M&M Boys held homerless yet Bombers take 2 of 3 from O's

GAME 1 - Memorial Stadium
Ford vs Cuellar
61-NYY 3, 69-BAL 2

Both crafty lefties matched each other pitch for pitch and left the game with the score tied 1-1 after 7.  The Bombers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 8th on a Roger Maris SF that scored Tony Kubek.  Baltimore tied it up in the bottom of the inning as Luis Arroyo blew the save.  Arroyo would redeem himself by doubling home Elston Howard in the 9th and by setting the O's down in order in the home half of the final stanza to get the win.



GAME 2

Stafford vs McNally
61-NYY 5, 69-BAL 1

The Mick led off the 6th with a gapper that he legged out into a triple.  Maris followed that with a shot to right that Frank Robby napped against the wall.  Mickey trotted home easily to make it 2-1.  NY tacked on another run due to an unlikely error by glove man Mark Belanger.  NY added two more insurance runs in the 9th as Jim Coates finished out the game for Bill Stafford, who got the win after going 8 and yielding just 1.  Bobby Richardson was a perfect 4-4.  He scored 2 runs as the Bronx Bombers cruised to victory.

GAME 3
Terry vs Palmer
69-BAL 5, 61-NYY 4 (10 inn)

Down 4-2 after 8 1/2 innings of play the O's were staring down the barrel of an opening series sweep.  Manager Allan Silverwood let his troops know that they "were due".  Terry started the bottom of the 9th looking for the complete game win, but by this point he was starting to look a bit winded.  4 successive singles by Powell, Johnson, Blair and B.Robinson, started off the inning with Robby's single making it a 1 run game.  PH Motton was struck out by Arroyo, who came on for Terry.  PH Rettenmund fanned as well.  It looked like the Bombers were going to get out of a bases loaded / no out jam and sweep this thing, but Don Bufford worked out a 4 pitch walk to force home the tying run.  In the top of the 10th Frank Robinson launched a 2-0 Arroyo pitch deep into the 9th as everyone on 33rd street left with a smile, except those who were wearing gray uni's.

77 NYY Takes 2 of 3 from 70 Bal O's

Game 1
Bal vs NYY
Cuellar vs Guidry
Bal 8 NYY 3 (10 innings)

Two southpaws square off in the season opener at Yankee Stadium as Ron Guidry and the Yankees meet up with Mike Cuellar and the Orioles.  A Chirs Chambliss HR in the bottom of the second puts Yanks up 1-0 against the O's.  Louisiana Lightning was all of that on this day as he yields only 2 singles to the O's through 6 innings.  Yanks open up a 2-0 lead on a Greg Nettles RBI triple down the left field line in the bottom of the 6th.  Lightning strikes the Yanks in the top of the 7th as a walk to Frank Robinson and a 2 run HR by Boog Powell tie this one up at 2 apiece.  Heading into the 8th Dick Tidrow relieved Guidry and the O's score on a Frank Robinson RBI double to take the 3-2 lead.  In the bottom of the ninth, after a lead off double by Roy White, Mike Cuellar heads to the showers and Eddie Watt comes on.  A sac bunt moves Roy White to third and Baltimore brings on lefty reliever Tom Richert.  A Mickey rivers sac fly to center tied this one up a 3 all.   the O's would come up big in the top of the 10th as an error by Thurman Munson on a Paul Blair sac bunt would load the bases with one out.  A Brooks Robinson 3 RBI double off of Tidrow would open the flood gates and put this one away for Baltimore

Game 2

Bal vs NYY
Palmer vs Figueroa
NYY 7 Bal 2

This one got away early from Palmer and the Birds as the Yanks scored in each of the first 4 times they were up, building a 6-0 lead by the end of the 4th as the Yanks sent 8 to the plate in the first and scored 3 times.  the Yanks continued to chip away at Palmer with single runs in each of the next 3 innings before he was pulled for Marcelino Lopez.   this one sent the home fans home happy as the O's never challenged the rest of the way and Palmer took an ugly loss 7-2.

