‘54-Jints take 2 of 3 from ‘71-Bucs

8/29-8/30 - Polo Grounds
GAME 1 - '54-Giants 7, '71-Pirates 5
On a day when both starters couldn't make it past the 6th the long ball seemed to be the best weapon of choice.  Luke Walker started for the Bucs and was victimized 3 times by the Jints all in the 6th inning.  New York scored 4 runs in all to reverse Pittsburgh's 2 run lead.  With 2 outs Dusty Rhodes pinch hit for starter Larry Jansen and pulled one down the right field line to make it 5-4.  Alvin Dark was up next and he launched one off the top of the wall that wound up being a two bagger.  Don "Mandrake" Muller followed that with an almost identical homer to the one Rhodes hit and then the "Say Hey Kid", Willie Mays hit one that would have been a homer in any ballpark.  Marv Grissom would come on board and toss 3 perfect innings to notch his 5th save of the season.  Jansen, backed his way into his first win as he gave up 5 runs in 6 innings of work to see his ERA balloon to 10.50.  Luke Walkers 7 runs in 6 innings bumped his ERA to 8.10.  Willie Stargell hit a solo shot in the 3rd, but his average is hovering 10 points below the "famed" Mendoza line.

GAME 2 - Giants 11, Pirates 10
Call this one the shootout at Coogan's Bluff.  Starters Bob Johnson (PIT) and Jim Hearn (NYG) were long gone before the 6th inning ended.  Each provided nothing more than batting practice fodder to their opposition.  Pittsburgh carried a 10-8 lead into the bottom of the 9th with Nelson Briles working on 2 innings of shutout ball.  All looked good until Dusty Rhodes strolled to the plate.  Rhodes did what he does best, hit pinch hit homers.  For the second consecutive days he did just that to make the score 10-9.  Whitey Lockman was up next and he duplicated Rhodes' long ball to tie the game.  Mays, who already hit a 3 run shot in the 3rd, narrowly missed his second of the game and had to settle for a triple.  With nobody out Hank Thompson made the first out of the inning by popping up to Bob Robertson at first.  Monte Irvin was then given an intentional pass to create a double play opportunity.  Alvin Dark would have nothing to do with hitting into a DP and promptly pulled one down the left field line that Stargell caught right up against the wall at the 257 mark.  Mays, who was tagging, could have easily walked home as Stargell's momentum took him into the wall.  New York's 3 run ninth capped off a great comeback for a team that has been red hot taking 7 of their last 8 contests.

8/31 - Three Rivers Stadium
GAME 3 - Pirates 2, Giants 0
After 2 consecutive offensive fireworks shows the fans finally got treated to an old fashioned pitcher's duel.  Respective aces, Johnny Antonelli and Steve Blass hooked up in a classic.  Pittsburgh scored solo runs in both the first and second innings to start the game.  Veteran Bill Mazeroski singled home Dave Cash in the first and Manny Sanguillen, who reached on an error, scored on a ground out by Cash.  That would be it for the scoring as neither team would post a run the rest of the way.  Blass went the distance scattering 7 hits.  He really earned his complete game shutout when he ran into trouble in the 9th and got Davey Williams to ground into a game ending 4-6-3 DP with runners on 1st and 2nd.

‘03-Fish take 2 of 3 from ‘67-Redbirds

8/29-8/30 - Pro Player Stadium
GAME 1 - '03-Marlins 6, '67-Cards 4
The Fish jumped out to what seemed like an insurmountable 6-0 lead on the legs of a 5 run 3rd.  Lefty Steve Carlton was victimized for all 6 runs off of 11 hits in just 4 innings of work.  Chris Redman was cruising until he was touched for a solo run in the 5th and 3 in the 6th to make this game a game again.  Bobby Tolan hit a solo shot in the 5th and singled home a run in the 6th.  Florida recorded 5 consecutive singles in their big 3rd inning offensive explosion.  Derrek Lee went 3 for 4.  Pudge Rodriguez was 2 for 4 and barely missed a 2 run homer in the 7th that would have salted it away.  Braden Looper closed it out with a near perfect 9th.

