Stat break: 09 Phillies

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Bako                     5     0     0     0        0    0      0       0      0     .000
Brantlett               6     2     3     0        1    0      0       0      0      .500
Cairo                    4     0     1     0        0     0     0       0      0      .250
Dobbs                  2     0     0     0        0     0      0       0      0      .000
Feliz                   22     2     5    5        0     0      2       0      0      .227
Francisco             1     0     0     0        0    0      0        0      0     .000
R Howard          25     4   10     3        1    1      0        2      0     .400
Ibanez                22     4     5     4        0    0      2        8      0     .227
Rollins               14     3     2     1        0    0      1        1      2     .143
Ca Ruiz             20     3     6     6        0    0       2        3      0     ,300
Stairs                   5     0     1     0        0     0      0        0      0     .200
Utley                 21     3     7     6        0     0      2        5      0     .333
Victorino           25     7     7     4        2     0      2        4      1     .280
Werth                19     3     3     2        1     0      0        6      0     .158

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Blanton             2      2     14        14     2      2     4      10       0       2     0       1.29
Durbin               1      0       2         3     3      3      2       1        0       0    0      13.50
Hamels             2      2      12.3    16     6      6      2     17        0       1    1        4.38
Happ                 1      0       2          2     0      0      0      2        0       0     0       0.00
Lidge                4      0       3.3       4     4      3      2      1        3       0     1       8.10
Madson            2      0       2          1     0      0      0      2         0      0     0        0.00

P Martinez       1      0       5          4     0      0      1      5        0       0     0        0.00
Moyer              1      0       6          4     3      1      2      6        0       1     0       1.50

Meyers             2      0       3          0     0      0      0      5        0       0     0       0.00
Park                 2      0       2.6       5     5       5     2      5         0       0     0      16.91

Stat break: 69 Phillies

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
D Allen             23     4     8     6        1    0      2       3      0      .348
Barry                   2     0     0    0        0    0      0        0      0     .000
Briggs                 9     0     4     1        1    0      0       1      0     .444
Callison            21     4     9     2        1    0      1       2      0      .429
Harmon              5     1     2     2        1    0      0       0      0      .400
Hisle                 22     2     5     4        2     0     1       2      0      .227
De Johnson       23     2     7     3       1    0      1        1      0      .304
Joseph                 3     0     0     0       0    0      0       0      0       .000
Money              19     1     5     0        1   0      0        1      0      .263
Rojas                15     1     3     0        0    0      0       1      0      .200
M Ryan            10     0     0     0        0    0      0       0      0      ,000
Stone                  2     2     1     2        1    0      0       1      0      .500
Taylor              24     2     3     0        0     0      0      2       1     .125
Watkins            12     3     1    1        0    0      1        1       0     .083

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Boozer               2      0       3          6     6      6      3      2        0      0    0     18.00
Champion          1      0       2          1     1      1      1      1        0      0    0       4.50
Farrell                2      0       3          2     0      0      2      2        0      1     0      0.00
W Fryman         2      2     12        13     9      8    10      9        0      0     2      6.00
G Jackson         2      2        9        11     9      9      4      6        0      0     1      9.00

J Johnson          1      0       3          1     1      1      1      1        0      0     0       3.00
Palmer              1      0       2          3     0      0      1      3        0       0     0      0.00

Raffo                1      0       1          1     0      0      1      0        0      0     0       0.00

Wise                 2      2     17        13     4      4      7    11        0      1     1       2.12

George bracket: Phillies (09) defeat Phillies (69) in six games

Game One: 09 Phillies 6, 69 Phillies 4
WP: Hamels (1-0)
LP: G Jackson (0-1)
Save: Lidge (1)
HR: Callison (1), Utley (1), Feliz (1), Rollins (1)

Game Two: 09 Phillies 3, 69 Phillies 2
WP: Blanton (1-0)
LP: Wise (0-1)
Save: Lidge (2)
HR: Hisle (1), Ibanez (1), De Johnson (1)

Game Three:  09 Phillies 10, 69 Phillies 3
WP: Moyer (1-0)
LP: Fryman (0-1)
HR: Ruiz (1), Utley (2)

Game Four: 69 Phillies 5, 09 Phillies 4
WP: Farrell (1-0)
LP: Lidge (0-1)

Game Five: 69 Phillies 8, 09 Phillies 5
WP: Wise (1-1)
LP: Hamels (1-1)
HR: Vicarino 2 (2), D Allen 2 (2), Feliz 2

Game Six: 09 Phillies 3, 69 Phillies 1
WP: Blanton (2-0)
LP: Fryman (0-2)
Save: Lidge (3)
HR: Watkins (1), Ruiz (2)

Walks and home runs were the difference in this series. The 2009 Phillies drew 29 bases on balls in the six games while issuing 15; they hit 11 homers while allowing six.