Game 3
Bal vs NYY
Torrez vs McNally
NYY 5 Bal 3

In the rubber match Baltimore got off to a fast tart claiming a 3-0 lead on a Boog Powell 3 run HR in the top of the first off of Mike Torrez. Unfortunately that would be all they would get on the day and it would not be enough.  With a 3-2 lead in the bottom of teh 8th, Baltimore went to the pen, calling on Dick Hall to shut down a Yankee threat.  Unfortunately he turned out to be an arsonist and not a not a fireman on this day.  With Mickey Rivers on second, Reggie Jackson tied the score with an RBI double.  Jackson quickly came home on a Greg Nettles HR and the Yanks brought home a 5-3 victory over the Os.  Both starters pitched well in this one, but Sparky Lyle shut down the O's bats for the save that Dick Hall could not get.

Great games all around, looking forward to the rematch.

--Mark Nixon--

'69 Cubbies exact some revenge by taking 2 of 3 from Amazin's

Game 1
Cubs 2 Mets 0
Seaver vs Jenkins

This one promised to be a pitchers duel and it did not disappoint.  In the top of the 1st and 3rd, the Mets would threaten to score, but each time Jenkins rose to the occasion and left the runners stranded.  IN the bottom of the 4th Mr. Cub singles and ex-Met Jim Hickman took a 1-2 Seaver fastball out of the park down the left field line to start, and end, the scoring in this one.  For the Day Fergie Jenkins would go the full way, striking out 12.  Seaver would last 6 before Nolan Ryan would come in to relieve.  Two outs later, Ryan went down to an injury  leaving DiLauro and Koonce to hold the  line for the rest of the game. The Mets would threaten one more time in the 7th with runners on first and third, two outs, but Jenkins struck out Tommie Agee.  Good tight game all around, one pitch was the difference.

Game 2

Mets 11 Cubs 3
Koosman vs Hands

As tight as the first game was, this one got out of hands (pun intended) midway through.  Koosman did not let up all afternoon and held the Cubs to 3 runs over 7 1/3.  The wheels really fell off for the Cubs in a disastrous 5th inning as the Mets plated 8 on 6 singles a walk and a Tommie Agee three run home run.  Tommie went 4 for 6 in the game with a double and a 3 run HR.  

Game 3
Cubs 4 Mets 3  
Genry vs Holtzman

After the previous days game, the scoring returned a little bit back to normal at Wrigley, except it wasn't.  In the bottom of the fourth Gentry was stung by none other than Ken Holtzman who lined a 2-2 pitch down the leftfield line for a HR on his first at bat of the KOD everyone else is now safe, that won't happen again) LOL.  IN the 4th Billy williams hit a two run shot to put the Cubbies up 3-0 after 4.  the Mets would pull back to within 3-2 after 6.5 on Boswell and Gaspar RBI singles  Glenn Beckert would increase the Cub lead to 4-2 with an RBI single in the bottom of the 7th which would prove to be the winning run as the Mets as Art Shamsky hit a 1 run shot against Cub closer Phil Reagan, but that would be all they would get and the series would end on a Cubs win.

Fun series, both manager are looking forward to the rematch at the end of the runway better known as Shea Stadium.

Mark
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85-TOR takes 2 of 3 from 94-CHW

Strange series in the 1st game Toronto had 4 errors early on and Steib was rocked at Chi Sox wins 8-2. Game 2 Toronto hit McDowell often winning 11-4, third game Jimmy Key pitched an excellent game bt Chicago kept threatening until Bill Caudill came in as Toronto wins 5-0. Thanks to Dan for getting this series in.

--submitted by Robert Chisholm--

'62 Giants take 2 of 3 from '67 Cardinals..

​Manager Bike Mike almost went to the wrong dugout as his 1962 Giants ventured to Busch Stadium to take on Brian Stokes and the 1967 St.  Louis Cardinals. The long-time Cardinal manager felt a little strange managing against the Birds-On-The-Bat.