GAME 2 - Cards 3, Marlins 0
Ray Washburn threw 8 shutout innings before giving way to the bullpen.  Ron Willis recorded his 3rd save of the season to preserve the shutout.  Juan Pierre had 3 of Florida's 5 hits as well as 2 stolen bases.  Curt Flood was 4 for 4 and scored 2 of St. Louis' 3 runs.

8/31 - Busch Memorial Stadium
GAME 3 - Marlins 5, Cards 4
Carl Pavano did not have it and was gone after 6 down 4-1 to the Cards.  He can thank that never quit attitude that his team has for bailing him out.  Nelson Briles was cruising until he gave up 3 runs in the top of the 7th as the comeback Marlins tied the game at 4 apiece.  A leadoff solo shot by Pudge Rodriguez started it all.  Miguel Cabrera's pinch hit sack fly scored Brian Banks who walked right after Pudge's shot.  Mike Lowell scored with the aid of a wild pitch and a single by Luis Castillo.  Florida came full circle with a solo run in the 9th when Lowell and reliever Braden Looper walked with 2 out and Luis Castillo singled home Lowell.  Ugeth Urbina replaced Looper and threw a perfect 9th for the save.

NY78 Wins series against Balt70

Game 1 Balt 2 NYY 1 (@ Memorial Stadium)

Mickey Rivers leads off with a HR for the Yanks.

Turns out that was also their last score of the game. Catfish Hunter and Jim Hardin both put in outstanding performances as starters for each team. Each only allowing 1 run for the g

ame. The birds scored one run in the second, and the winning run in the tenth inning on a Boog Powell HR off of Sparky Lyle

Game 2 NYY 4 Balt 3 (@ Memorial Stadium)

Dick Tidrow held Baltimore to 1 run through 7 1/3 innings., for a 3-1 lead. With the Goose pitching and the Yanks scoring another run in the top of the ninth the game should have been pretty muc h over. But Gossage didn’t have his normal stuff allowing 2 runs to score and the tying on third base, before he struck Don Buford out for the final out of the game.

Game 3 NYY 6 Balt 2 (@ Yankee Stadium)

Ron Guidry finally got his first win of the year to move to (1-3). Only bad pitch was a two run shot by Merv Rettenmund in the fourth. But the Yanks jumped on the O’s in the fifth batting around and scoring 5 runs for a 6-2 lead. Rich Gossage came on in the eighth to preserve the win for Guidry. Graig Nettles had 3 hits for the game moving him to .220 for the year, otherwise he be in the sub .200 group of Yankee starters like C. Chambliss, R. Jackson, and M. Rivers.

--submitted by Joe Mach--

‘08 Sahx sweep ‘91 Twinkies

8/29-8/30 - Fenway Park
GAME 1 - '08-Red Sox 6, '91-Twins 0
Jon Lester tossed 3 hit shutout ball for 7 innings, but wasn't allowed back out for the 8th because he had thrown 124 pitches.  Mike Timlin picked up right where Lester left off and blanked the Twinkies for the final 2 innings.  Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when Big Papi', David Ortiz, hit a 2 out 2 run shot into the bullpen in right center.  Anderson fully imploded when he gave up 4 runs to the Bosox in the bottom of the 5th.  With 1 out Manny Ramirez singled home Dustin Pedroia.  Captain Jason Veritek followed with an RBI single of his own plating Big Papi'.  JD Drew doubled home Manny and Varitek scored the 4th run of the inning on a sac fly by Coco Crisp.  The injury bug hit the Twin bullpen when "Bedrock", Steve Bedrosian left the game after getting 2 outs in the 7th.  He will be unavailable for at least 2-3 days pending examination.

GAME 2 - Red Sox 6, Twins 3
Jack Morris battled hard for 6 innings in a game where he did not have anything.  To his credit Morris used all the guts and guile he could muster to keep his team in the game.  When he exited the Twins were down 4-3, but their depleted bullpen caused then to use Terry Leach who got knocked around for 2 runs in 2 innings, which basically put the game away for Boston.  Tim Wakefield started for the Sahx and gave up 3 runs before leaving with 1 out in the 7th.  Hideki Okajima threw 2 spotless innings of relief and Jonathan Papelbon closed it out by getting the final 2 outs in the 9th for his 4th save of the season.  With Minnesota up 3-2 the Bosox posted 2 runs to take the lead for good in the bottom of the 5th.  With one out Mike Lowell tripled to right center and Big Papi' doubled him in off a sky shot that hit the Monstah'.  Manny singled Papi' home, but the fans were not happy with the fact that he didn't take 2nd on the throw to the plate that narrowly missed getting Papi'.  Boston's 2 runs in the 8th came with 2 out when Crisp singled Varitek (who doubled) in and Juli Lugo doubled home Crisp on a perfectly executed hit and run.

