Redbirds take 2 of 3 from Bravos

The 1960 St. Louis Cardinals squared off against the 1954 Milwaukee Braves in week 6, with the division leading Redbirds grabbing the series 2 games to 1. The series featured terrific pitching in games 1 and 2, with the hitters getting coming to life in the rubber match.

Ernie Broglio and Chet Nichols squared off in the opener, and by the time each guy left the game in the 6th inning they had dropped their ERAs to under 2. The bullpens did their job as well as this one was deadlocked at 1 after nine, and still 1-1 after 10. The Cardinals broke the tie off of Bob Buhl, the fifth Braves hurler, in the top of the 11th on a bases loaded sacrifice fly off the bat of Moose Moryn that plated Ken Boyer, who had walked to start the inning. Lindy McDaniel pitched 3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win.

In game two, peerless lefty Warren Spahn was perfect through 6 2/3 before Stan Musial

lined a crisp single to center to break up the perfecto and no-no. Spahn settled for a 3-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over fellow lefty, young Ray Sadecki. The lone run in the game came in the Milwaukee fourth when Hank Aaron started the inning with a double, and an out later Joe Adcock singled him home.

Game 3 shifted to St. Louis, with the the two teams combining for 24 hits and 14 runs, after managing only 28 hits and 4 runs in the first two games combined. The top six hitters in the Cardinal lineup all got at least two hits, with leadoff man Curt Flood getting 3, and Ken Boyer, Bill White, and Daryl Spencer each drove in a pair. The Braves got home runs from Ed Mathews and Andy Pafko, while the aging Stan Musial cracked number two for the Cards. Curt Simmons ended up being just a little better than Lew Burdette to gain the "W" in the 8-6 Cardinal victory.

--Submitted by Bike Mike--

Chisox take 2 of 3 from Bronx Bombers

gm1- Trucks vs Reynolds

A great game and a see saw affair at NY

WSox took a 3-1 lead in part to solo homers by Jungle Jim Rivera and Ferris Fain in the 2nd and 3rd innings  Joe D tied it with a 2 run homer in the 5th to knot it at 3.  With Sox leading 4-3 in 6th  Johnny Lindell hit a 2 run blast off off Trucks to give the Yanks a short lived 5-4 lead.  Joe Page was greeted with run scoring singles from Johnny Groth and Phil Caverretta in the 8th to give Sox a lead. 6-5.  In Yanks 9th reliable Tommy Henrich hits a 1 out solo homer off Morrie Martin to tie game at 6.  Game goes to extras when in the 12th the sox get a run after a Carrasquel triple and a sac fly but in bottom half  who else but Joe D hits a game winning 2 run, 2 out homer off Don Johnson as maybe Sox manager should of left Harshman in to face JD. Tommy Bryne the win (3-0) Johnson the loss.

GM 2- Consuegra vs Lopat

Sandy Consuegra in control the whole game pitcing a CG 4 hit shutout. Nellie Fox 2 hits, 2 rbi. Lopat tough CG loss.

GM 3  Raschi vs Keegan

In rubber game Yanks had 2-0 lead one run thanks to a solo HR by who else but Joe D. But Raschi ran into problems in Sox 7th Minnie Minoso singles to lead off frame, stole second and scored on a Johnny Groth double to make it 2-1. After a failed Carrasquel bunt forced Groth at 3rd, Chico promptly stole second. After a Int walk Pinch hitter Marshall popped out for 2 outs. Sox manager then put in George Kell to pinch hit and he hits a 3-run homer to put Sox up 4-2. The 3 runs were needed as Berra hit a solo shot in 9th to make it 4-3. Raschi CG loss Keegan the win, Dorish the save.

--submitted by Dan Holm--

M's take 2 of 3 from O's

game 1

Baltimore 3 Seattle 0 ..... Orioles first run came when Luis Aparicio doubled advancing to third on error by Sierra and scoring on error by Cirillo. The next run came when Jerry Adair got new life when his foul ball was dropped and he then took advantage to single in a run. Sam Bowens closed the scoring with solo homer in 8th.  In 9th inning, after Olerud walked to start the inning, 3 times I tried to bring in Stu Miller and 3 times I got a run time 5 error "invalid procedure call or argument" .... sensing that the game was trying to tell me not  to substitute, I did not and Bunker retired next 3 batters for the shutout. Ichiro twice singled and twice was thrown out stealing.

game 2

Seattle 4 Baltimore 3 .... Ichiro's infield single in 2nd inning plated the first run of the game. Orioles came right back with 2 as Siebern doubled with bases loaded.  Seattle went ahead in 4th when Olerud had bases loaded single with 2 outs driving in 2. Orioles tied the game in 6th when Brooks Robinson hit solo homer. In he 7th, Edgar Martinez hit solo homer. Trying to bring in Harvey Haddix, I encountered the run time error 5 again. This time I persevered until Haddix was allowed to enter the game. In the 9th Sasaki came on and filled the bases with 1 out on single, single and walk. But Brooks Robinson popped to short and Bowens hit line drive to 3rd. Sasaki earned the save.

game 3

Seattle 4 Baltimore 3 ..... Orioles scored first on Brandt triple and Aparicio single.  A runtime error 75 "path/file access error" followed a failed pickoff attempt.

