WS deprived 94 White Sox Down more fortunate 05 Version

Game #1

CHICAGO -- Tim Raines (1) tripled and homered to power the 94 version of the White Sox to a 6-4 win in the series lid-lifter. Joey Cora added 3 hits and Robin Ventura walked 4 times. Wilson Alvarez (2-1) tossed 6.2 innings for the win. Roberto Hernandez (2) closed out the 9th. The 05 offense was all Frank Thomas (3,4). The Big Hurt hit a 3-run bomb in the 4th and a solo shot in the 6th.  Jose Contreras (1-3) was lit up for 6 runs and 7 hits in 4.2 IP.  Interesting note: Thomas is the only shared player on the two rosters, unless you count 94 SS Ozzie Guillen and the 05 manager.



Game #2

CHICAGO -- Scott Sanderson (1-0) scattered 7 hits over 6.1 IP and limited the 05 Sox to just 1 run as the 94 club captured the series with a 6-1 victory. Sanderson? Wait. Wasn't he chuckin' on the north-side. At any rate the World Champs couldn't muster anything against him or Jose DeLeon and Dennis Cook, who mopped up. Meanwhile, the offense put together an 11-hit team effort with 8 of the 9 starter getting at least one knock. No one drove in more than 1 run. Orlando Hernandez (0-1) was decent in his start, giving up 2 runs in 6. Neal Cotts and Bobby Jenks failed miserably in relief, allowing 4 more runs.

Freddy Garcia

Game #3
CHICAGO -- Freddy Garcia (1-1) fired a complete-game, 6-hitter as the 05 club salvaged a game, 5-2. This game was played at U.S. Cellular Field, which is not to be confused with Comiskey Park II, and certainly, not to be confused with Guaranteed Rate Field, but I digress. Paul Konerko (5) tied the game at 2-2 in the 4th with a 2-run blast off Jason Bere (1-3). Chris Widger provided the cushion with a 2-run single in the 8th. The younger version of the Big Hurt clobbered his 7th HR of the year in the 4th.

ARI takes 2 of 3 from 90-Cin

Game 1- The Reds don't have to face Schilling or Johnson in the series but Brian Anderson goes 8 strong innings in Game 1 for a 4-2 victory.  Reggie Sanders provides the necessary offense with a 2 Run homer in the 6th.  Byung Hung-Kim comes on in the 9th to get his 4th save.

Game 2-  All Cincinnati in Game 2 with Chris Sabo leading the Reds offense to a 7-0 lead with a homer and 3 RBI.  Cincinnati hangs on to win 7-3.

Game 3-  All Cincinnati again to start Game 3 as they build a 7-1 lead going into the Bottom of the 7th but Arizona explodes for 7 runs in the 7th behind a pinch hit 3 run homer by Steve Finley.  Greg Swindell does the work from there with 2 scoreless innings to preserve the 8-7 victory and a series win.

Thanks to Mike for a good series!

--Andy Sexton--

'05 White Sox Slow Down '91 Twins

Blogger is late on Week 6 Modern League Action

Game #1

CHICAGO -- Tom Edens (1-0), in his first start of the year, fired a 5-hit CG shutout, blanking the '05 White Sox 9-0. The Continental League leaders the '91 Twins, had there way with the ChiSox in this one, jumping on Freddy Garcia (0-1) for 7 runs in the first 2 innings. Chuck Knoblauch led the twins hitters with 3 knocks. Chili Davis (7) brought in 3 runners with a 2-run HR and an infield out. Mike Pagliarulo (1) hit a solo shot in the Twins 5-run 2nd.

Joe Crede

Game #2
CHICAGO -- Joe Crede's (3) 2-run blast in the 2nd turned into the game-winner as Chicago bounced back in the series with a 3-1 win. Mark Buehrle (1-3) scattered 8 hits over 7.1 IP, but only allowed a solo HR to Davis (8). Neal Cotts (1) pitched the final inning for the save.

Jon Garland

Game #3
ST. PAUL, MN -- Jon Garland (2-2) was dominant on the bump for the White Sox as they captured this series with a 4-1 victory. Garland yielded 9 hits and just 1 run in 8.2 innings. Dustin Hermanson (2) and got Carmen Castillo to fly out for the 27th out with runners at 1st and 3rd. DH Timo Perez was the offensive leader with 3 hits and 3 RBI. Paul Konerko chipped in 3 hits.

The schedule makers were kind...

The schedule makers were kind to Bike Mike and I as we were able to double up and get both of our series in at one time this week.  