8/31 - HHH Metrodome
GAME 3 - Red Sox 5, Twins 4
Curt Schilling left his ketchup packets home, but still brought his veteran guts and guile.  Shill struck out only 1 batter in 8 innings of work, which verifies that his velocity was not there.  He still found a way to keep the Twin bats off stride by only giving up 3 earned runs while throwing 133 pitches.  Conversely his opposing number Kevin Tapani was downright awful.  "Taps" put his team behind the 8 ball in the top of the first by yielding 4 runs to the Bosox.  Three hits + three walks = 4 runs against.  To their credit the Twin offense came alive and cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the 1st with 2 runs.  A 2 out double by Brian Harper scored Kirby Puckett and a rare error by Pedroia on a Gene Larking hump back liner allowed Harper to score.  Tapani was gone before the 3rd inning was over, which taxed the depleted Twin pen even further.  Abbott came on to pitch 3 1/3 innings and give up just a solo run in the 4th without Boston notching a hit.  Before Abbott finally settled down he walked 4 consecutive batters to allow a run.  Once he settled down he was able to get 3 outs in a row and minimized the damage.  Striking out Manny and Youk to end the inning was big time clutch.  Rick Aguilera, who usually closes, was forced to pitch the final 3 innings for the Twins.  "Aggie", who spent 5 seasons starting for the Mets, knows how to pace himself and he was perfect over those 3 innings, which allowed his offense a chance to get back into it.  That chance occurred in the bottom of the 8th when Gene Larkin hit a 2 run homer to make the score 5-4 Boston.  By that point Schilling was running on fumes.  Mike Pagliarulo followed  Larkin and hit a floater to the right center gap.  Trying to make something happen, "Pags" turned and went to second only to get thrown out by a hair by Coco Crisp, who hustled his butt off to cut the ball off in the alley.  Greg Gagne grounded out sharply to Lugo at short to end the inning and Schilling's day.  Jonathan Papelbon came on for a perfect 9th to notch his 5th save and the sweep for the surging Bosox.

‘20 Tribe takes 2 of 3 from ‘05 Chisox

8/29-8/30 - League Field
GAME 1 - '20-Indians 9, '05-White Sox 1
Cleveland jumped all over an aged El Duque' real early and often.  Chicago was down 4-0 after 2 and 7-0 after 6.  Guy Morton went about his business for the Tribe allowing only 1 run on 6 hits in 8 innings of work.  Tris Speaker went 4-5 with a 4un and and RBI and 2 doubles to pace a 15 hit attack.  Leftfielder Jack Graney scored 3 runs from the lead off spot and Doc Johnston hit his first homer of the year as part of his 3 hit day.

GAME 2 - Indians 2, White Sox 0
Jose Contreras had a shaky 1st inning and it cost him the game.   Three consecutive hits to start the game for the Tribe made all the difference.  Graney led off with a double and was immediately singled home by Ray Chapman, who scored on a ground out 2 batters later.  Spot starter Bob Clark just might have earned himself a spot in this rotation with his 6 hit shutout performance.  The game was played in a crisp 2 hours and 11 minutes.  Clark threw only 67 pitches as he went the distance.

8/31 - US Cellular Field
GAME 3 - White Sox 4, Indians 3
Respective aces, Jim Bagby and Mark Buehrle took the hill in the series finale.  After 4 innings both aces yielded 3 runs.  Bagby was victimized by the "Big Hurt", Frank Thomas for 2 runs in the 4th when Chicago's DH launched one deep to right center and into the bleachers.  The score held at 3 until the bottom of the 8th when Iguchi sotle second with 2 out and was singled home by Pablo Ozuna, who replaced an injured Thomas.  Dustin Hermanson pitched a perfect 9th to save the game for Buehrle and prevent the series sweep by Cleveland.

