‘67 Cards take 2 of 3 from ‘54 Jints

9/2 - Busch Memorial Stadium
GAME 1 - '67-Cards 3, '54-Giants 0
Larry Jaster (6IP) and Al Jackson (3IP) combined to shutout the Jints by scattering 7 hits.  Ruben Gomez only gave up 4 hits over 6 innings, but the Cards made them all count as they crossed home plate 3 times during that span.  St. Louis did all of their scoring in the first 2 innings.  In the first, after Roger Maris doubled with 2 outs Orlando Cepeda hit a 2 run shot to right center to start the scoring.  Gomez had control issues in the 2nd and walked 4 batters to force in a run.  Jaster was cruising along, but was removed after he threw 110 pitches by the 6th inning.  Al Jackson gave up only 2 hits over the final 3 innings to record the rare 3 inning save.
9/3-9/4- Polo Grounds
GAME 2 - Giants 1, Cards 0
Bob Gibson threw a dominant 2 hitter, but did not win this game thanks to the crafty performance put on by Sal "the Barber" Maglie who scattered 8 hits and threw a complete game shutout.  With no score in the bottom of the 7th the Giants would strike for the only run of the game.  Don Mueller barely missed a homer to lead off the inning, but Hank Thompson followed with a clean single to right.  A balk by Gibby advanced Thompson to second, but Willie Mays (who had issues with the bat all series) fanned for the second out.  Line drive hitting first baseman Whitey Lockman came up big by lining a double off the wall in left to score Thompson for the only run of the game.  St. Louis put a scare into Sal Maglie in the 9th when Cepeda hit one to the warning track in dead center field, which is the deepest part of the park.  Mays turned 180 degrees and made one of his patented over the shoulder catches to rob "Cha Cha" of extra bases.  Tim McCarver then flew out to the Say Hey kid for the second out.  Mike Shannon singled to center and Julian Javier walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 out and Maglie looking done.  With Dal Maxvill up the bespectled Dave Rickertts was summoned to pinch hit.  Maglie's first offering was just under Ricketts chin.  His next three offerings were on the outside corner as Ricketts was punched out on a called strike 3 to end the game.

GAME 3 - Cards 5, Giants 2
With the score tied a 2 heading into the 8th and both starters (Hughes & Liddle) already hitting the showers the Cards were able to take command by scoring 3 runs off of Giant reliever Marv Grissom.  Back to back jacks by Cepeda and Mike Shannon in the 8th put St. Louis up by 2.  An error by Hank Thompson and a ground out by Curt Flood in the 9th led to an insurance run for reliever Ted Willis, who notched his 4th save as both teams finished the series with identical 9-8 records.

‘20 Tribe takes 2 of 3 from ‘78 Bombers

9/2 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 1 - '20-Indians 2, '78-Yankees 0
Ray Caldwell tossed a 3 hit shutout in only 92 pitches.  Two of those three hits came off the bat of Graig Nettles.  Ed Figueroa (1-3, 4.45) gave up only 2 runs while going the distance, but those two runs would be more than enough for the economical Caldwell.  Cleveland scored in the 1st when Elmer Smith doubled home Tris Speaker with 2 outs.  Cleveland added it's second run in the 4th when Larry Gardner tripled home Tris Speaker.

9/3-9/4- League Park
GAME 2 – Indians 5, Yankees 1

Stan Coveleski went the distance allowing only a second inning solo run off the bat of Graig Nettles.  That solo run looked to be in good hands as Catfish Hunter was posting goose eggs for the first 4 innings.  Then in the bottom of the 5th the Tribe exploded for 4 runs when Ray Chapman hit a grand slam.  Cleveland would add an insurance run in the 7th when Doc Johnston scored on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

GAME 3 - Yankees 11, Indians 2
Dick "Dirt" Tidrow was the beneficiary of New York finding it's hitting shoes.  The Bombers finally turned up the offense in the 6th by scoring 5 runs to break a 2-2 deadlock.  Indian starter Bob Clark then proceeded to melt down.  New York posted 14 hits.  Willie Randolph went 3 for 5 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.  Every Yankee starter, except Tidrow, had at least 1 hit and 1 run scored.  Chris Chambliss hit a 3 run homer during New York's break out 6th inning.  Tidrow threw 146 pitches and left the game with oune out left in the 9th.  Rawly Eastwick easily got Tris Speaker to fly to left to end the game.