In the 2nd inning Sierra hit solo homer to tie the game. In the 7th Seattle loaded the bases with 1 out and Desi Relaford bounced to 2nd, and Sierra scored. Ichiro followed with 2 run single. Orioles got 2 back with Adair single and D Brown homerun. In the 9th Sasaki came on to strike out the side for the save.

--submitted by Peter Winske--

Braves Sweep in Battle of Basement Dwellers

Both teams entered the series in last place in their respective divisions. Los Angels was 5-12. Atlanta was 4-13 and riding a 7 game losing streak.

A couple of stats before the series started. Los Angeles was last hitting with a .212 average (that would go down to .206). Atlanta by contrast was hitting a robust .241. Alas, Atlanta was last in home runs with 3 and runs scored with 44. Los Angeles was second last in runs scored with 53. A pitcher's paradise for the upcoming series? Let's see. Oh, another juicy stat. Shawn Green ended the series with a 9 game hitting streak. That's fantastic you say? Well, he raised his average all the way up to .179. Sounds like real life for Dan Uggla!

Game 1 – Los Angeles 2 – Atlanta 3

Indeed it was a pitcher's paradise. Hideo Nomo and Javier Vasquez matched up in a good pitcher's duel. Los Angeles scored single runs in the 1st and 2nd before Atlanta tied the score with single runs in the 5th and 6th. It stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th when Chipper Jones drove in the winning run on a groundout. Yes with these anemic hitting teams would you expect anything else? Rafael Soriano got the win throwing 3 pitches in the top of 9th in relieve of Vasquez.

Game 2 – Los Angeles 0 – Atlanta 3

Yes, another pitcher's duel. This time it was Odalis Perez vs. Jair Jurrjens. It was 0-0 going into the bottom of the 7th when the Braves erupted for 3 runs (for these teams that is an eruption. Jurrjens was the star going 7 innings for the win allowing only 4 hits. Peter Moylan and Rafael Soriano completed the shutout.

Game 3 – Atlanta 7 – Los Angeles 3

Don't let your eyes deceive you. This game, at Dodger stadium no less, was a hitter's dream. Atlanta entered the game with 3 home runs in their first 19 contests. They blasted 2 tonight, a 2 run blast by Martin Prado and a solo shot by Adam LaRoche. Andy Ashby lasted only 3 innings and he was rocked for 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. Kenshin Kawakami earned his 1st win of the season going 8 innings allowing only 3 runs.

As Manager MacDonald so accurately put it, both teams are looking forward to KOD18!

--Submitted by Ron Burnette with an assist to Keith MacDonald--

Dem Bums take 2 of 3 from Friars

GAME 1 - Ebbets Field
Hurst vs McDevitt
Padres 9, Dodgers 1
The Friars scored early and often  "Crime Dog" Fred McGriff's 3 run blast off Danny McDevitt in the top of the first was just an opening salvo as San Diego's arsenal was fully on display.  Tony Fernandez and Benito Santiago chipped in with 3 hit days with the latter hitting his first round tripper of the season.  Bruce Hurst was mistake free until the Duke of Flatbush hit a solo blast in the 8th to account for Brooklyn's lone run.

GAME 2
Rasmussen vs Drysdale
Dodgers 9, Padres 7
Brooklyn's bats come alive in defense of pitching sensation Don Drysdale who was wild in the strike zone all day.  Double D managed to get 7 plus innings of work in before handing the ball of to a shaky Roger Craig who allowed all of his inherited runs to score, which is why he was not credited with a save.  "Skoonj", Carl Furillo, was a perfect 4 for 4 with 2 RBI's.  Pee Wee Reese, who is hitting just .178 and looking older than Methuselah, went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.  Junior Gilliam, batting leadoff was 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored as Brooklyn hammered Dennis Rasmussen and company for 9 runs on 15 hits.