In one of the most uneven matchups in KOD history, the 61 NY Yankees took 2 of 3 games from the lowly 77 Angels.  The Angels failed to score until game 3 with the Yanks getting dominant starts from Bill Stafford (CG 3 hitter to move to 4-0) and Rollie Sheldon (7.2 IP, 7 hits).  LA fights back to steal game 3 by a narrow 3-2 margin.  Wayne Simpson threw a surprise solid 6.2 innings allowing only 2 runs.

 

 

 

 

In the Classic NL matchup, the Phillies got some good starting pitching and backed it up

with some longballs to take 2 of 3 from the Giants.  Steve Carlton has the series off so it was a lot of bullpen innings from Tug McGraw (win in GM 3), Ron Reed and Gene Garber (win in GM 1) to lead the Phils.  Bake McBride, Richie Hebner, and Ted Sizemore each had multiple homers in the series.

Pete

'74-LAD takes 2 of 3 from '53-BRO

Ebbets Field
GAME 1
Rau vs Meyer
74-LAD 12, 53-BRO 7

Doug Rau did the impossible:  He gave up just 2 earned runs (5 total) over 8 innings vs the potent righthanded Boys of Summer lineup.  Rau's offense presented him with 12 runs on 20 hits.  The "Toy Canon", Jimmy Wynn knocked in 6 thanks to a pair of long balls, the second being a grand slam.  Rau's left arm wasn't his only asset on the day.  At the plate he was a perfect 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored.  Billy Bucks (.380) continued his hot hitting with a 4-6 day.  Campy and Skoooonj both knocked in 3 for the the Brooks, who suffered with Meyer (10 ER / 5.1 IP) who struggled mightily on the hill.

 

GAME 2

Downing vs Loes
74-LAD 9, 53-BRO 6

For the 2nd day in a row LA went the unconventional route and sent a lefty out to face the righthanded power hitting lineup of Brooklyn.  Veteran Al Downing weaved in and out of trouble before leaving the game in the 6th with a 5-1 lead.  Normally reliable Mike Marshall, who seems to pitch every day, blew a 4 run lead as the Brooks scored 3 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th.  Up 5-4 the Brooks gave the ball to Hughes to close it out.  LA jumped all over him to the tune of 4 unanswered runs thanks to a series of walks and a clutch 2 RBI single by Marshall, who tired in the bottom of the inning and had to be replaced by former Dodger closer Jim Brewer.  For the second day in a row, every batter in LA's lineup posted at least 1 hit.

Dodger Stadium
GAME 3
Erskine vs Messersmith
53-BRO 15, 74-LAD 7

With ace right Andy Messersmith on the hill LA poised themselves for the series sweep.  The righty vs righty lineup matchup was the perfect scenario for LA, but conventional wisdom need not apply to this series as Brooklyn scored two touchdowns, a PAT and a 2 point conversion off of Messersmith and company.  Jimmy Wynn had 6 RBI's again, but this time it was purely window dressing as the Boys of Summer got their swag back.  Glove man Billy Cox (4-5) knocked in 3 and scored 3.  The Duke of Flatbush took his show to Hollywood and knocked in 4.  Campy knocked in 3 as the team from the borough of churches wore out Messersmith and the Chavez Ravine basepaths to salvage the series finale.

67 St. Louis Cardinals took 2 of 3 from the beleaguered 1969 Mets

The 1967 St. Louis Cardinals took 2 of 3 from the beleaguered 1969 Mets as the Mets drop to 8-13 while the Redbirds improve to 11-10.  The Mets are doing a good imitation their 62 parents as they have combined untimely hitting with even worse pitching.

Game 1

SL 5  NY 0

Nelson Briles was sensational as the Cardinals right hander pitched a complete game 2 hit shutout against the Mets, at Busch Stadium. Briles walked only 1 and struck out in fashioning his gem. Nellie goes to 3-1 on the season with a sensational 1.29 ERA. The only Mets hits were from starting 2B Bobby Pfeil and a pinch hitter for him, Ken Boswell, as Briles took a 1 hitter into the 8^th.

Don Cardwell did not have it today for the Mets as the spot starter allowed 5 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings as he lost his first decision of the year. SL scored 1 in the third on a Curt Flood double and added two more in the 4^th on a single by Mike Shannon. In the 5^th, the Cards put things out of reach when Tim McCarver hit a 2 run HR off Cardwell.

Game 2

NY 7  SL 5  (10 innings)

The Mets win this one in dramatic fashion as they rally for 3 runs in the 9^th, tying the game with 2 outs. They went on to win it in the 10^th. It was a see saw affair as SL took the early lead 2-0 on a 2 run HR by Julian Javier (8) in the second inning off Mets starter Gary Gentry. In the 4^th, Donn Clendenon came through with a big pinch hit 2 run HR (3) to tie the game. The blast came off “Little Lefty” Al Jackson, who was in the opposing 69 Mets dugout while he started for the 67 Cardinals.

