M's, Sox provide Golden Entertainment to Open KOD Silver Anniversary

Game #1, August 12

CHICAGO – Freddy “The Younger” Garcia (1-0), was dominant for Seattle in a season-opening 6-0 victory on the South Side of Chicago. Garcia had a no-hitter rolling until A. J. Pierzynski greeted him in the 6^th with a lead-off single. Meanwhile the Mariners offense had garnered him a 4-0 lead on a Mike Cameron RBI single in the 1^st, a 2-RBI double by Dan Wilson in the 6^th, and a RBI single by Ichiro Suzuki (3 hits), also in the 6^th. Garcia would leave mop-up duty to the bullpen after 7 1/3 IP. The Navigators tagged on two more runs with an IF out in the 8^th and a Stan Javier (1) belt in the 9^th. Mark Buehrle (0-1) stated and lost for the White Sox.

Game #2, August 13

CHICAGO – Mike Cameron’s (1) 8^th inning solo blast turned out to be the kind of insurance Seattle needed as they held on for a thrilling 7-6 winner. The Mariners pounded Sox starter Jon Garland (0-1) for 6 runs in the first 2 innings. Edgar Martinez doubled home Suzuki in the 1^st. In the 2^nd, Garland’s 3 free passes combined with 4 singles led to 9 batters coming to the plate and 5 runs being scored. Mark McLemore’s 2-run single being the biggest blow. Chicago’s Paul Konerko (1) got one back in the B2 with a solo shot off Navs starter Aaron Sele (1-0). Pierzynski (1) got 3 more back with a 3-run bomb in the 4^th. It remained 6-4 until Cameron’s clout made it 7-4, setting up a dramatic B9^th. PH Frank Thomas (1) greeted Arthur Rhodes with a long one to LF to start the inning. Joe Crede fanned and Pablo Ozuno was thrown out attempting to bunt his way on. Then Juan Uribe doubled and Scott Podsednik singled him home, 7-6. Kazuhiro Sasaki (1) was called upon, but he hit Aaron Rowand with a pitch after Podsednik had swiped 2^nd base. But there would be no joy at “The Cell,” mighty Jermaine Dye struck out.   

Game #3, August 14

CHICAGO –  Jermaine Dye was at the plate with 2 outs in the B9th with runners at first and second. Sound familiar? Slight differences - the score was tied 4-4 and Jose Paniagua was on the mound. BIG difference - Dye (1) didn’t miss a stitch of the baseball as he deposited it 437-feet away from home plate into the LCF stands for a 7-4 White Sox walk-off winner. Dustin Hermanson (1-0), at the end of a string of 7 ChiSox hurlers, was the winner. Ryan Franklin (0-1) took the loss. How did we get there? Starters Jamie Moyer and Jose Contreras locked in a pretty good pitcher’s duel through 6 innings with Chicago holding a 2-1 edge. Uribe (1) and Ozuna (1) had gone yard for the Sox. Crede (1) added another homer leading off the 7^th and Uribe added an RBI single to give the home club a 4-1 lead. John Olerud doubled in Martinez in the 8^th to tighten it up. Seattle led off the T9 with 3 straight singles from Al Martin, Suzuki and McLemore (3 hits) against two hapless Chicago relievers; Martin scoring on McLemore’s poke. Hermanson entered and got Bret Boone to fly out, but Martinez singled in Suzuki to tie the game. Olerud struck out and Cameron flied out to send it to the B9 tied at 4-4. Uribe (3 hits) hit a 1-out knock, followed by Podsednik’s single. Rowand flied out setting up Dye’s dramatics. 

D-Backs v. Cubs

Game 1:


Schilling v. Hendricks.


Cubs get a first inning  homer from Rizzo (then add 3 more runs), which proved to be all the Cubs needed as Hendricks, Edwards, Wood, and Cahill combine for a 2 hit shutout.  Cubs 4 D-Backs 0    


Game 2:


Johnson v. Lester.


