2000 Phightins sweep 2002 Brew Crew

Phillies Manager Justin Ryan’s post game interview.

Manager Justin Ryan calls WFAN with his post series comments

‘80 Halos take 2 of 3 from ‘59 Nats

August 26 - Anaheim Stadium
Angels 7, Senators 6 (10 innings)
This one was all Washington, who built a 4- lead after 5 and a half innings with the help of a Roy Sievers 2-run HR and 8 walks yielded by California starter Frank Tanana.  But Jason Thompson hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 6th inning to cut the lead to 1 run.  Jim Lemon led off the top of the next inning with a solo shot of Ed Halicki to get one of the runs back.  Bob Allison gunned down Fred Patek at the plate in the bottom of the 7th to preserve the Senators lead at 2.  But after a Bobby Clark double in the bottom of the 8th pulled the Angels within 1 run, he tied the game a short while later on a fielders choice when he scored from 3rd on a ground ball to Harmon Killebrew.    The Senators then took the lead right back in the top of a very dramatic 9th inning when Billy Consolo walked with 2 outs, advanced on a wild pitch and then scored on a Reno Bertoia bloop single.  But the Angels came back off of reliever Chuck Stobbs.  With the bases loaded and 1 out, Bobby Clark grounded to a drawn in Ken Apsromonte who threw home for the 2nd out.  But then Rick Miller grounded a single to  left field scoring the tying run.  As Jason Thompson rounded 3rd with the would-be winning run, Jim Lemon threw home to nail Thompson for the 3rd out, keeping the score tied and sending the game to extra innings.   The game ended quickly and happily for the home field crowd when Carney Lansford parked a 3-1 pitch from Tex Clevenger into the left field stands leading off the bottom of the 10th inning for his 1st HR of the season, and a walk-off win for the Halos.

August 27 - Anaheim Stadium
Senators 12, Angels 10 (10 innings)
The one had all the makings of a laugher, as Washington teed-off against California starter Chris Knapp from the start of the game, sending 10 men to the plate in the first innings and scoring 5 runs.  Jim Lemon hit a home run in the 2nd inning to make the sore 6-2, Bobby Grich's 1st inning 2-run shot accounting for the 2 Angels' runs.  But then California sent 8 men to the plate in the bottom of the 2nd inning against Washington starter Pedro Ramos, plating 4 of them and knotting the score at 6.  Indeed, this one was far from over.    Solo runs in the 5th and 6th innings put the Senators back on top 8-6, although the Angels managed to get one back the next inning to make it a 1 run game after 7 innings.  But when Roy Sievers hit a 2-run homer of Dave LaRoche in the top of the 8th to put Washington on top 10-7 it looked like it would be enough.  Undaunted, California came back with 1 in the bottom of the frame and loaded the bases with only 1 out.  But Dan Ford ground into a 'round-the-horn twin killing ending the rally.  Then with the score still 10-8 in the bottom of a 9th, with 2 outs and 2 runners  on base thanks to 2 walks, the Angels tied the game yet again when Fred Patek tripled to left field off John Romonosky.  He managed to get the next batter for the last out.  But with the score 10-10 once again it was free baseball at the Big A.  Still, unlike the previous day, 10th inning magic was on the Senators side this game, as Jim Lemon drilled a clutch 2-out, 2-run HR to left center off of LaRoche to put Washington on top for good 12-10. Chuck Stobbs shut the door in the bottom half to earn his first save of the season.

August 28 - Griffith Stadium
Angels 10, Senators 3
In a game that featured 7 home runs, the Angels benefited from 4 of them (Lansford, Rudi, Thompson, Patek), and also tended to have runners on base when they occurred.  All 3 of the Senators' HRs were solo shots (Throneberry, Sievers, Lemon).  In all, California scored 7 of their 10 runs on long balls, while Washington's only yielded 3.  Aside from 2 mistakes to Throneberry and Sievers Angels starting pitcher Alfredo Martinez looked more like Pedro Martinez, yielding only 5 hits and 2 walks over 7 innings pitched.  Kemmerer took the loss for the Senators.

