Sunday, December 12, 2010

Series 17: Kennedys take two of three from Obamas

Obamas 24-17, Kennedys 21-20

Pitcher use: Johnson and Seaver need three games, Plank and Marichal need two, Gibson and Nichols need one. Drysdale pitched one inning in finale

Game One: Kennedys 7, Obamas 5 (11 innings)
WP: Gibson (6-3)
LP: Gomez (3-3)
Save: Fingers (9)
HR: Bench (9), Brett (9), J. Robinson (2), Boudreau (5), Morgan (7), McCovey (6)

Game Two: Kennedys 4, Obamas 3 (10 innings)
WP: Marichal (5-4)
LP: Plank (4-4)
Save: Koufax (2)
HR: F. Robinson (12), Bench (10), Boudreau (6)

Game Three: Obamas 9, Kennedys 1
WP: Johnson (5-4)
LP: Seaver (3-5)
HR: Foxx (12), Schmidt (13), Yount (3)

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Two extra-inning losses to open the series did serious damage to the Obamas' chances in the Division A race, as they fall to third place, two games behind the Franklins, with three games on the schedule.

The Obamas trailed in the opener 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, but got back-to-back homers from Lou Boudreau and pinch-hitter Jackie Robinson to open the frame and tie the score. They mounted no further threat against Bob Gibson, however, and Johnny Bench tagged Lefty Gomez for a two-run shot in the 11th for the winning margin.

Gibson at one point retired 13 straight batters.

The Obamas never led the second game. They fell behind 3-0 after three and tied it on solo homers in the seventh by Frank Robinson and Boudreau. But they got just two baserunners the rest of the way, one on an error. Bench drove in Henry Aaron in the 10th for the go-ahead run, and Sandy Koufax retired Charley Gehringer with the tying run on second to end it.

The Obamas were held to just two runs in seven innings by Tom Seaver in the nightcap, but battered reliever Don Drysdale for seven runs in the eighth after Seaver gave way to a pinch hitter. The big inning was capped by Jimmy Foxx's grand slam.

Walter Johnson tossed a complete game six-hitter, striking out eight, in his best start since his season-opening no-hitter. Boudreau was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs; for the series, the Obama shortstop was 5-for-12 with five RBIs, two clutch homers and four runs scored.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Series 17: Teddys sweep Ikes

Teddys 26-16, Ikes 13-28

Pitcher use: Spahn and Mathewson need three games, Alexander, Ford and Lemon need two, Roberts and Brown need one. Newhouser pitched less than one inning in finale.

Game One: Teddys 9, Ikes 4
WP: TF Brown (7-2)
LP: Roberts (1-5)
Save: Rixey (3)

Game Two: Teddys 5, Ikes 3
WP: Alexander (3-6)
LP: Ford (5-5)
Save: Bender (8)
HR: Mathews (11)

Game Three: Teddys 5, Ikes 1
WP: Mathewson (5-4)
LP: Spahn (2-7)
HR: Speaker (4), Mathews (12)

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The Teddys took care of business and enter the final series of the schedule just a half game behind the Franklins in Division A.

They knocked Robin Roberts around early in the opener, tagging him for four runs in the first and a pair in each of the second and third innings. Three-Finger Brown was not as sharp as usual, but he was effective enough. Eppa Rixey got the last out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning.

The Ikes led the second game behind Whitey Ford all the way until the Teddys erupted for four runs in the seventh. Roger Bresnahan led off with a single, and Pete Alexander's bunt also went for a hit. Ty Cobb singled home Bresnahan to tie the game at 2. Alex was retired at the plate on Eddie Collins's grounder, but Honus Wagner walked to load the bases  and Tris Speaker singled home Cobb and Collins. Nap Lajoie's grounder plated Wagner, and the Teddys had enough runs to withstand Eddie Mathews' homer in the ninth off Chief Bender.

Christy Mathewson and Warren Spahn put on a good pitchers duel in the finale. Speaker's two-run homer in the fourth (it came with two outs) was the only scoring until after the Ikes pinch-hit for Spahn. The overworked Bob Lemon retired the first two Teddys in the eighth, but Hal Newhouser, brought in to dispose of the lefties at the top of the lineup, failed utterly; two walks and three singles brought in three runs. Mathews again homered in the ninth, too little too late.

Speaker was 6-for-11 in the series with seven RBIs, a home run and a double. Collins was 6-for-11 with four runs scored. Cobb and Lajoie each drove home four runs.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Series 17: Franklins sweep X-Giants

Franklins 26-15, X-Giants 17-24

Pitcher use: R. Foster needs four games, Grove and Mendez need three, Radcliffe and Vance need two. Tom Williams, Hoyt and Dean each pitched one inning in finale.

Game One: Franklins 10, X-Giants 3
WP: Vance (5-3)
LP: Mendez (3-3)
HR: Ruth (19), Monroe (4), Traynor (1)

Game Two: Franklins 3, X-Giants 2
WP: Grove (5-5)
LP: R. Foster (1-5)
Save: Dean (6)

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The Franklins kept the heat on their pursuers with the sweep of the flailing X-Giants.