In the fourth, the Cards broke the tie when McCarver homered (2) for the second straight day, as Gentry’s season long struggles continue. In the 6^th, Roger Maris singled home Cepeda to get the Cards a big insurance run against Gentry.

In the 7^th, the Cards loaded the bases against Ron Taylor but Jack DiLauro came on and got McCarver to line out and then fanned Javier to end the threat and keep the game in reach at 4-2.

In the 8^th, Shannon tripled with one out and after Maxvill lined out, Manager Raylesberg removed a tired DiLauro and brought in lefty Tug McGraw. Alex Johnson came up to pinch hit for reliever Willis and McGraw promptly threw a wild pitch to allow the fifth run to cross the plate.

Joe Hoerner came on in the 9^th to try to save it with a 5-2 lead. But the Mets rallied in dramatic fashion  Grote led off with a walk. PH Bob Heise then singled through the hole to left. PH Gaspar then flied out and Agee struck out and the Mets were down to their last out. But they were not to be denied. Ken Boswell- having a spectacular season – singled to left scoring Grote and sending Heise to 3^rd. 5-3. Up came Cleon Jones. Manager Stokes left Hoerner in to face the righty hitting OF and Cleon came through big time with a double off the wall in left center, plating two runs as the Busch Stadium crowd sat in stunned silence. That was all for Hoerner as Jack Lamabe came on in relief and ended the threat.

Lamabe didn’t have it in the 10^th,however. With one out, Jerry Grote doubled off the wall in right center. Heise drew a walk. Two on and one out and pitcher Jim McAndrew up. The Mets bullpen was exhausted so Manager Raylesberg decided to let McAndrew bat for himself. The righthander from Morning Sun Iowa put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt moving the runners to 2d and 3d now with two out. Now it was Tommie Agee’s turn and the CF singled in the first base hole to score two runs and put the Mets ahead!

McAndrew (2-1) retired the first two batters in the bottom of the 10^th before Roger Maris brought the crowd to its feet with a double to right center. Now it was up to Shannon but he popped one into short RF where Shamsky grabbed it and the Mets had a dramatic come from behind win.

Grote was 3-4 with 2 doubles and Heise, who came in to the game as a pinch hitter, was 2-2. Dal Maxvill made three great plays in the field for the Cardinals.

Game 3

SL 6 NY 3

The teams traveled to Shea Stadium for the final game of the series. Jerry Koosman took the mound for the Mets. Kooz has been the only effective starter for the Mets this season but having left the last game early with an injury there was  a question about his effectiveness particularly as he was pitching on short rest. The rust showed as Koosman gave up 2 runs in the second on a Shannon RBI double and a Maxvill RBI single. Then in the 5^th the roof caved in on a tiring Koosman. The Cards sent 9 men to the plate and scored 4 times,including 2 wild pitches each of which brought a run home. Julian Javier singled in a run in the frame, extending his hit streak to 13.

Meanwhile, Cards starter Ray Washburn (1-2) was cruising as he took a shutout into the 8^th, leading 6-0. The Mets rallied in the frame as they sent 8 men to the plate. After Harrelson grounded out, PH Gaspar, Agee and Martin  all singled to load the bases for Cleon Jones. Were the Miracle Mets going to pull out a miracle win for the second day in a row? Manager Stokes left Washburn in, concerned about going to a pen that had blown the prior day’s game. Jones came through with a single as the sellout crowd at Shea went wild. Bases still loaded and now 6-1. Eddie Kranepool at the plate. Stokes stays in the dugout and leaves the righty Washburn in to face the lefty swinger. Kranepool hits it in the gap – to right center – and in comes Agee and Martin with Jones stopping at third. Its 6-3, the fans are going crazy, and the tying run is at the plate in the person of the slugging Ron Swoboda. Stokes stays in the dugout and Washburn stays on the mound – and he walks Swoboda and the bases are loaded once again. Now its lefty hitting Art Shamsky- another of the few Mets who is putting together a good season. Bases loaded one out and Washburn is still in there – and Shamsky hits a grounder the opposite way to third. 543- A DOUBLE PLAY and the Cards get out of the inning!

In the 9^th, Washburn got his “second wind” as he retired the Mets 1-2-3. There would be no more miracles tonight.

Next up: The Mets play four against the 62 Giants, starting with two at Shea. The Giants are 1 game behind 53 Brooklyn for the Continental Division lead. The 67 Cards, still in the Continental Division race, will play the 69 Cubs starting with two at Wrigley.
--submitted by Alan Raylesburg--