Series Notes:
* Washington sluggers Jim Lemon and Roy Sievers were the most sorry to see the series end.  Lemon finished the 3-game set with 7 hits, including 4 HRs, 6 RBIs and 8 runs scored.  Sievers had 2 HRs and a series-high 7 RBIs. 
* In the 2nd game of the series, Rod Carew, who has wallowed below the Meddoza Line all season, had 5 hits, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored.  He finished the series with 7 hits bringing his batting average "all the way up" to .255. 
* Between the two teams there were 15 HRs hit this series.

--submitted by Douglas Zaner--

‘53 Browns take 2 of 3 from ‘77 Jays

In a colorful series that featured a blow out win from each club, and an extra inning one-run affair as the rubber match, the 1953 Browns outlasted the 1977 Blue Jays for a series win.

Here's a brief recap of the series.

Game One in St. Louis

The Browns pounded Jays starter Jerry Garvin for 16 hits and 9 runs, all earned, in six innings to coast to a 9-2 victory. Virgil Trucks made his first start of the year for the home club, and went the distance surrendering only six hits and striking out nine.  Don Lenhardt was the big stick in the St. Louis lineup, going 3 for 4, including a homer and double, and drove in 5 runs. Bob Elliot, Les Moss, and Billy Hunter each chipped in with three hits as well.

Game Two in St. Louis

The Blue Jays turned the tide on the home club, pounding four Browns pitchers for 14 hits and cruised to an easy 8-1 victory. Veterans Ron Fairly and Otto Velez combined to go 6 for 9 from the three and four spots in the Toronto lineup. Velez also homered, as did Bob Bailor and Doug Rader. Dave Lemanzyk got the win going six innings, with Pete Vuckovich and "The Singer Throwing Machine", former Dodger Bill Singer finishing up.  Don Larsen dropped to 0-2 for St. Louis, surrendering 8 hits and 4 runs in 7 innings of work.

Game Three in Toronto

In about as wild of a game as you would see from a 4-3, 12 inning score, the rubber match saw the Browns literally walk away with a victory. This one might have set a couple of all-time KOD records.

The game matched righthanders Bob Turley and Jesse Jefferson to start, but both were long gone when this one ended.

The "unofficial" records that may have been set were one from each club. The Browns left an almost unbelievable 19 runners on base, while the Blue Jays contributed to that record by walking 12 Browns hitters!! 7 of those walks came in the ninth inning or later. The Browns left the bases full in the 9th and 10th innings.

With the Jays up 3-2 going into the top if the ninth, Pete Vuckovich came on with one out and none on, and promptly walked the first two Browns hitters. He then got Dick Kokos to chase a ball out of the zone for a strikeout, to put the Jays within one out of a win.

But Clint Courtney battled Vuke for yet another base on balls, and  thirdbaseman Jim Dyck managed a bloop hit just out of the reach of Bob Bailor's glove at short to plate the tying run.

Marlin Stuart was pitching for the Browns, having taken over in the 8th, and was dealing. He set the Jays down in order in the ninth. The Browns again loaded the bases in the 10th on a single and two walks, but Kokos again K'd, to end the threat.

The game proceeded with Stuart shutting down the Jays, while the Jays pitcher Jerry Johnson, now on the hill for the home club, regrouped in the 11th to retire the Browns in order.

Stuart surrendered a two out triple to Doug Rader in the Blue Jay 11th, but got Rick Cerone to hit a comebacker that ended the threat. The top of the 12th saw the Browns load the bases yet again, the third time in the last four innings, on an error and two more walks. Again it looked like they were going to give away a scoring opportunity when Don Lenhardt popped up to fist for the second out, bringing up Dick Kokos yet again. Kokos redeemed himself somewhat however, working another base on balls, a fitting way to forced in the lead run.