GAME 3 - Jack Murphy Stadium
Newcombe vs Benes
Dodgers 3, Padres 1
Down 1-0 after two innings of play the Brooks got 3 consecutive singles and a walk to crack the scoreboard.  Skoonj hit into what seemed like a rally killing DP, but on the play Junior Gilliam scored the go ahead run.  Gil Hodges' clutch RBI knock scored Reese to make it 3-1.  Don Newcombe, who was in the midst of his best outing of the season, was on the ropes time in and time out, but he never wavered.  Big Newk finished strong by getting the final 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th after a 1 out Jack Howell single sent the tying run to the plate.  Dem Bums move to 2 games over .500 and hope to get more vitage Newk in their quest for the pennant.  Back home the Brooklyn Eagle reported that Owner Walter O'Malley is still waiting on a response from Robert Moses regarding his proposition to build a domed stadium on the corners of Flatbush and Atlantic above the LIRR tracks.  Rumor has it Moses will counter offer a site in Flushing Meadows, because he doesn't think a sports edifice would work in that location.  Stay tuned for more updates.

'02 Dodgers acting like "Dem Bums"

The good news for the Dodgers - Shawn Green has a 9 game hitting streak.

The bad news - he is hitting .179 on the season.

The team batting average through 20 games is .206. The Dodgers are now 5-15

The Dodgers are ready for KOD 18.

Ron can tell you about how his basement Braves swept the sub-basement Dodgers.

--submitted by Keith MacDonald--

TWIB Notes for Week 5

August 25th

78 Milwaukee Upends 12 Tampa Bay 7­1, Money 3 Hits      
64 Baltimore Whitewashes 87 Oakland 6­0                 
Finley Blanks 48 New York (A) 3­0                       
50 Boston (A) Slips Past 54 Chicago (A) 4­3             
49 Cleveland Blanks 63 Minnesota 5­0                    
86 Kansas City Tops 27 Phila(A) 5­3, Brett 3 Hits       
Late 02 Seattle Rally Beats 66 Detroit 6­4, Boone 3 Hits
05 New York(N) Edges 91 San Diego 4­3                   
72 Houston Beats 50 New York (N) 8­3, Doug Rader 2 HRs       
61 San Fran Tops 09 Atlanta 5­2, Mays 3 Hits            
02 Los Angeles Nips 05 Florida 7­6, Lo Duca 3 Hits      
57 Brooklyn Edges 67 Chicago (N) 4­3 in 11              
54 Milwaukee Edges 65 Pittsburgh 3­2                    
60 St. Louis Edges 56 Cincinnati 3­2 in 10

August 26th

78 Milwaukee Upends 12 Tampa Bay 5­3

87 Oakland Pounds 64 Baltimore 16­7, Canseco 2 HRs, 5 RBI' Brandt(Aug 29)
48 New York (A) Upends 89 California 7­3, Lindell 3 Hits   Henrich(Aug 27)
54 Chicago (A) Pounds 50 Boston (A) 24­8, Carrasquel 5 RBI Consuegra(Aug 2
49 Cleveland Over 63 Minnesota 3­1, Kennedy 3 Hits                       
27 Phila(A) Beats 86 Kansas City 9­7, Dykes 3 Hits         Hale(Aug 29)  
66 Detroit Edges 02 Seattle 4­3 in 11                                    
91 San Diego Edges 05 New York(N) 5­4 in 12, McGriff 2 HRs Clark, J(Aug 29
72 Houston Blanks 50 New York (N) 3­0                                    
61 San Fran Pounds 09 Atlanta 9­1, Pagan 2 HRs, 4 RBI's    Anderson, G(tod
05 Florida Beats 02 Los Angeles 7­4, Carlos Delgado 2 HRs, 4 RBI'               
67 Chicago (N) Tops 57 Brooklyn 5­3, Hundley 2 HRs                       
Spahn Blanks 65 Pittsburgh 8­0                                           
56 Cincinnati Beats 60 St. Louis 11­5, Bell 3 Hits                       

August 27th

12 Tampa Bay Tops 78 Milwaukee 4­1, Keppinger 3 Hits                   
64 Baltimore Slips Past 87 Oakland 3­2, Siebern 3 Hits                 
48 New York (A) Pounds 89 California 12­3, Tommy Henrich 2 HRs               
54 Chicago (A) Over 50 Boston (A) 4­2                                  
49 Cleveland Pounds 63 Minnesota 11­1, Hegan 3 Hits                    
27 Phila(A) Edges 86 Kansas City 5­4                                   
02 Seattle Beats 66 Detroit 9­3, Wilson 5 RBI's                        
91 San Diego Beats 05 New York(N) 9­5 in 15, Coolbaugh 3 H             
72 Houston Edges 50 New York (N) 4­3 in 12, Cedeno 3 Hits              
61 San Fran Beats 09 Atlanta 4­2, Mays 3 Hits                          
02 Los Angeles Edges 05 Florida 3­2                        Mecir(Aug 30)
57 Brooklyn Edges 67 Chicago (N) 4­3, Cimoli 2 HRs                     
65 Pittsburgh Over 54 Milwaukee 6­5                                    
60 St. Louis Rallies To Beat 56 Cincinnati 8­7, Wagner 2 HR's