‘70 O’s take 2 of 3 from ‘91 Twinkies

9/2 - HHH Metrodome
GAME 1 - '70-Orioles 7, '91-Twins 6
Let the record show that Jim Palmer (4-0, 2.83) was the winner of this contest.  The record should also note that on most days giving up 6 runs in 9 innings isn't going to make you a winner.  Palmer had a nice 7-3 lead until the bottom of the 8th when Minnesota said, "game on".  The Twins exploded for 3 runs to cut Baltimore's lead to 1.  Minnesota actually led this one until the 6th when Scott Erickson departed after throwing 102 pitches and only giving up 2 runs.  Guthrie came on board and imploded by allowing 5 runs (4 earned) in 2+ innings of work.  Baltimore looks to have finally broken out of their teamwide slump in this 14 hit effort.  Davey Johnson and Frank Robinson both had 3 hit days.  Three Oriole starters (Johnson, Buford and Hendricks) are all below the Mendoza line.  Frank Robby is at .321.  Buford did hit his second homer of the season.

9/3-9/4- Memorial Stadium
GAME 2 - Twins 6, Orioles 0
The Twinkies jumped all over Dave McNally early and often.   Minny scored 2 runs in the 1st and 3 in the second and never looked back.  Allan Anderson was brilliant over 8 innings of 4 hit shutout ball.  When he tired Rick Aguilera came on in the 9th in a no save situation just to get some much needed work.  Minnesota was very efficient scoring their 6 runs with only 6 hits.  Three of those 6 hits came off the bat of one Kirby Puckett, who hit a solo homer in the 2nd, which was followed by a walk to Greg Gagne and a 2 run shot by Kevin Mack who barely missed a second homer in the 7th.  Baltimore's offense, which looked to be in break out mode in game 1 seemed to return back to it's season long malaise.

GAME 3 - Orioles 3, Twins 1
Minnesota ace, Jack Morris (2-2, 1.66) pitched decently.  Unfortunately for Morris Tom Phoebus (1-2, 3.67) pitched better.  Morris allowed 3 runs over 7 innings, while Phoebus allowed only 1 run in 7 1/3.  Baltimore jumped out to a 2-0 lead when their spiritual leader Frank Robinson hit a 2 run shot in the bottom of the first.  If Don Buford wasn't caught stealing it could have possibly been a 3 run homer.  Minny cut the deficit in half when Kent Hrbek hit a solo shot in the top of the 4th, but Baltimore answered right back when gold glover Brooks Robinson hit a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the frame.  Pete Richert and Dick Hall helped preserve Phoebus win, with Hall pitching a perfect 9th for his second save of the season.

‘08 Phightin’s win battle of PA over ‘71 Bucs

9/2 - Three Rivers Stadium
GAME 1 - '71 Pirates 3, '08 Phillies 2 (12 inn)
Both Dock Ellis and Old Man River Jamie Moyer pitched their hearts out and allowed just 2 runs.  Neither man would factor into the decision.  Moyer would go 7 innings and Ellis would make it 8 2/3.  Phillie's pen paid the price during this marathon contest that went 12 innings.  Durbin, Romero, Madson, Happ and Condrey would all see duty on the hill.  Pittsburgh was up 2-0 courtesy of a 2 run homer by Richie Hebner in the 4th.  The Phighin's never say die and when Matt Stairs hit a solo pinch hit shot to lead off the 8th the Pirate lead was cut to 1.  Ellis began to run out of steam in the 9th and with 2 outs Geoff Jenkins hit a pinch hit double to give Philly a glimmer of hope.  So Taguchi came on to pinch hit for Durbin and lined a single to center to score Jenkins to tie the game at 2 all.  It would stay that way until the 12th when with 2 outs J.A. Happ walked Pirate catcher Manny Sanguillen.  Banjo hitting shortstop Gene Alley doubled to left center to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. With reliever Dave Giusti scheduled to bat, September call up Richie Zisk was seen around the bat rack looking for lumber.  Zisk came to the plate and Condrey was brought in to face him.  Zisk seemed a bit over matched and was lucky to cue the ball toward second.  Chase Utley had to charge the ball and come up throwing all in one motion.  With Zisk's cue shot having more English on it than Buckingham Palace Utley couldn't find the handle and wound up airmailing it into the dugout as Sanguillen strolled home for the game winner.