Johnson then got Courtney to bounce out to end the inning, while Stuart went back to his usual 1-2-3 pattern in the bottom of the 12th to secure the win.

--submitted by Bike Mike--

‘87 Friars sweep ‘80 Amazin’s

Game 1 at San Diego,

The Padres erupt for 4 runs in the first inning and cruise to a 7-2 win. Benito Santiago was the star of the game as he drove in 5 runs and connected for his 3rd homerun of the year to support Storm Davis as Davis improves to 2-0.

Game 2 at San Diego,

Ray Burris and Eric Show squared off in the second game of the series and both pitched strong games.  San Diego and New York both plated single runs in the first inning and that would be the only scoring until the bottom of the sixth inning when defensive replacement Randy Ready walked with the bases loaded to force in the go ahead run. Show pitched 6 innings of 3 hit ball to improve to 2-0 while the Goose struck out 2 batters in the ninth inning to earn his 4th save.

Game 3 at Flushing Meadow, New York,

This was a real battle for both teams as the Padres took a 4-1 lead into the 8th inning. San Diego starter, Ed Whitson threw 7 innings of 5 hit ball but tired and was replaced by lefty Dave Dravecky.  The Amazins got to the left hander with 3 runs on 5 hits to knot the game at 4.  However, the Padres retook the lead in the ninth inning on a Carmelo Martinez sacrifice fly to left.  Dravecky got the victory as Lance McCullers came on in the ninth and escaped with the tying and winning runs on base. Randy Ready went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI and hit his first homerun of the year.

--submitted by Joey Scigliano--

'80 Halos Top '53 Brownies in Three of Four

The 1980 California Angels took three of four from the 1953 St. Louis Browns, in a series that featured a blow out win for each club, and two one-run affairs in which the Angels were blessed with victories in both

Game one saw the Browns out hit the Angels 17-16, yet lose by 7 runs! Three errors and five bases on balls by Browns' pitchers didn't help the cause, as the Angels walked away with a 12-5 win.

Game two saw Brown starter Duane Pillette retire the first two hitters, then give up a single and two doubles. The second double was off the bat of Rick Miller and plated two runs, and that was all the scoring the Angels would need as Don Aase, Mark Clear, and Andy Hassler held the Borwns to one run to give the held the Halos earn the 2-1 victory.

Game three moved to Anaheim, and it was the Browns turn to have some fun. The Disneyland atmosphere was to their liking, as they pounded out 12 hits and scored 8 times, five in the first inning, to ride to an 8-1 win. The Browns "K-Konnection", Dick Kryhoski and Dick Kokos, hit back to back home runs in that 5 run first inning.

Game four saw the Browns score three early runs to grab the lead, but 2 Angel runs in the fourth and one in the sixth tied it up. Jason Thompson's run scoring single had tied it in the sixth, and his two-out 8th inning single gave the Angels the lead. Thompson was the game MVP despite the game program giving it to Brian Downing, who had three hits.

Mark Clear finished off the Browns in the ninth to capture the series for the Southern California crew.

--submitted by Bike Mike--

‘07 DRays and ‘65 Bosox split

8/16-8/17 - Fenway Park
GAME 1 - DRays 7, Red Sox 5
Tied at 5 all after regulation the road Rays jumped on Bosox reliever Jay Ritchie for 2 runs in the top of the 10th.  After Carl Crawford grounded out the Rays were treated to 3 consecutive singles by Carlos Pena, Dmitri Young and Ty Wigginton.  The latter scored Pena to make it 6-5.  Dick Radatz had go come in from the pen and got Navarro to line out to second, but Brendan Harris fought off an overpowering fastball to flare it into right center to score Young and put the Rays up by 2.  Alberto Reyes would get the Bosox out in the bottom half of the inning to notch his second save.  Scott Dohmann would nab the win after facing just 1 batter in the bottom of the 9th.

