61 Bombers sweep 69 O's.

The 1961 Yankees completed an improbable sweep of the 1969 Baltimore Orioles, a club that had clinched the division title coming in to the series. The sweep was the culmination of a second half turn-around on the part of the Yankees, who stood at 10-11 just past the midway point after dropping 2 of 3 to the lowly ’77 Angels.

Pitching keyed the sweep, with starters Rollie Sheldon, Whitey Ford and Ralph Terry all turning in dominant efforts. Elston Howard’s three run homer broke up a 2-2 game in the opener, as the Yankees went on to win 8-4.

Whitey Ford scattered four hits through 9 innings in game two, but Mike Cuellar was almost as tough and the game went to the bottom of the ninth tied 1-1. Eddie Watt was on the mound for Baltimore, and got the first two Yankee hitters. Yogi Berra was called on to hit for Hector Lopez, and singled. Clete Boyer worked a walk, and John Blanchard came on to hit for Ford. Blanchard turned on a 2-2 pitch and yanked it into the left field bleachers for a game winning 3 run homer – what might be referred to a “walk off” homer in the future. Super-sub Blanchard finished the season with a .355 average, and 9 homers, only one shy of glorified teammates Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.

Game three saw the Yankees win 5-1 over Dave McNally, as Howard hit another home run and Roger Maris had a clutch, two out two run single.

The Orioles will remain a favorite to win the KPD25 AL pennant, but the Yankees hope to continue their second half success in to the post season.

Bike Mike

'74 Dodgers sweep '69 Amazin's to even their record at 20-20

Shea Stadium
GAME 1
Rau vs Koosman
74-Dodgers 3, 69-Mets 2

The 17-20 Dodgers headed back east to their NYC roots to face the '69 Amazin's (15-22).  The series opener featured a battle of portsiders.  LA got on the board first when Davey Lopes singled with one out in the 3rd and promptly swiped second.  Billy Bucks was rewarded with his patience at the plate with an RBI single to make it 1-0.  NY tied up the game in the home half of the 4th on a solo homer by Cleon Jones.  The Dodgers scored 2 in the 5th to take a 3-1 lead over a New York team that doesn't score many runs.  LA's Doug Rau tired after 7 1/3 solid innings and handed the ball off to everyday reliever Mike Marshall, who got out of the inning without any damage.  In the bottom of the 9th Eddie Kranepool worked out a pinch hit lead off walk off of Marshall, but backup catcher Duffy Dyer grounded into a rally killing DP.  Lefty Art Shamsky came to the plate as a pinch hitter for Buddy Harrelson and smashed a line shot homer over the 338 marker in right field.  Sadly for the Amazin's Wayne Garrett grounded out weakly to short to end the game.

GAME 2
Sutton vs Ryan
Dodgers 11, Mets 9 (11 inn)

In a battle of future HOF'ers neither man would factor into the decision.  Ryan, who rubbed up a nasty blister, made a quick exit with 2 outs in the 4th.  Sutton would last into the 7th, but he was yielding more runs than a 6 pack of burritos from Taco Bell.  Both teams' offense got on track today in this see saw battle.  New York was protecting a one run lead heading into the 9th, but pen ace Ron Taylor gave up a one out solo homer to Ron Cey to tie it.  Neither team scored in the 10th.  LA would score 3 times in the 11, with 2 runs coming off a tape measure shot by catcher Joe Ferguson.  New York wasn't going to go easy in the bottom of the 11th as Mike Marshall (3.2 IP) began to tire.  After Cleon Jones led off the inning with a single, Rocky Swoboda got caught looking.  PH Bobby PFeil singled to bring the tying run to the plate in the form of Eddie Kranepool, who doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd.  With Jones scoring easy the Dodgers were holding on tightly to their season and a 2 run lead with relief ace Marshall fading faster than a Sunday golfer's tee shot.  Knowing that Marshall was at the end of the line LA brough in knuckleballer Charlie Hough who saved the day by fanning Grote and Harrelson.