This game a pitchers duel.  Both starters go 8 or more innings giving up no runs.  The Big Unit k's 13 over 8 1/3, while Lester gave up just 1 hit in 8 innings.  The game goes extra innings andin the bottom of the 10th Heyward singles off of Kim, then steals 2nd, advances to 3rd on a ground out by Szczur. The D-Backs bring the  infield in and  Flower hits a ground ball to short...the Cubs had the contact play on and Heyward beat Jay Bell's throw to the plate for the walk off win.   Cubs 1 D-Backs 0


Game 3: 


Arrieta v. Anderson


The Cubs jump on Anderson early and often scoring 7 runs in 5 innings.  D-Backs get a Grand Slam from Finley to cut the score to 7 to 5, but the Cub bats put up 4 more.  Kris Bryant was the star going 4 for 5 scoring with 2 hr's, 3 runs scored and 4 rbi's.


Cubs win 11 to 6.


Cubs starting pitchers dominated the series as they combined for 18.1 innings giving up just 7 hits with a 0.47 ERA.  

'82 Redbirds take 2 of 3 from '86 Amazin's

GAME 1 - Shea Stadium
Andujar vs Gooden
82-STL 4, 86-NYM 2

Darrell Porter's 2 run shot in the top of the 12th off of Randy Niemann broke a 2-2 deadlock.  The Mets didn't go easy as the loaded the bases with 2 outs in the bottom of the inning.  Cardinal reliever John Martin was able to get backup catcher Ed Hearn to flow out to shallow center to end it.

GAME 2
Forsch vs Ojeda
86-NYM 7, 82-STL 4

New York scored a run in every inning from the 3rd-8th. 

Bobby O went 6 2/3 giving up 1 run on 3 hits.  Jesse Orosco got the final 2 outs of the game for the save.  New York featured a balanced attack with 5 players getting 2 hits. Straw was given 3 unintentional passes.  Nails (2-3, 2 Runs) also walked twice.

GAME 3
Mura vs Darling
82-STL 2, 86-NYM 1

Steve Mura (7IP/0R) was a tad better than Ronnie Darling, who didn't pitch all that bad.  Mex knocked in a run, for STL, vs his future mates.  Mura knocked in the other run.  Bruce Sutter pitched a perfect 9th for the save.

98-ATL takes 2 of 3 from 88-NYM

The first two of this set were pitcher's duels, a split and went down to the wire. Well, game three went to the wire as well but with 29 hits and 18 runs scored. The Mets scored 4 runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 8 before PH Eddie Perez hit a one out 2 run homer to win it. Braves take the series 2-1.

I want to give a shout out to Fred Falzone, Mets manager, who waited 3 days to get our last game played as my work place fell apart with the sudden temporary loss of two key employees and I had to work 12-15 hour night shifts all weekend. Fred was exceedingly patient with me as a moving target throughout. This delay was all on me.

thanks

--eab 98 Braves--

Kansas City (80) takes 2 of 3 in Oakland (90)

​Game 1 matched Dennis Leonard and Dave Stewart. The A's punished Leonard for 9 hits and 7 runs in 7 innings, while Stewart game up 8 hits but only 2 runs in his 7 innings of pitching.  Terry Steinbach and Walt Weiss homered for Oakland. Felix Jose went 3-3 with 2 RBI. Willie Wilson had two singles and two stolen bases for the losers. Oakland 7-2

Scott Sanderson and Larry Gura squared off in game 2.  Gura pitched 7 innings allowing only 4 hits and 2 runs with Dan Quisenberry picking up the save with 2  no hit innings of relief. Dave Henderson scored both on Oakland's runs on Solo shots. Willie Wilson picked up a couple hits with 3 stolen bases and Willie Aikens hit a two run homer to lead the Royals to a 4-2 win.
​

The finale was pitched by Bob Welch for Oakland and Paul Splittorff for Kansas City.  Dave Henderson hit his 3rd home run of the series off Splittorff while picking up another hit along the way.  Clint Hurdle had the game winning hit for the Royals, a bases clearing double.  Welch pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing on 3 hits but walking 4 and giving up 4 runs. Splittorff pitched 8 innings allowing 5 hits and 2 runs before giving way to Quisenberry in the 9th (after yielding a lead off home run to Henderson). Quiz registered a 1-2-3 inning to pick up the save.

--​submitted by Orion Bell--​

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--