‘98 Bombers sweep ‘85 Royals

8/29-8/30 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 1 - '98-Yankees 13, '85-Royals 2
The Bronx Bombers scored early and often off of Danny Jackson, who's defense didn't exactly help his cause with 3 errors.  El Duque', Orlando Hernandez, went the distance in this laugher and fanned 9 Royals.  George Brett continued his hot hitting (2-4, .341) during this dismal season for his team.  He's been KC's lone bright spot.  Heck, he even hit a homer.  Everyone, even the subs got a hit during NY's 18 hit barrage.  Jorge Posada's 3 for 4 / 4 RBI day paced the Bombers, who are still worrying about Derek Jeter only hitting .220.

GAME 2 - Yankees 1, Royals 0
New York can beat you with the bats and with the arms.  After a 13 run outburst yesterday their offense went cold, but there was no need to worry since Ramiro Mendoza and Hideki "Fat Toad" Irabu combined for a 5 hit shutout.  Mark Gubicza pitched 7 shutout innings before giving way to relief ace gone south Dan Quisenberry.  Quiz blew another game, his 3rd loss on the campaign, when he gave up a solo shot to Tim Raines in the bottom of the 9th.  The whole Bomber bench greeted "the rock" at the plate to celebrate his walk off dinger.

8/31 - Royals Stadium
GAME 3 - Yankees 4, Royals 0
The series shifted to KC, but the Royals offense still remained AWOL.  Manager Joey Scigliano just shakes his head in disbelief at the drought his team has been going through.  Charlie Leibrandt kept his team in it until the Yanks made it 4-0 with 2 big insurance runs in the 7th.  The "Boomer", David Wells pitched 1 hit ball into the 8th then gave way to Mike Stanton and "Mo".  Boomer carried the "no-no" into the 8th when pinch hitter Mark Pryor singled with 1 out to break it up.  The Bombers move to a league best 12-2, while the Royals fell to a league worst 3-11.

‘76 Big Red Machine sweeps ‘08 Phightin’s

8/29-8/30 - Citizen's Bank Ballpark
GAME 1 - '76-Reds 4, '08-Phillies 2
Kyle Kendrick was protecting a 1-0 lead when the Big Red Machine erupted for 4 runs in the 6th.  Red starter Santo Alcala led off the frame with a single and was doubled over to third by "Charlie Hustle", Pete Rose.  Ken Griffey Sr. doubled home both runners, then scored when Joe Morgan hit a two run shot to left center.  Philly scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning when J-Roll scored on a sac fly by Ryan Howard that was a hair away from being a 3 run homer.  Credit Cesar Geronimo for making a fantastic leaping catch against the wall to rob Howard of a game tying shot.  After that close call Alcala was sent to the showers and Pedro Borbon Sr. pitched the next 3 1/3 innings to record the save.

GAME 2 - Reds 9, Phillies 5
Brett Myers couldn't stop the Big Red Machine from scoring runs and was gone after six innings after giving up 5 runs on 11 hits.  Fred Norman (3-0, 1.96) did a masterful job of keeping the Phightin's off the board, sans an unearned run in the 6th.  The top of the 9th saw the Reds score 3 off of Ryan Madson to make it 9-1 and blow the game wide open.  Manny Sarmiento was tagged to finish out the game for the Reds and wound up yielding 4 runs to make this one look so close that Will McEnaney had to come on to get the final out.  George Foster had a 4 for 5 day with 2 RBI's and 2 homers for the Reds.  Geoff Jenkins and Chase Utley each had big homers during the Phills ill fated comeback in the 9th.  Dave Concepcion also went 4 for 5 for Cincy.