GAME 3
Zahn vs Seaver
Dodgers 6, Mets 5 (13 inn)

With their season on the line the Dodgers had to choose between rookie southpaw Geoff Zahn and veteran southpaw Al Downing.  Zahn had been used primarily out of the pen, while Downing was the team's swing man.  Since Tommy John went down with an elbow injury that most won't even remember minutes from now, the team had to choose another lefty.  Zahn got the call, but it wouldn't be easy since his opposing number turned out to be "The Franchise", Tom Seaver.  With the score 2-1 LA after 4 1/2 innings of play the Amazin's jumped all over Zahn and scored 4 runs to go up 5-2.  If NY has vintage Seaver the game is over.  It sure looked that way until the top of the 8th.  Buckner led off the inning with a walk and stoke second, then scored off a Wynn single.  Ferguson walked, but was thrown out at the plate on Willie Crawford's double.  Wynn scored to make it 5-4.  With 2 out Cey singled home Crawford to tie the game.  Zahn would exit in the 8th thankful that the game was tied.  Veteran reliever Jim Brewer got the final 2 outs in the inning.  Neither team scored in the 9th and the game headed toward extra innings.  Seaver would pitch 10 innings before giving way to spot starter Jim McAndrew.  LA also went to a spot starter, lefty Al Downing, who proceeded to blank NY in 5 innings of relief ball.  Finally in the top of the 13th Ron Cey hit a solo shot with 2 outs over McAndrew to put LA up by one.  LA continued to go with Downing to finish off the game since he was in a groove and closer Mike Marshall had thrown 70 pitches the two previous nights.  Downing got PH Al Weis to ground out to short.  Buddy Harrelson single with one out, but PH Jerry Grote hit into a tailor made 4-6-3 DP to end the game and NY's season.  LA managed to even their record at 20-20 with this 3 game sweep, which gives them an outside shot at a wild card.

05 Chicago Hangs Pair of W-hite Sox on 14 Halos

Joe Crede

Game #1
CHICAGO -- Joe Crede (5) cracked a 2-run 2nd inning home run off Tyler "Boz" Skaggs (1-1). It proved enough as Jose Contreas (3-3), Cliff Politte, Neal Cotts ad Bobby Jenks (1) held LA-Anaheim to just 2 hits and a 3-1 White Sox winner. One of the Angels hits was a HR by Mike Trout (6). Chicago tallied its final run with a Paul Konerko (8) solo shot in the 8th.

Hank Conger

Game #2
CHICAGO -- Hank Conger belted a PH run-scoring double in the 7th and came in to score as the Angels broke a 1-1 tie. Making all the right moves in this one, manager Dovid Zaner called on Gordon Beckham (1) to pinch hit and he hit a 2-run blast to make the final 5-1. Kevin Jepsen (3-1) was credited with the win in relief of Matt Shoemaker, who started and pitched very well. Spot starter Brandon McCarthy (0-1) also performed well for the Chisox in 6.2 IP.  Jermaine Dye, with 2 knocks, was the only player on either squad to have more than 1 hit.

Freddy Garcia

Game #3
CHICAGO -- Freddy Garcia (2-1) hurled 7 scoreless innings and the White Sox walked to a 6-2 win in the finale. Halos starter C.J Wilson (0-6), who has not fared well all season, surrendered 4 runs with walks and 3 hits in 4 IP. Albert Pujols (7) went yard off Cotts in the 8th for the visitors only runs. The Pale Hose tallied 3 runs in the 2nd on just 1 hit thanks to a pair of walks and 2 hits batsmen by Wilson. Carl Everett (2) added a solo blast in the 3rd as he led the offense with 2 hits and 2 runs scored. Halos second baseman Kyle Hendrick raised his season average to .341 with a 3 hit performance.

69 Mets v 69 Cubs

Game 1 at Shea Stadium

69 Cubs 11 69 Mets 5

A close 2-0 game, with Cubs leading, after 6 turns into a wild affair as
Cubs win 11-5. Mets bullpen collapses as first Nolan Ryan and then Koonce,
Taylor and McGraw are all hit hard. Starter and loser Jim McAndrew (2-2)
pitched will before getting into trouble in the 7th when the Cubs scored
four runs against him and reliever Ryan. Trailing 6-0, the Mets bats came
alive against starter and winner Dick Selma (2-4), scoring four in the
bottom of the 7th to make it a 2 run game once again at 6-4. The Cubs then
scored 1 in the 8th against Koonce and added four more in the 9th against
Taylor and McGraw to go on for the easy win.

Ron Santo was 3 for 5 for the Cubs with 4 RBIs. CF Don Young was 2 for 3
with a HR, 2 runs scored and 2 walks. Ken Boswell made 2 errors for the
Mets. Ted Abernathy picked up his second save of the season.

Game 2 at Shea Stadium

69 Mets 3 69 Cubs 1

Tom Seaver (2-4) had his finest outing of the season, pitching a solid
complete game, allowing only 6 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 3.
Ferguson Jenkins (2-3) also pitched a complete game, walking none and
fanning 7.