GAME 2 - DRays 21, Red Sox 6
No this wasn't the Buccaneers vs the Patriot for those of you just glancing at the score.  Tampa jumped all over Boston starter Bill Monbouquette, who never made it out of the first inning.  "Mombo" was tagged for 5 runs (4 earned) before he was given the yank.  Tough to pick an offensive star here, but if I had to I'd go with Carl Crawford who was 3 for 7 with 6 RBI's and 2 runs scored.  Dmitri Young was 4 for 6 and had 4 RBI's himself, so the choice was very hard.  Tampa sent 58 batters to the plate and had 25 hits.  Scott Kazmir (2-0, 1.80) got the win for the Rays.  He exited after 5 innings, so that his inning count could be conserved.  Strangely the only 2 homers hit in the game were off Red Sox bats (Tony C and Yaz).

8/18-8/19 - Tropicana Field
GAME 3 - Red Sox 13, DRays 2
Turnabout is fair play and today was Boston's turn to put on an offensive fireworks show, not that starter Jim Lonborg needed the help.  Lonborg gave up just 1 earned run in 8 2/3 innings of work before running out of gas.  James Shields and Brian Stokes combined to give up 10 of Boston's 13 run allotment.  Every Red Sox had at least 1 hit.  Felix Mantilla had 3 hits in 5 trips to the plate and 2 RBI.  Lenny Green trumped him by going 4 for 5 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.  The game was actually a 1-0 game until Boston busted loose with 4 in the 6th, 3 in the 7th, 2 in the 8th and for good measure 3 more in the 9th.

GAME 4 - Red Sox 9, DRays 7
Combined both pitching staffs in this series has less arms than the Venus deMilo.  Game 4 saw a combined 16 run on 29 hit effort.  Down 7-5 after 6 innings of play the Bosox exploded for 4 huge scores in the top of the 7th off Case Fossum and Lucas Glover.  After Tony Conigliaro led off with a double Lee Thomas and Lenny Green made two quick outs.  Catcher Bob Tillman singled home Tony C with 2 out and Dalton Jones walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd for Felix Mantilla, who executed a perfect hit and run to score both runners.  On the throw to the plate Mantilla snuck into second which allowed him to score a key insurance run when Rico Petrocelli singled to right.  Dick Radatz once again tossed a scoreless 9th for his 4th save of the season.

‘59 Nats take 3 of 4 from ‘77 Jays

Camilo Pasqual	Dave Lemanczyk	Roy Sievers	Gary Woods

Game 1 @Toronto-- Washington 4 Toronto 3

Camilo Pasqual went the distance (3R, 8K, 0BB, 10H) improving to 2-0 on the season..Washington’s Faye Throneberry reached safely 5 times going 3-3 with 2 walks. Toronto’s Bob Bailor hit the only homerun of the game.

Game 2 @Toronto—Toronto 3 Washington 2

Dave Lemanczyk pitched 8.2 strong innings(2R, 2BB, 4K, 8H) to up his record to 2-0. Howell and Staggs both go 2-4 with and RBI each to carry Toronto to victory.

Game 3 @Washington—Washington 15 Toronto 6

Washington jumped out to an early 6 run lead. Stobbs would leave the game after 2.2 innings due to injury but shouldn’t miss any time. Toronto clawed its way back to a 6-6 tie by the middle of the 5^th. Washington pulled away for good in their half of the 5^th with 5 more runs. Roy Sievers finally found a bat he liked and went 4-4. Of the 27 total hits in the game only 3 (all doubles) were for extra bases.

Game 4 @Washington—Washington 8 Toronto 7

Toronto jumped out to the 4-0 lead in game 4. Washington finally decided to start hitting the ball plating 7 run in the 7^th taking the lead 8-5. Toronto mounted a furious comeback in the top of the 9^th but fell 1 run short. Toronto’s Gary Woods went 4-5 with 3 RBI and hit the games only homer.

Washington failed to put any of their power on paper onto the field in the series and hit no homeruns. Toronto committed 12 errors to Washington’s 5.

--submitted by Scott Dyer--