8/31 - Riverfront Stadium
GAME 3 - Reds 6, Phillies 0
In a battle of young lefty aces Don Gullett (7.2 IP / 0 R) got the best of Cole Hamels (7.2 IP / 6 R).  The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 4th when the Reds broke the ice with a Dave Concepcion solo shot to lead off the inning.  After George Foster singled with 1 out, "Doggie" (Tony Perez) lined a 2 run shot down the left field line to make it 3-0.  Two innings later the Reds struck again with the long ball.  Griffey Sr. and Foster led off the 6th with clean singles off Hamels.  Perez lined out to Utley at 2nd, so the runner remained at the corners.  Bob Bailey, who was playing left for the Reds, hit his second consecutive warning track shot.  This one however plated Griffey Sr., who strolled home to make it 4-0.  With HOF'er Johnny Bench getting the day off to rest, backup Bill Plummer decided to do his best bench imitation by launching a 2 run shot off of Hamels to make it 6-0.  Rawly Eastwick came on for the final 4 outs to share the shutout with Gullett in a very impressive outing vs one of the greatest offensive teams of all time.

‘55 Dodgers take 2 of 3 from ‘69 Amazin’s

8/29-8/30 - Ebbets Field
GAME 1 - '55 Dodgers 3, '69 Mets 2
"Oisk" (Carl Erskine) was tossing a shutout until the Mets finally broke through with 2 runs in the top of the 8th.  Have no fear, Karl Spooner and Clem Labine came on from the pen to not allow another run over the final 4 outs.  Brooklyn jumped out to a 3-0 lead off of New York's Jim McAndrew with 2 runs in the 2nd and a solo run in the 5th.  Consecutive 2 out singles by Sandy Amoros and Erskine plated Gil Hodges and Carl Furillo, who singled their way on.  Jack Robinson hit one to the base of the wall that Ron Swoboda swallowed up to prevent a 3 run homer.  Eddie Kranepool hit a 2 run homer off Oisk to make the game very close.

GAME 2 - Dodgers 5, Mets 1
Late season call up Roger Craig again impressed the Brooklyn faithful with 6 innings of shutout ball.  Craig only threw 88 pitches over those 6 innings, but was removed from the game for precautionary purposes.  Hughes and Ed Roebuck finished out the final 3 innings.  Don Cardwell started for the Amazin's but was tagged for 4 runs in the 4th and was replaced by a young flame thrower from Alvin, Texas named Nolan Ryan.  Ryan fanned 6 in 4 innings of scoreless relief, but the dye was already caste.  Duke Snider hit his 5th homer of the year, a solo shot in the 1st.  Don Hoak doubled home 2 runs in the Dodgers' big 4th inning.  Don Clendenon's 7th inning leadoff homer accounted for New Yorks only run on the day.

8/30 - Shea Stadium
GAME 3 - Mets 2, Dodgers 1 (11 inn)
"The Franchise", Tom Seaver was outstanding for 8 innings, but gave up a solo run in the 9th when Gil Hodges scored on a double play.  New York's 1-0 lead, which came on a suicide squeeze play executed to perfection by Ken Boswell couldn't hold up.  Brooklyn's Don Newcombe was in for the duration and pitched equally as brilliant as Seaver.  Newk fanned 8 and Seaver fanned 7.  Tom Terrific was done after 10 innings and Ron Taylor and Tug McGraw combined for a perfect 11th inning.  Newk gave up a 1 out single to Wayne Garrett in the 11th, then got Cleon Jones to line out back to the box for out #2.  Ed Kranepool walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd which set the stage for Art Shamsky who delivered a walk off single to win it.

‘46 Redbirds take 2 of 3 from ‘65 Dodgers

8/29-8/30 - Sportsman Park
GAME 1 - '46-Cards 3, '65-Dodgers 2 (10 inn)
Johnny Podres had his first good outing of the season (7.1 IP/2 ER), but when pitching for the offensively challenged Dodgers you have to be almost perfect.  Max Lanier went 9 and also gave up 2, so the game headed to extras where St. Louis would win in the bottom of the 10th when Dick Sisler tripled off off reliever Bob Miller with 1 out.  With the infield drawn in Red Schoendienst hit a one hop bullet to Jim Lefebvre at second.  Since LA had the infield drawn in Sisler was forced to hold at third.  With 2 out Miller looked like he was going to get out of it, but Whitey Kurowski singled sharply to center to win it.