Game One set the tone. The 09 Phillies got solo homers from Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz, and they built a three-run inning on three singles, two walks and a sac fly. Grant Jackson was chased after four innings, trailing 5-1, and the 69 Phillies couldn't make the margin up.

Game Two featured a duel between Joe Blanton and Rick Wise. Wise went the distance (eight innings) for the 69 Phillies, allowing three runs on six hits, Blanton went six innings, allowing two runs, and got three perfect innings of relief help from Brett Myers (two innings) and Brad (Lidge (one)

The series moved to 1969 and Connie Mack Stadium for Game Three. Jamie Moyer (who was actually alive in 1969) benefited from a fifth-inning bataround against Woodie Fryman. The 09 Phillies batted around again in the eighth against John Boozer to blow the game open. Utley had four RBIs in the game and Carlos Ruiz had three.

The 69 Phillies kept the series alive with a walk-off win in Game Four. Pedro Martinez got the start for the 09 Phillies and provided five shutout innings before leaving for a pinch-hitting with a 4-0 lead. Chad Durbin promptly gave up three runs in the six to get the 69 edition back into the game, In the ninth, Lidge retired the first batter, but then walked two men and committed an error to load the bases for Dick Allen, who singled home Ron Stone and Larry Hisle for the win.

Wise gave the 69 Phillies another strong start in Game Five, with eight innings of two-run ball, His teammates scored three runs off Hamels in the first two innings, then blew the game open with five runs against Chan Ho Park in the eighth. Boozer gave up three meaningless runs to make the final score look close. Hisle and Allen had three RBIs apiece for the 69 Phillies, Shane Victorino scored three runs for the 09 Phillies.

The 09 Phillies took the series back home to Citizens Bank Park for Game Six and took the series, period. Blanton threw eight shutout frames to outduel Fryman, and Lidge picked up his third save despite allowing a home run to Dave Watkins with two outs in the ninth.

Player of the series: Blanton, for his two strong starts.

Player availability: Hamels is on full rest for Game One, Blanton can pitch Game Two with penalty, Game Three without.

Projected rotation: Hamels-Moyer-Blanton-Cliff Lee or Martinez-(Hamels)-(Moyer)-(Blanton)

Stat break: 09 Braves

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Anderson            11     0     3     0        0    0      0        2      0     .273
Church                13     0     5     1        1    0      0        0      0     .385
Diaz                      4     1     2     0       0     0      0        0      0     .500
Y Escobar           17     0     4     2        0    0      0       2      0      .235
Infante                15     1     2     2        0     1      0       1      0      .133
K Johnson            7     1     2     0        2    0      1        1      0      .286
C Jones               16     2     3     1       0    0      0        5      0      .188
Kotchman             3     0     1     0       0    0      0        0      0      .333
An LaRoche       18     2     6     2        0    0      0        0      0      .333
McCann              19     1     1     0        1    0      0        1      0     ,053
McLouth             17     2     4     1        0    1      1        0      1     .235
Prado                  13     1     3     2        1     0      1        3      0    .231
Ross                     2     0     0     0        0     0      0        0      0     .000
Schafer                5      0     1     0        1    0      0        2      0     .200

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

M Gonzalez       2      0       4          3     1      1      0      4        0      0    0       2.25
T Hanson           1      1       5          9     7      7      6      5        0      0     1    12.60
Jurrjens              1      1       6         5      5      3      3      2        0      0     1      4.50
Kawakama        1      0       2          3     3      3      0       1        0      0     0    13.50
Lowe                 1      1       7          7     3      2      3      2        0      0     1       2.71