9/3-9/4- Citizens Bank Ballpark
GAME 2 - Phillies 10, Pirates 4
The Pirates jumped all over Joe Blanton with 3 runs in the first and then scored a solo run in the 4th.  The visitors expected an easy victory, but the Phightin's never quit.  Philly scored a solo run in the 6th and 2 in the 7th to cut the lead to 1, then the floodgates opened up in the 8th when they scored 7 unanswered runs off of reliever Jim Nelson.  Interestingly all of the action occurred after Chooch Ruiz and Greg Dobbs grounded out weakly to 1st.  J-Roll singled, Victorino got on by and error charged to Jackie Hernandez at short.  Utley walked to load the bases and Ryan Howard did the same to force in the tying run.  Jayson Werth crushed a bases clearing double off the wall in right center to give the Phills a 3 run lead.  Consecutive hits by Pat "the bat" Burrell, Pedro Feliz and Chooch added more icing to the cake as the Phills turned this would be nail biter into a laugher.

GAME 3 - Phillies 5, Pirates 4 (16 innings)
What a way to cap off a great series that could easily branded "The battle of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania".  Pittsburgh carried a 3-1 lead into the 6th when rookie starter Bruce Kison faltered.  Philly scored 3 runs and just like that had a 1 run lead.  Pat Burrell had a 2 run homer and Jimmy Rollins singled home Coste who walked following Pat the bat's bomb.  Al Oliver hit a 2 out solo shot off of Romero to tie the game in the 8th.  The game  would go into extra innings and the it would really get interesting.  Baseball purists will echo the sentiment that baseball can be exciting even when the scoring isn't rampant.  The 7 extra innings that would follow would back up that claim.  In the top of the 11th Roberto Clemente tripled with 1 out, but Willie Stargell struck out thanks to Brad Lidge being brought in from the pen to reliever Seanez.  Hebner was given an intentional pass and pinch hitter Rennie Stennett hit a shot that Werth had to catch up against the wall to end the threat.  In the 13th Al Oliver led off with a double and moved to third when Clemente grounded out.  Stargell was given an intentional pass and with everyone on the edge of their seat Hebner hit into a tailor made 4-6-3 DP to end the inning.  With Kyle Kendrick on the mound Hebner walked to lead off the top of the 16th.  The next batter, Jose Pagan took one for the team on a pitch that many of the Philly Phaithful Phealt he could have easily have gotten out of the way from.  Sanguillen then hit a slow grounder to Utley, who's only play was to first.  That put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and pitcher Mudcat Grant batting.  With Pittsburgh's empty, Grant was forced to hit for himself and Kendrick was able to easily fool whim with a changeup for a called strike 3 to get out # 2.  That brought up Jackie Hernandez, who flew out easily to right field to end the threat.  With one out in the bottom of the 16th Jimmy Rollins lofted a ball just in front of Clemente in right for a single.  Grant began to worry about the fleet footed Rollins and threw over to first an number of times.  Sanguillen called for a pitch out, but nothing was going.  On the next pitch Rollins took off and easily beat Sanguillen's throw, which overshot Hernandez who was covering and went into centerfield.  J-Roll did not miss a beat and hopped up and turned for third, which he got to easily.   Victorino was given an intentional pass to create a double play scenario.  With the count 1-1 Grant jammed Chase Utley, but the slugging second sacker was able to fight it off and bloop one into left center to score Rollins and end this extraordinary 16 inning marathon.  Philly used a record 12 pitchers en route to victory.  Pittsburgh only used 8 pitchers.