Cleon Jones doubled in Tommie Agee in the 6th to break a scoreless tie. In
the 8th, trailing 1-0, the Cubs tied it when ex-Met Jim Hickman hit a solo
HR (4). In the bottom of the 8th the Mets took the lead when Tommie Agee
(2-4) hit a solo HR (6). Wayne Garrett's RBI single provided an insurance
run. Agee made a sensational play in CF for the second day in a row to help
preserve the win.

Game 3 at Shea Stadium

69 Cubs 7 69 Mets 5

Jerry Koosman (2-3) did not have it on 3 days rest as he gave up 3 runs in
the fourth to allow the Cubs to take a 4-2 lead that they never
relinquished. Glenn Beckert was 2 for 5 including a solo HR, his first of
the year. Santo continued his hot hitting, going 3 for 3 with a triple and 3
runs scored. For the Mets, Wayne Garrett was 2 for 3 with a triple. Art
Shamsky was 2 for 4 with a HR and 2 RBIs.

The Mets trailed 5-2 going to the 6th when Shamsky's solo HR and an RBI
single by Kranepool brought them to within one, at 5-4. But the Cubs came
back with 2 in the 8th as Cal Koonce failed once again in relief. The extra
two runs were critical as the Mets rallied in the bottom of the 9th, scoring
on an RBI single by Shamsky, but falling short.

Bill Hands (3-3) pitched 6 2/3 to get the win, allowing 4 runs. Phil Regain
pitched the final two innings and got his 5th save of the year.

69 Cubs are now 13-15. 69 Mets are 11-17, last in the Federal Division. No
team in the Division is over .500 as the season goes into its final three
weeks. Next: 69 Mets play the 62 Dodgers (14-11). 69 Cubs play a divisional
series against 74 Dodgers (12-13).

Phills get swept, while Halos split for this week's "Daly Double"

The schedule makers do me a favor 2 weeks in a row with lining up both my teams to face both of Jim's teams.  Unfortunately my team did me no favors with the 77 Phillies laying an egg, getting swept by Jim's 62 Dodgers.  The first game of the series featured a slugfest despite a Drysdale/Koufax matchup.  The 13-10 final score had Jim and I questioning the latest update.  But as the series played out it became apparent the latest release was not the issue, it was the Phillies pitching and the hot Dodger bats.

After being swept 4 straight with my "strong" Phillies team, I was expecting a complete 8 game blanking after 4 games with my struggling 77 Angels.  But my Halos came out strong with wins in the first 2 against Jim's 56 Indians before Cleveland took both ends of a doubleheader to earn the series split.  We were looking even better with Nolan Ryan limiting the Indians to 1 hit over the 1st 5 innings in the early game of the series closing twin bill.  The Angels clung to a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the 6th when the Indians tied it up.  But it wasn't until the bottom of the 8th when the Angels luck would run out.  Ryan tried to work his way through some wildness in the 8th but a Preston Ward pinch hit 2 run HR gave the Indians a lead they would not lose.  Despite 13 Ks over 7 2/3 innings, Ryan took the loss to drop to 0-6 on the season.  The crazy thing for Ryan was when he was finally pulled after his 165th pitch was ball 4 to Chico Carrasquel he was still 3 pitches under his 168 adjusted EPC and was still feeling "strong".  

Pete

69 Mets v 62 Giants

69 METS v 62 GIANTS

METS AND GIANTS SPLIT THE FOUR GAME SERIES

Game 1

SFG 15 NYM 11

An absolutely crazy game. Giants take 3-1 lead after one as Willie Mays
hits a solo HR (9) and Willie McCovey a 2 run dinger (2). Trailing 3-2 in
the 7th, the Mets explode sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring 7
runs. Cleon Jones doubled in two to put the Mets ahead 4-3. A bases loaded,
bases clearing, 3 RBI triple by Jerry Grote was the highlight of the inning.

The Mets led 10-4 going to the 9th and then the roof, and the bullpen,
collapsed. First Cal Koonce, then Nolan Ryan nad Tug McGraw could not stop
the onslaught as the Jints sent 15 men to the plate, scored 11 runs on 9
hits, 2 walks and an eror. The big blows were a 3 run HR (10) by Mays and a
2 run HR by Felipe Alou (7).

Gaylord Perry, the 5th of 6 Giants pitchers, got the win (1-0). Stu Miller
finished up. McGraw blew the save (3) and took the loss (2-2). Starters Jack
Sanford and Tom Seaver each pitched well but were not around for the insane
finish.

Game 2

NYM 3 SFG 2

The Giants scored 2 runs in the first off Don Cardwell and took that lead to
the 9th as Juan Marichal was cruising with a shutout. In the bottom of the
9th, Boswell led off with a single and took second when Cleon Jones walked.
Art Shamsky then hit a little nubber back to Marichal who booted it, loading
the bases with none out. Ed Kranepool then singled to the opposite filed
driving in two and tying the game! Wayne Garrett hit a grounder to first but
it was flubbed by Cepeda as the error allowed the winning run to score.