GAME 2 - Cards 6, Dodgers 2
Spot starter Nick Willhite never found his spots as the Cards torched him for 5 runs over the first 3 innings, including a 3 spot in the bottom of the 1st where St. Louis batted around.  Willhite was wild in the strike zone as evidenced by the two doubles he gave up.  He was also wild outside the strike zone as evidenced by the 3 consecutive walks he issued.  Two of those walks came with the bases loaded and yielded key runs.  Shortstop Marty Marion added a solo shot in the 3rd to help hasten Willhite's departure.  All the while Cardinal starter Red Munger went about his business in a workmanlike fashion.  Munger went 6 innings, while giving up 2 runs and fanning 5 before Ken Burkhart came on board to record the rare 3 inning save.  LA had only 5 hits on the day with 2 of them coming off of Willhite's bat.

8/30 - Dodger Stadium
GAME 3 - Dodgers 1, Cards 0
When in doubt send KOD9's NL Cy Young award winner, Don Drysdale to the hill for a victory.  Double D scattered 6 hits in this complete game shutout effort.  The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the 4th when Junior Gilliam led off with a clean single off of Hal Brecheen.  Ron Fairly botched his bunt attempt and forced Gilliam at 2nd.  Jim Lefebvre single to put runners at the corners with 1 out and the normally sure handed Red Schoendienst booted a hard 2 hopper off the bat of Wes Parker to allow Fairly to score.  Al Ferrara hit into a DP to end the inning.  St. Louis had a man on 3rd in the 6th with 2 out when Stan Musial doubled and went to third on a wild pitch, but Enos "Country" Slaughter popped out to first to end St. Louis' chances.  The Cards also had runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out in the 8th, but Drysdale was able to get back to back HOF'ers (Musial/Slaughter) to line out hard to third and second respectively.

Tigers sweep A’s to start season at 12-2

Friday August 29 at Tiger Stadium.  With Dave Bergman injured, the Tigers called up Randy O'Neal from their Triple-A affiliate, Evansville, where he had been 9-10 with a 3.57 era and immediately gave him the start in today's game.  O'Neal, the Tigers first round draft pick in the June 1981 supplemental draft (15th overall) showed that perhaps he had the stuff to stay in the majors for awhile as he allowed only two hits and one run over 6 and two thirds innings.  The Tigers scored two in the second inning courtesy of a dropped fly ball by A's centerfielder Billy North and Rupert Jones' third homer of the season.  The A's only run came in the 7th when Deron Johnson singled home Reggie Jackson who had walked and taken second on a wild pitch.  O'Neal got the win (1-0, 1.35) with relief help from Aurelio Lopez and Willlie Hernandez (2 saves, 0.00)  Blue Moon Odom took the loss (0-2, 8.05)  Tigers 2  Athletics 1

Saturday August 30 at Tiger Stadium.  The A's scored first on back to back doubles by Gene Tenace and Johnson in the second inning.  After that, neither team could break through against starters Kenny Holtzman and Juan Berenguer until the 8th.  Each starter entered the 8th, neither finished it out.  In the top of the 8th, with one out, Berenguer walked Billy North and that was it for Juan.  Doug Bair came in to strike out Joe Rudi for the second out, but along the way, allowed North to steal second (5).  With two out, Tiger manager Crash Davis wanted no part of Reggie Jackson and had him walked intentionally to face Sal Bando who came into the game boasting a horrific .111 average and had already gone 0 for 2.  Bando made Davis look like an idiot as he singled up the middle to give the A's a 2 run lead.  After the runners moved up on the throw to the plate, Davis had Bair intentionally walk Tenace who had been 2 for 3 in the game.  This time it worked as Deron Johnson struck out with the bases full.  In  the bottom of the 8th, Holtzman gave up a lead off single to Lou Whitaker and then gave way to Rollie Fingers.  Fingers struck out Alan Trammell but pinchhitter Darrell Evans doubled to right center, moving Sweet Lou to third.  A's manager Marc Weiss toyed with the idea of walking Lance Parrish but decided to pitch to him.  He should have walked him as "The Big Wheel" singled Whitaker home.  Fingers settled down and got the next two Tigers to take a 2-1 lead into the 9th.  In the bottom of the ninth, Kirk Gibson was summoned from the bench to pinch hit for lead off batter Rusty Kuntz.  Gibby had again been benched against a leftie and just like he did earlier in the year, he took out his frustration at the benching on the opposing pitcher, slamming his third homer of the season to send the game into extra innings.  In the bottom of the 10th, with one out, Larry Herndon and Chet Lemon both singled and then Gibby came to the plate again and, once again, came through, singling to right to score Herndon and end the game.  After the game, Gibby was heard to say, "I guess I can understand why I am not playing everyday, what with a .188 average and all but #$%$#%^& I want to play.  Maybe Crash will figure out that I can come through in the clutch."  Doug Bair got the win  (2-0, 0.82).  Rollie Fingers took the loss (0-1, 2.84, 1 blown save)  Tigers 3  Athletics 2