His Giant team took some of the angst away early with a 7 run outburst in game one against young lefthander Steve Carlton, and reliever Joe Hoerner.  The incomparable Willie Mays homered twice, and the Giant version of Orlando Cepeda added a four-bagger to the 11 hit attack.

The Cardinals came back in game two behind Dick Hughes' four-hit, 8 strikeout performance to even the series. Lou Brock had 3 hits including an inside-the-park home run that Willie Mays made a dive for, but the ball skipped under his glove and bounced off the wall away from him.
​

Juan Marichal was the story in game three, throwing a five hitter and striking out 10. A balanced Giant attack put five runs on the board to give Marichal plenty to work with in the 5-1 rubber game victory. Nelson Briles took the loss in this one.

--Bike Mike--

77 Phillies take 2 of 3 from 76 Cincinnati

GAME 1 @ Cincinnati 

77 Philadelphia wins 3-2

Steve Carlton vs Gary Nolan

WP: Steve Carlton (1-0) 9 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K

LP: Pedro Borbon (0-1) 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K

SV: None

HR: Bob Boone (1), Joe Morgan (1), Tony Perez (1)

GW RBI: Richie Hebner

GAME MVP: Bob Boone (77 PHI) - 3-4, R, RBI, 2 2B, HR

Both teams scored in the 1st but then each pitcher settled in and threw up zeroes until the 7th.  The Phillies scored one in the 7th but the Reds matched it in the bottom of the inning to tie it up at 2.  The Reds bullpen struggled in the 8th and the Phils pushed across what turned out to be the game winner when Richie Hebner (1-4, RBI) drove home Garry Maddox (2-4, R).  Steve Carlton was not at the top of his game but was able to pitch his way out of trouble all night.

GAME 2 @ Cincinnati

77 Philadelphia wins 5-4

Larry Christenson vs Pat Zachry

WP: Larry Christenson (1-0) 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 4 K

LP: Pat Zachry (0-1) 6 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 6 BB, 1 K

SV: Ron Reed (SV 1) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

HR: Bake McBride (1)

GW RBI: Larry Bowa

GAME MVP: Ted Sizemore (77 PHI) - 3-5, 2 RBI

The Reds jumped out to an early lead but the Phillies were able to take advantage of Pat Zachry's lack of command to come back in th emiddle innings.  The big inning for Philly was the 5th when they plated 3 on 3 hits and a walk.  The Philly bullpen was strong once they were handed the ball with Tug McGraw, Gene Garber and Ron Reed keeping the lead over the final 3 innings.  

GAME 3 @ Philadelphia

77 Cincinnati wins 4-3

Jim Lonborg vs Fred Norman

WP: Rawley Eastwick (1-0) 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

LP: Tug McGraw (0-1) 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K

SV: Pedro Borbon (SV 1) 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K

HR: Joe Morgan (2), Tony Perez (2), Larry Bowa (1)

GW RBI: Cesar Geronimo

GAME MVP: Joe Morgan (76 CIN) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, HR

The Phillies were 6 outs away from completing the series sweep but the bullpen could not close it out.  The Reds lineup came up big in the 8th and 9th to push across 3 runs with Cesar Geronimo (2-4, R, RBI, BB) and Joe Morgan the biggest contributors.  Philly looked to have 1 last comeback in them but after Larry Bowa drove home Richie Hebner with a triple in the 9th to pull within 1, Pedro Borbon settled in to get pinch hitter Ollie Brown to ground out to short to end the game.

--submitted by P.Daly--

'14 Angels vs '13 Red Sox

Pedroia

Jacoby Goesburry

​Boston's offense started the season in high gear, scoring 23 runs over 3 games.  Their starting pitching was decent enough for the starters to get all three wins.  The Angels made each game close.

Jacoby Ellsbury (.462), Dustin Pedroia (.417), Shane Victorino (.455) and Big Papi (.400) all had their hitting shoes on.​

--sumbitted  by Tom Landers--