Marichal (3-1) took the tough loss. McGraw (3-2) got the win this time with
1 shutout inning, in relief of starter Don Cardwell who pitched well.

Game 3 1G DH

NYN 7 SFG 6

Another day and another crazy finish for the Miracle Mets. A great pitchers
duel between Gary Gentry and Billy Pierce as the game is tied 1-1 going to
the 8th inning. Willie Mays' 11th HR of the year was the Giants only run. In
the 8th, Cepeda (10) and Felipe Alou (8) hit solo dingers off Gentry to put
the Giants head 3-1 going to the 9th.

Tommie Agee led off against Pierce and bunted for a single. Then Bobby Pfeil
grounded one through the hole for another single. Two on and none out. Out
went Pierce and in came Giants relief ace Stu Miller. Cleon Jones greeted
Miller with a single to left to load the bases with none out. Shamsky then
drew a walk forcing in a run and making it 3-2 Giants. Ken Boswell followed
with a single to right driving in two runs and putting the Mets ahead 4-3!
Wayne Garrett then doubled in two more. Six runs in the inning and the Mets
were now ahead 7-3!

Nolan Ryan came on to pitch the bottom of the 9th and pitched a scoreless
frame as Ron Taylor (1-0) got the win in relief of Gentry. Miller blew the
save (3) and took the loss (2-2).

Game 4 2G DH

SFG 6 NYM 3

In the nighcap, it was the Giants turn to come from behind. Trailing 3-1 in
the 7th, and with Jerry Koosman cruising along, the Giants rallied. Willie
Mays got things started with a solo HR (12) to make it 3-2. Jose Pagan's RBI
single tied the game and then PH Matty Alou hit a sac fly to right to put
the Giants ahead 4-3. SF added two insurance runs in the 8th against Mets
reliever Ron Taylor. The Mets loaded the bases with nobody out in the 9th
but Stu Miller relieved Jim Duffalo and shut the door getting PH Rod Gaspar
to hit into a 123 DP to end the game. Don Larsen (1-0) got the win in
relief. Koosman took the loss (2-2).

69 Mets drop to 10-15, last in the NL Federal Division. 62 Giants are 12-13,
third in the NL Continental Division and still in the race.

Next up: Rematch time. The 69 Mets will host the 69 Cubs at Shea (Mets lost
2 of 3 earlier this season at Wrigley). 62 Giants travel to LA to play the
62 Dodgers (Giants swept LA at Candlestick earlier this season.

85 Cards-95 Braves Cut/Chop the Deck in Half

Game #1
ST. LOUIS -- John Tudor (5-1) won his league-leading 5th game, pitching 8 innings to defeat the 95 Braves 4-3. Ken Dayley (3) earned the save. Darrell Porter (1) led off a 3-run 3rd for the Cardinals with a solo shot off Greg Maddux (1-3). Jack Clark would add a 2-run single later. Chipper Jones (2) and Dave Justice (4) went back-to-back off Tudor in the 1st. Jones led all hitters with 3 hits.

Game #2
ST. LOUIS -- Tom Glavine (1-4) fired 7.1 IP of shutout ball for his first win of the year. Five other Braves pitchers followed, but all pitched goose eggs as Atlanta blanked the Cards 7-0. Mark Lemke was the only batter in the starting 9 without a base knock. Justice doubled home 2 runs in a 5-run 3rd inning explosion. Juaquin Andujar (2-3) started and lost for the Redbirds.

Game #3 (1st of DH)
ATLANTA -- Danny Cox (3-3) singled in a pair of runs in a 4-run 6th for St. Loo. He also hurled 7 IP in a 7-3 Cardinals winner. John Smoltz (1-3) 4 free passes in the 6th didn't help the Braves cause. Fred McGriff led all hitters with 3 safeties.


Game #4 (2nd of DH)
ATLANTA -- Mike Mordecai (1) doubled, homered and drove in 5 runs with his 3 knocks in a 6-5 Tomahawk win.  The normally light-hitting SS credited a diet of peaches and Coca-Cola. Uh-huh. His 3-run blast of Kurt Kepshire (0-4) in the 2nd gave the Bravos a lead they would not relinquish. The visitors drew within one run with a 4-run 8th. Brad Clontz (1) recorded the final out in the 9th to save the game for Steve Avery (1-3). Tommy Herr banged out 3 hits to raise his average to .330.