‘98 Bombers take 2 of 3 from ‘73 Swingin’ A’s

9/2 - Oakland Coliseum
GAME 1 - '98-Yankees 1, '73-A's 0
Catfish Hunter just might be the best 2-2 pitcher in the league.  Sporting a 1.54 ERA the future HOF'er can't seem to buy a break or get his team's offense to support him.  Hunter had one less than perfect inning, and paid the price.  With no score in the game Chad Curtis walked with 1 out in the top of the 3rd.  DH Tim Raines struck out, but "El Capitan" Derek Jeter walked to move Curtis into scoring position.  Chuck Knoblauch sliced a single to right to score Curtis and make it 1-0, which is how the game would end.  David Cone kept the A's in check by giving up 1 hit in almost 7 innings worth of work.  The Yankee pen was able to hold the A's off the scoreboard until the 9th, when "Mo" came on to do what "Mo" does...crush the opposition's hope.  This time Mo actually made it interesting when he walked the leadoff hitter Gene Tenace.  DH Derron Johnson fanned for the first out and pinch hitter Dick Green singled to center.  Billy Conigliaro, who pinch ran for the lead footed Tenace, made a mad dash for 3rd only to be cut down by the soft tossing Bernie Williams in center.  Talk about shock.  The A's manager vehemently argued with the umps as everyone was in total shock that Williams, who's arm couldn't break a pane of glass, could throw out Conigliaro.  With 2 outs Rico Carty pinch hit for catcher Ray Fosse and walked to move Green to second, but Mo threw 3 straight hard cutters to Campy Campaneris to strike out the fleet footed shortstop to end the game and preserve the 1-0 group shutout.

9/3-9/4- Yankee Stadium
GAME 2 - Yankees 6, A's 2
El Duque' did not have his "A" stuff, but battled for 4 tough innings before he finally succumbed to injury.  The battle hardened Cuban refuge did not inform anyone that his left knee was killing him and tried to find a way to gut it out.  Once it started raining in the 5th and the mound became a slippery nightmare El Duque' finally couldn't take the pain and was replace by Ramiro Mendoza, who was outstanding.  The versatile Mendoza threw 3+ innings in relief and did not allow a run.  Darren Holmes notched his 2nd save of the season in place of Mo, who threw too many pitches the night before.  Oakland's Ken Holtzman could never get it going as the Yanks nickled and dimed him with a run here and there over 7 innings of work.  New York never issued the official knock out blow, but they did manager to score 6 runs in Holtzman's 7 innings of work.  New York produced 14 hits.  Jeter was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI's and Paul O'Neill and Jorge Posada each had homers.  Reggie Jackson went 2 for 4 and had a solo shot in a losing effort.

GAME 3 - A's 16, Yankees 6
G eorge Steinbrenner called Hideki Irabu a "big fat toad", based on the Japanese star's lack of performance on the grand stage called major league baseball.  The "big fat toad" allowed Oakland to post a big fat crooked number on the scoreboard.  11 of Oakland's 16 runs were charged to Irabu, who couldn't even make it out of the 4th inning.  Oakland posted 4 spots in the 1st, 4th and 5th innings.  Five Athletic batters (Bando, Fosse, Jackson, Kubiak and Mangual) all went deep.  Ted Kubiak was the offensive star of stars going 3 for 3 with 5 RBI and 2 runs scored.  Campaneris was 4 for 5 and Sal Bando was 3 for 5, which sadly raised his average to .169.  Vida Blue went the distance and was humming along until he gave up 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th, which was probably around the point where he lost total interest and the game was well out of reach.  Blue went the distance, while New York trotted out a host of no-name journeymen to eat up innings due to the "fat toad's" early exit.