Medlen              1      0       2          3     0      0      0      2        0      0     0       0.00
Moylan             1      0       2          0     0      0      1      0        0      0     0        0,00

O'Flaherty        1      0        2         6      5      5      2      2        0      0     0     22.50
R Soriano         2      0       2          2      0      0      0      3        1      0     0       0.00
Vazquez           2      2      12         9      6      5      2     15       0      1     1       3/75

Stat break: 69 Braves

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
H Aaron              16     1     3     2        0    0      0       6      0     .188
T Aaron                1     0     1     0        1    0      0       0      0    1.000
F Alou                  5     2     3     0        0     0     0       1      0      .600
C Boyer              18     5     6     3        1    2      0       1      0      .333
Carty                  11     3     3     1        0     0      1       1      0      .273
Cepeda               22     2     4     4        1    0      2        0      0      .182
Didier                 16     1     2     1        0    0      0        0      0      .125
Garrido                4     0     1     1        1    0      0        0      0      .250
T Gonzalez        19     3     5     3        1    0      2        0      0      .263
S Jackson           15     2     4     2        0    0      0        2      0     ,267
Lum                   11     3     4     0        3    0      0        1      0     .364
Millan                22     3     8     4        1     0      0       0      1     .364
Tillman                3     0     0     1        0     0      0        0     0     .000

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Britton               1      0       2.3       0     0      0      0      2        0      0    0        0.00
Doyle                2      0       2          0     0      0      2      2        0       0     0       0.00
Jarvis                1      1       7          7     2      2       1      2        0      1     0       2.57
P Niekro           2      2     10          4     2      1      2     10        0      1     0       0.90
Pappas              2      0       4.6       7     3      3      1      3         0      0     1       5.79

Reed                 1      1       8          8     2      2      0      4        0       1     0       2.25
Stone                1      1       8          9     2      2      6      6        0       1     0       2.25

Upshaw            3      0       3         4     0       0      1      0        3       0     0       0.00

Paul bracket: Braves (69) defeat Braves (09) in five games

Game One: 09 Braves 3, 69 Braves 1
WP: Vazquez (1-0)
LP: Pappas (0-1)
Save: Soriano (1)
HR: T Gonzalez (1)

Game Two: 69 Braves 5, 09 Braves 2
WP: Reed (1-0)
LP: Jurrjens (0-1)
Save: Upshaw (1)
HR: McLouth (1), Cepeda (1)

Game Three: 69 Braves 4, 09 Braves 2
WP: Jarvis (1-0)
LP: Lowe (0-1)
Save: Upshaw (2)
HR: Prado (1)

Game Four: 69 Braves 15, 09 Braves 2
WP: P Niekro (1-0)
LP: Hanson (0-1)
HR: Cepeda (2), T. Gonzalez (2), Carty (1)

Game Five: 69 Braves 5, 09 Braves 2
WP: Stone (1-0)
LP: Vazquez (0-1)
Save: Upshaw (3)
HR: Stone (1)

The 1969 Atlanta Braves didn't get a lot from its handful of Hall of Famers, but they still had too much for the 2009 edition.

Phil Niekro left Game One after three perfect innings because of injury. Hank Aaron had just three singles in 16 official at-bats (with six walks). Orlando Cepeda was  just 4-for-22. But the 09 Braves mustered just 11 runs over the three games; the 69 Braves scored 15 in Game Four alone.

Javier Vazquez was quite effective in the opener. He gave up a homer to the first man he faced, Tony Gonzalez, but just four hits after that. Omar Infante tripled home two men in the fifth off Milt Pappas, who had relieved Niekro, and scored himself on a sac fly in the biggest inning the 09 Braves would have all series.

The 69 Braves evened the series in Game Two behind Ron Reed's eight innings of two-run ball. Nat McLouth gave the 09 Braves a quick lead with a leadoff homer of his own, but Cepeda tied it with a second-inning solo shot, and the 69 Braves added a run in the third, two in the fourth and another in the fifth. Reed and Cecil Upshaw combined to shut out the 09 Braves over the final five innings.