Sunday August 31, at Oakland Coliseum.  With two one run games already in the series, and Jack Morris facing Vida Blue, one would have thought this would also be a close game.  It wasn't.  Blue got the first two Tigers, but then gave up singles to Herndon and Parrish, walked Evans and the gave up two more singles to Lemon and Barbaro Garbey.  The end result was Morris taking the mound with a 4-0 lead.  It looked like Morris was going to give it all back as Campy Campaneris and North opened the frame for the A's with singles.  But Rudi hit into a double play and though it scored a run, it ended the Athletic offense.  The A's would not  reach Morris again until the 9th when Bando would hit his first homer of the season.  In between A's pitchers gave up 13 hits and 10 walks, including two homers to Alan Trammell (2,3).  5 Tigers had multiple hit games with Herndon going 4-5 and Lemon getting 3 hits.  Evans walked three times giving him 15 on the season in 45 official at bats.  Morris got the win (3-0, 2.45)  Blue took the loss (1-3, 6.53)  Tigers 13  Athletics 2 

--submitted by Tom “Crash” Davis--

League Leaders after Week #3

 

Standings after Week #3

Bosox take 2 of 3 in no-so-heated NY/BOS rivalry series

8/26-8/27 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 1 - '07-Red Sox 5, '78-Yankees 3
Tied 3-3 going into the 9th the Bosox got a 2 run homer by Coco Crisp off of reliever Sparky Lyle.  JD Drew opened the inning with a single off of starter Ron Guidry, who was immediately lifted for Lyle.  Boston starter Curt Schiling was gone after 7 1/3 innings of 3 run work.  Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless perfect bottom of the 9th to get his 3rd save of the season.  Gary Thomasson hit 2 homers in a losing effort for the Bombers.

GAME 2 - Yankees 5, Red Sox 4
Josh Beckett started off behind the 8 ball when he gave up 3 quick runs to the Bombers in the bottom of the first where New York batted around.  Mickey Rivers led off with a two bagger and Willie Randolph single him over to third.  The captain, Thurman Munson, scored Rivers with a ground out to 3rd.  Chris Chambliss walked to put runners on the corners.  A Graig Nettles sac fly and a bases loaded walk to Roy White accounted for two more runs.  Boston didn't curl up in a ball and go away.  Solo runs in the 2nd and 7th plus a 2 spot in the 6th made it a 1 run game.  Chambliss hit a solo shot in the 3rd and Nettles solo shot in the 6th was the difference maker.  Yankee starter Ed Figueroa went 7 1/3 and gave up 4 runs (3 earned).  Goose Gossage came on board for the final 5 outs to get the save while fanning 3.

8/28 - Fenway Park
GAME 3 - Red Sox 5, Yankees 0
Dice-K Matsuzaka had a two hit shutout over 7 innings before giving way to the Red Sox pen, which was equally as perfect.  Jim Beattie started for the Bombers, but never got past the 4th inning as he gave up all 5 runs on 10 hits.  Ken Clay threw the final 4+ innings and didn't yield a run, but the dye was already cast thanks to a huge 4 run 4th inning by the Sahx.  Six Boston players had multi-hit games.  Manny Ramirez was 3 for 5 and upped his season  average to .304.  "Sweet" Lou Piniella had 2 of New York's 3 hits on the day.  The Yankees are being killed by their middle order sluggers.  Nettles is hitting a frigid .158 and Reggie is 6 points under the Mendoza line.  With both teams under .500 this "greatest rivalry" series didn't have the normal impact that it usually has.