The  Division A leaders rang up seven runs in the first inning of the opener, with Mel Ott contributing a double and a triple. He scored one run in the inning and drove in three.

Dazzy Vance went the distance, allowing three runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out eight. Double Duty Radcliffe went six innings of two-run relief for the X-Giants; the Franklins stranded 11 men against the scuffballer.

The second game was much closer. Rube Foster, who entered with a 7.38 ERA, held the powerful Franklins in check, allowing just one earned run in seven innings. But Lefty Grove allowed just three hits in his seven innings, and the score was tied at one when Pop Lloyd's two-out, two-base error allowed two runs to score.

Grove had to leave after a minor batting injury, and the X-Giants picked up a run in the eighth against Waite Hoyt, but Dizzy Dean locked down the ninth.

Babe Ruth was 5-for-8 in the series with three doubles and a home run. Ott was 5-for-10 with two triples and a double.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Series 17: Hilldale takes two of three from Garfields

Garfields 18-24, Hilldale 15-26

Pitcher use: Redding and Welch need three games, Byrd and Young need two games, Keefe and Winters need one game. Powell pitched two innings in finale, Rusie one.

Game One: Hilldale 4, Garfields 0
WP: Winters (2-5)
LP: Keefe (4-4)

Game Two: Hilldale 6, Garfields 5
WP: Byrd (4-6)
LP: Young (3-5)
Save: Cooper (6)

Game Three: Garfields 4, Hilldale 1
WP: Welch (4-5)
LP: Redding (4-5)
Save: Rusie (4)
HR: Wells (8)

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Hilldale got one of the season's best pitching performances in Game One, as Nip Winters spun a nifty two-hitter and faced just one man over the minimum.

Both Garfield hits came off the bat of King Kelly. Winters walked none and fanned only one, but just four outs went to the outfielders.

Hilldale pieced together a pair of two-run rallies off Tim Keefe, one in the second inning and the other in the ninth to give Winters a bit more breathing room

The Garfields jumped on Bill Byrd for two runs in the first inning of the second game, but Hilldale put up three of its own in the second against Cy Young, highlighted by Byrd's two-run single. Hilldale added solo runs in the third and fourth.

Andy Cooper got the last two outs with the tying run in scoring position.

Mickey Welch was solid in the finale for the Garfields, scattering nine hits over eight innings but allowing just one run, on a homer by Willie Wells in the sixth. A Judy Johnson error in the first inning opened the door for two unearned runs off Cannonball Dick Redding; Redding went six innings, allowing just one earned run.

End of Series 16

The standings:

Division A
Franklins   24   15  .615   ---
Obamas   23   15  .605   .5
Teddys   23   16   .590   1
Kennedys   19   19   .500   5.5
Ikes   13   25   .342   10.5


Division B
Crawfords   23   15   .605   ---
Homestead  20  18   .526   3
Garfields   17   22   .436   6.5
X-Giants   17   22   .436   6.5
Hilldale   13   25   .342   10

Player of the series: Ben Taylor, X-Giants
Pitcher of the series: Slim Jones, X-Giants


Series 17:
X-Giants at Franklins (2)
Ikes at Teddys (3)
Kennedys at Obamas(3)
Hilldale at Garfields (3)
Crawfords at Homestead (3)

Series 16: Kennedys take two of three from Teddys

Teddys 23-16, Kennedys 19-19

Pitcher use: Carlton and Waddell need three games, Mathewson and Seaver need two games, Marichal and Alexander need one game. McGinnity pitched one inning in finale, Fingers faced two batters.

Game One: Kennedys 5, Teddys 1
WP: Marichal (4-4)
LP: Alexander (2-6)
Save: Koufax (1)
HR: R. Jackson (4)

Game Two: Teddys 11, Kennedys 2
WP: Mathewson  (4-4)
LP: Seaver (3-4)
HR: Aaron (10), Bresnahan (2)

Game Three: Kennedys 4, Teddys 2
WP: Carlton (4-4)
LP: Waddell (3-4)
Save: Fingers (8)
HR: Baker (2), Cobb (2)

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A pair of tough losses for the Teddys drops them into third place in Division A, one game behind the Franklins and a half game behind the Obamas.

The opener was a taut duel between Juan Marichal and Pete Alexander, 1-1 after seven innings, but the Kennedys loaded the bases for the red-hot George Brett, who tripled and then scored on Hank Aaron's single.

The Kennedys had pinch-hit for Marichal in the process, and Don Drysdale relieved. But after the first two Teddys reached, Sandy Koufax entered, and he retired six straight Teddys, two on strikes, to secure the game.

The Teddys responded by pounding Tom Seaver for six runs in the second inning of Game Two and added another four in the fifth on Roger Bresnahan's grand slam. Christy Mathewson allowed seven hits in his complete game win.

Stever Carlton allowed a pair of homers in the first two innings of the finale but then faced just 19 men in the next six innings. He allowed seven hits and struck out seven. Rollie Fingers popped up Sam Crawford with the bases loaded in the ninth to end it.

Brett was 4-for-11 in the series with five RBIs.