‘55 Boys of Summer take 2 of 3 from ‘95 Braves

9/2 - Fulton County Stadium
GAME 1 - '55-Dodgers 13, '95-Braves 8
In this battle of crafty lefties both Tom Glavine (5 IP/4R) and Johnny Podres (5IP/4R) proved that they need to hone their craft a little more.  Balls were flying all over the "launching pad".  Shockingly only 3 HR's were hit.  Brooklyn looked to have had the game put away when Don Bessent, in relief of Podres, imploded and gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th to allow Atlanta to tie it.  With a runner on 1st pinch hitter Dwight Smith tripled with 2 out to cut Brooklyn's lead to 2.  A walk to Marquis Grissom and consecutive singles by Mike Devereaux and Chipper Jones tied the game up.  Heading into the top of the 9th tied the Braves were forced to once again rely on their unreliable pen and Brad Clontz came up small again.  Brooklyn's potent offense unleashed a 5 run barrage on Atlanta's embattled reliever.  "The Quiet Man", Gil Hodges led off with a double and was bunted over to 3rd by Jackie Robinson.   Sandy Amoros, pinch hitting for Don Zimmer singled home Hodges to make it 9-9.  Amoros stole second as reliever Clem Labine struck out for the second out of the inning.  Clontz then hit Pee Wee Reese in the ribs to put runners on 1st and second.  Junior Gilliam executed the perfect hit and run to score Amoros and make it 10-8.  "Skoonj", Carl Furilo put the nail in the coffin with a 3 run bomb to make it 13-5.

9/3-9/4 - Ebbets Field
GAME 2 - Braves 4, Dodgers 1
John Smoltz threw shutout ball over 6 innings and the beleaguered Atlanta pen was able to hold the vaunted Dodger offense to just 1 run over the final 3 innings.  Billy Loes was almost as good as Smoltz giving up just 2 runs in 6+ innings of work.  Clem Labine gave up 2 in the 9th to provide the Braves with 2 important insurance runs.  Javy Lopez was the hitting star for Atlanta going 2 for 4 for a homer.  Both Ryan Klesko and Marquis Grissom also posted 2 for 4 days.  Brooklyn had runners on 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out in the 8th, but Pedro Borbon Jr. managed to limit the damage to just 1 run to preserve the lead.

GAME 3 - Dodgers 9, Braves 3
Don Newcombe finally pitched an old fashioned quality game  vs a good offense.  Big Newk went the distance and gave up 3 and fanned 8.  Steve Avery, did not fare as well for the Braves.  Avery gave up 5 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings and was victimized by his team's poor defense (2 costly errors).  Brad Clontz threw the final 2 innings, and was purely kerosene on the fire as Brooklyn lit him up for 4 runs to put a close game out of reach.  Brooklyn scored 3  runs in both the 3rd and 8th innings.  Roy Campanella hit his 5th homer of the season and Carl Furillo hit his 4th homer, while going 3 for 4.  Both Campy and Duke Snider each had 3 RBI days and Pee Wee Reese had a 3 hit day.  Gil Hodges went 2 for 4 to increase his BA to .424. Junior Gilliam (.206) is the only Dodger regular under .250.

‘07 Bosox take 2 of 3 from ‘85 Royals

Game 1...Stop the presses, the worst team in the league actually won a game!! Frank White connected for a homerun as Bret Saberhagen pitched 10 strong innings to earn his second victory of the season.  Jorge Orta drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning. Royals win 3-2 in 10 innings. 

Game 2. Back down to reality.  Danny Jackson got crushed as he allowed 11 runs in 5.2 innings.  Mike Lowell drove in 4 runs and J.D. Drew had 3 RBI as the Redsox downed the Royals  11-0. Josh Beckett pitched 8 scoreless innings as he struck out 7 batters and walked none to earn his first win of the season.

Game 3. Another one sided affair in favor of Boston as they banged out 16 hits and knocked around Buddy Black, who still remains winless at 0-3 with a 5.75 ERA.  Tim Wakefield had a tough time too as Snyder earned his second win in relief.  Manny Ramirez, JD Drew, and Dustin Pedroia all collected 3 hits apiece in the offensive affair.  Manny also drove in 6 runs for a Boston 9-6 victory.

--submitted by Joey Scigliano--