the 8th and shut out the Dodgers. Bruce Sutter would get the ball to pitch the 9th for Chicago and promptly give up a lead off double to Eric Karros and Mike Sciscia would again single him home. Sutter would  get pinch hitter Mitch Webster to line out to center followed by successive pop ups to Bill Buckner and Chicago walked away with a game 1, 3-2 win.

Game 2 – Dodger Stadium
Dennis Lamp for Chicago and Keven Gross for Los Angeles faced  off against each other. Game 2 was another nail biter as it went down the wire.

Gross kept the Cubs hitters off balance all day as he only gave up 3 hits and 1 run in 8 innings of work. Los Angeles started the scoring as speedy Mike Scioscia smacked a triple into the right filed corner. After a lengthy delay, due to Scioscia spending some time in an iron lung to catch his breath, play resumed and Brett Butler singled home Scioscia. LA would add more in the 6th as 3 singles and a fielder's choice plated 2 runs. Chicago would get a run back in the 7th on a Dave Kingman homerun, his 4th. Eric Karros would get that run back for the Dodgers as he smacked his 3rd home run of the year. With LA holding a 4-1 lead in to the 9th. Bill Buckner led off the inning with a single and Dave Kingman then singled to right. A Lenny Randle a single and a Jay Howell wild pitch would help Chicago close the gap to 4-3, but Jay Howell would close out the game as he got Mike Vail to ground out to 2nd with a runner in scoring position. Howell got his 1st save and Kevin Gross claimed the win.

Game 3 – Wrigley Field
Chicago scored a run in the bottom of the 1st and the score would stay, 1-0 through six innings. The rubber match of the series was in Wrigley as Lynn McGlothen faced John Candiotti. Both pitchers had their best stuff as Candiotti gave up 4 hits and the 1 run through six and McGlothen countered by giving up only 3 hits in 6 innings. A Lenny Harris single and a double by Eric Davis put runners on 2nd and 3rd for LA. Dave Hansen would hit a deep sac fly to right scoring Harris, tying the game. It would stay tied until the bottom of the 9th. Candiotti had given away to Roger McDowell for the Dodgers by the 9th. Jerry Martin led off the 9th for the Cubs and lined into left for a base hit. Tim Blackwell then singled into right, sending Martin to 3rd. With the infield in, Lenny Randle put down a perfect bunt as Martin scooted home from 3rd and the Cubs win with a walk off squeeze.  AMAZING, a walk off squeeze and the Wrigley field faithful were rocking as their beloved Cubs win it, 2-1.

With the win and taking 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers in the series, Chicago pulls even with the Mets in the NL East.

--submitted by Jim Walden--

‘90 Bombers finally get a win & take series from ‘86 M’s

8/26-8/27 - Kingdome
GAME 1 - Mariners 5, Yankees 1
Tim Leary rubbed up a blister on his index finger after facing just 10 batters and was forced to leave the game in the 2nd down 1-0.  Chuck Carry would come on in relief and do an admirable job until that fateful 6th inning where the M's tagged him for 4 runs.  Spike Owen doubled home Dave Henderson, who led off the inning with a walk and was followed by Bob Kearney's 3 run blast.  Mike Moore (1-1, 1.17) was stellar in his 8 innings yielding just 1 unearned run and 7 hits.  Pete Ladd finished it off in a no save situation.

GAME 2 - Yankees 3, Mariners 1
Andy Hawkins (1-1, 1.84) kept the M's in check for 7 innings before giving way to Allan Mills in the 8th.  Mills would hold down the fort until Dave Righetti could come on for a perfect 9th to notch his first save and the team's first win of the campaign.  Third string catcher Rick Cerone would single home Roberto Kelly in the top of the 1st off of M's starter Mark Langston (0-1, 2.50).  New York would add a second run in the 3rd thanks to 3 walks and a sac fly by Jim "puttin on" Leyritz long fly to the track.  Two innings later the Bombers would plate another run thanks to a Steve "Bye Bye" Balboni sac fly to make it 3-0.  The M's would score a run in the bottom of the 6th thanks to their own sac fly by Jim Presley.

8/28 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 3 - Yankees 9, Mariners 2
After throwing very few pitches in game 1 of the series Tim Leary was give a second chance to start and see what he had.  Leary undoubtedly proved that he had the goods today by going 7 innings and giving up just 2 runs (1 earned) and fanning 8.  The Bombers helped make Leary's return a triumphant one by scoring 4 big runs in the 3rd inning to break the scoreless deadlock thanks to a bases clearing triple by Roberto Kelly.  The M's would cut New York's lead in half with 2 in the 4th thanks to a Ken Phelps solo shot and an error by Yankee shortstop Alvaro Espinoza.  Seattle would not get any closer as the Bombers had their hitting shoes on today.  In the 5th Mel Hall would single home Donnie Baseball to make it 5-2.  The bottom of the 7th saw rookie phenom Kevin Maas hit a 2 run dinger and the 8th saw 2 more runs posted to blow it open.  After throwing 120 pitches Leary was done and Greg Cadaret pitched a perfect 8th and 9th innings to end it.