The series then moved to Turner Stadium, never to return to Fulton County Stadium. Pat Jarvis scattered five hits in seven innings to hold the 09 Braves scoreless in Game Three before he gave up a two-run homer to Martin Prado in the eighth. By then the 69 lineup had nibbled away for four runs off Derek Lowe and Mike Gonzalez, with Aaron collecting a pair of RBIs on outs in the process.

Game Four was a rout. Phil Niekro doubled home the first two runs and tossed four perfect innings. Tommy Hanson yielded seven runs in five innings, and relievers Kenshin Kawakami and Eric O'Flaherty gave up eight more in four innings of labor.

The 69 Braves, with a chance to put the series away, blasted Vazquez for three runs in the first inning of Game Five. Starter George Stone hit a two-run homer in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. Stone had bases-loaded jams in both the fourth and fifth innings but allowed just one run in each frame, and he and Upshaw combined to shut out the 09 Braves over the final four frames.

Player of the series: No real standouts for the '69 Braves, but we'll go with Clete Boyer, who was 6-for-18 with a pair of triples, scored five runs and played his usual stellar third base.

Pitcher availability: All will be rested for the second round.

Projected rotation: P Niekro-Reed-Jarvis-P. Niekro-(Stone or Pappas)-(Reed)-(P Niekro)

Stat break: 69 Angels

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Alomar               28     4     5     0        2    0      0        1      0     .179
Amoro                  1     0     0     0        0    0      0        0      0     .000
Azcue                 16     0     2     0       0     0      0        0      0     .125
Cowan                13     1     5     1        0    0      0       0      0      .385
Davalillo              4     0     1     3        0     1      0       0      0      .250
Egan                     7     1     1     1        0    0      1        0      0     .148
Fregosi               25     3     5     1        3    0      0        1      0      .200
Johnstone           27     4     9     5        1    1     2         1      0      .333
Morton               12     0     4     2        0    0      0        0      0      .333
Reichardt            25     2     6     3        0    0      1        2      0     ,240
Au Rodriguez     22     1     5     2        1    0      0        1      0     .227
Spencer              20     2     6     2        0     0      0        3      0    .300
Voss                   16     3     5     1        0     0      0        0     0     .313

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Fisher                2      0        2          1     0      0      0      1        0      1    0        0.00
May                   1      1       8          7     2      2      6      5        0      0     0       2.25
McGlothlin       2      2     13.6     12     7      6      3      4         0      0     1       3.95
Messersmith     2      2     19          6     2      2      8     13        0      1     0       0.95
Murphy             1      1       8          7     5      5      5      5        0      0     1       5.63

Tatum               2      0       5          9     5      5      2      7        0      0     1        9.00
Wilhelm            2      0       2.3       2     2      2      1      3        0      0     0       7.73

Wright              1      0        0.6      2     1      1      0      0        0      0     1      13.43

Stat break: 09 Angels

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Abreu                16     3     5     5        1    0      0        1      0     .313
Aybar                23     4     7     7        2    1      0        2      1     .300
Figgins              24     2     5     2        0    0      0        7      5     .208
Guerrero            19     2     3     1        0    0     1        0      0      .158
Hunter               23     2     6     3        1    0      1       2      0      .261
M Izturis             6      1    1     0        0    0      0        0      0      .167
Kendrick           18     2     1     0        1    0      0        1      0      .056
Mathis                 4     0     1     0        0    0      0        0      0      .250
Matthews Jr        9     2     1     0        0    0      0        5      0      ,111
Morales             23     2     7     3        1    0      1        1      0      .304
Napoli               17     3     5     1        0     0     1        2      0      .294
Quinlan               1     0     1     1        0    0      0        0      0    1.000
Rivera                 9     0     1     0        1    0      0        4      0      .111
Willits                 2     1     1     0        0    0      0        0      0      .500

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Bulger                2      0       2.6       0     0      0      0      1        1      0    0       0.00
Fuentes              4      0       4          6     4      4      1      5        2      0    1       9.00
Jepsen                2      0       3.3       3     1      1      1      1        0      0     0      2.70
Kazmir               1      1      6           4    2      2      3      2        0      1     0       3.00
Lackey               1      1      7           6     1      1      0     2        0      0     0       1.29

Oliver                3      0       5          2     0      0      0      3        0      2     0       0.00
O'Sullivan         1      0       3          2     0      0      0      1        0      0     0       0.00