‘91 Astros take 2 of 3 from ‘98 Expos

Game 1

The KOD11 NL matchup between 1991 Houston and 1998 Montreal opened in the Astrodome with the Astros (3-5) sending Jimmy Jones out for his second start of the season. He was skipped last time around. Dustin Hermanson took the hill for the Expos (4-4). A run a scoring wild-pitch by Hermanson followed up by Craig Biggio’s 2^nd HR of the season gave Houston and 2-0 lead early in the contest. Montreal scored on a Shane Andrews 2-run HR in the 4^th to tie the game. An error by Orlando Cabrera allowed Ken Caminitti to drive in his 6^th RBI in 9 games for Houston to take the lead in the 6^th inning. OC atoned for the error with a game tying Sac Fly in the 7^th inning off Mike Capel as Jones was chased from the mound but the run counted against his line leaving the outcome in the hands of both bullpens. Andujar Cedeno lead off the 8^th versus Montreal’s Miguel Batista and singled. After moving to second on a grounder, Andujar raced home on a Javier Ortiz go-ahead run scoring single. Another run scored on a wild pitch and Mike Capel handed the game over to Dwayne Henry who secured the win for Capel (1-1) and got his first save of the season. Batista took the loss and falls to (1-1). Final 5-3 Houston.

Game 2

Game 2 in the Astrodome matched Carlos Perez (2-0) up against Jim DeShaies (1-1). Ken Caminiti’s 6^th RBI opened the scoring in the first inning on a ground out. Houston rookie first baseman Jeff Bagwell followed with his 3^rd HR of the season, and the Astros were up 2-0. FP Santangelo pulled Montreal to within 1 in the 4^th with an RBI single, but Steve Finley countered with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the 6^th inning. Houston’s 3-2 lead was lost when the pitcher Carlos Perez smacked a game-tying HR in the 7^th off reliever Jim Corsi. Montreal’s 3-run 8^th inning sealed the Victory off Curt Schilling. Back to back doubles by Shane Andrews and Pinch Hitter Wilton Guerrero were followed by a walk and a 2-run triple by Orlando Cabrera. Gerald Young’s late RBI double closed the gap but Schilling goes to 0-1 with the loss, Perez improves to (3-0). Final 5-4 Montreal.

Game 3

The series shifted north of the border for game 3, and 9 innings weren’t enough to decide the contest that started with Pete Harnisch (0-2, 3.38) versus Javier Vazquez (0-0, 1.35). The hot-hitting Bagwell knocked a 2-run HR out of Olympic Stadium in the first inning, and Harnisch and Vazquez threw up zeroes for the rest of the way through the 7^th inning. The Expo catch Chris Widger’s 2 RBI hit in the 8^th tied the game at 2 runs apiece. The bullpen’s kept it tied until the 12^th inning when Houston ran off 4 straight hits against Mike Maddux. Hits by Craig Biggio, Steve Finley, Jeff Bagwell and Luis Gonzalez scored 3 runs , Andujar Cedeno capped it off with a Sac fly to give Houston a 5-2 lead. Dwayne Henry came on to close out the game in a non-save situation. He walked the first 4 Expo batters in the bottom of the 12^th to drive in a run for Montreal’s PH-C Bob Henley. After a mound visit, Henry settled down to get the next 3 batters in order to close out the win for Houston and its LHP Antonio Osuna (1-0, 3.86), whose 2 scoreless innings allowed Houston the chance to take the lead. Maddux drops to (0-1, 10.80). Final 6-3 Houston.

--submitted by Mike Johnson--

‘82 Twins take 2 of 3 from ‘65 Sahx

8/26-8/27 - HHH Metrodome
GAME 1 - Twins 8, Red Sox 3
Boston struck first with 2 in the top of the 1st off of Twin starter Bobby Castillo.  Tony Conigliaro singled home Felix Mantila and Lee Thomas doubled home Yaz.  Boston's 2 run lead was shortlived.  After striking out the first two batters he faced (Ward/Laudner) Earl Wilson just couldn't get anybody out.  Gary Gaetti doubled home Kent Hrbek who singled with 2 out and went to second when Jim Gosger booted the ball in center.  Tom Brunansky singled home Gaetti and two batters later Sal Butera single Bruno home to make it 3-2 Twins.  Gosger would atone for his bad fielding with a solo shot in the 4th to knot the game at 3.  After that it would be all Twins who made it 4-3 with two out John Castino RBI single.  Minnesota would pad their lead with 2 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th.  Ron Davis would pitch the final 2 innings to notch his first save of the season.

GAME 2 - Red Sox 6, Twins 1
The Bosox broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 6th by battering around Frank Viola and plating 4 runs.  Jim Gosger led off the inning with his 2nd homer in consecutive days.  Carl Yastrzemski would hit a 2 run shot and Frank Malzone would launch a sac fly to round out the scoring.  The two Tony's (Conigliaro & Horton) would hit back to back jacks in the 8th to put the game away.  Bill Monbouquette (2-1, 2.95) would go the distance for the win by allowing just 1 meaningless run in the 9th.

8/28 - Fenway Park
GAME 3 - Twins 5, Red Sox 2
A Tony C. homer and a RBI double by Frank Malzone tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the 7th.  Neither team could win it in regulation.  Dick Radatz took the hill for the Bosox in the top of the 10th and was lit up like a Christmas tree by the Twins.  After walking Gary Ward and fanning Hrbek Radatz was not so lucky when Tom Brunansky would hit one over the Green Monstah to make it 4-2.  A Sal Butera ground out would score Mickey Hatcher for an insurance run that would not be needed.  Boston had runners on the corners with 2 out, but could not rattle Darrell Jackson, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Brad Havens to get the win.