Saunders           2      2     13        16     7      7      4      4        0      1     0       4.85

Weaver             2      2     15        17     6      5      2    13        0      0     1       3.00

John bracket: Angels (09) defeat Angels (69) in six games

Game One: 69 Angels 5, 09 Angels 1
WP: Messersmith (1-0)
LP: Weaver (0-1)
HR: Morales (1)

Game Two: 09 Angels 10, 69 Angels 9 (12 innings)
WP: Oliver (1-0)
LP: Wright (0-1)
HR: Hunter (1), Napoli (1), Guererro (1)

Game Three: 69 Angels 3, 09 Angels 2
WP: Fisher (1-0)
LP: Fuentes (0-1)
HR: Reichardt (1), Egan (1)

Game Four: 09 Angels 5, 69 Angels 2
WP: Kazmir (1-0)
LP: Murphy (0-1)
Save: Bulger (1)
HR: Johnstone (1)

Game Five: 09 Angels 4, 69 Angels 1 (12 innings)
WP: Oliver (2-0)
LP: Tatum (0-1)
Save: Fuentes (1)

Game Six: 09 Angels 2, 69 Angels 1
WP: Saunders (1-0)
LP: McGlothlin (0-1)
Save: Fuentes (2)
HR: Johnstone (2)


The heavily favored 2009 Angels prevailed in a series marked by tight pitching and closer failures.

Andy Messersmith set the tone for the series by going the distance in the opener, spinning a four-hitter with one walk and  six strikeouts. Vic Davalillo drove in three runs with a triple and a sac fly.

Game Two's slugfest was the series aberration. Starters Jim McGlothlin (6.6 innings, five runs) and Joe Saunders (five innings, six runs) struggled. The 69 Angels took a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but after McGlothlin got the first two outs, Vladimir Guerrero homered. McGlothlin was relieved by Hoyt Wilhelm, who promptly gave up a single to Kendrys Morales and a game-tying homer to Torii Hunter.

The 69 Angels scored in the top of the ninth off Brian Fuentes (a two-out single by Billy Cowan followed by a double by Aurilio Rodriguez), but Ken Tatum gave the lead back in the bottom of the inning (Bobby Abreu walk, Morales double). Fuentes gave up another run in the top of the 10th (Jim Fregosi sac fly after Sandy Alomar doubled and moved to third on a groundout), and Tatum again couldn't hold it (singles by Erick Aybar, Chone Figgins and Abreu).

Finally Darren Oliver threw two shutout innings and the 09 Angels scored in the bottom of the 12th off Clyde Wright (Abreu singles home Macir Izturis).

The series moved to the original iteration of "The Big A" for Game Three, and Rudy May dueled with John Lackey. The 09 Angels scored two in the second, with Aybar singling home Mike Napoli and Gary Matthews Jr. Tom Egan got one back in the third with a homer off Lackey. Lackey left for a pinch hitter in the seventh, and Oliver threw a shutout eighth, then gave way to Fuentes for the ninth. The relief ace walked Jim Spencer to start the inning, then gave up the walk-off blast to Rick Reichardt.

The 09 Angels staked Scott Kazmir to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first against Tom Murphy in Game Four. Jay Johnstone hit a two-run homer in the third to narrow the margin to one, but Kasmir singled home a run in a two-run fourth to make it 5-2. There the scoring ended as Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger combined for three hitless innings of relief.

With the series tied, Messersmith was again brilliant in Game Five. He went 10 innings, allowing just two hits (but with eight walks) and didn't allow a hit until the seventh. (The 09 Angels scored in the sixth when Figgins led off with a walk, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an Aybar squeeze bunt.)

Jared Weaver was just as good on the scoreboard, allowing one run in nine innings on nine hits and no walks. Oliver followed Weaver with two scoreless innings. Tatum threw a perfect 11th in relief of Messersmith, but the 09 Angels broth through in the 12th for three runs on five hits, the key blow being a two-run double by Aybar. Fuentes allowed a leadoff hit in the bottom of the inning but then got the next three hitters to wrap up the win.

Game Six, back in the refurbished Angels Stadium, was another pitchers duel. McGlothlin and Saunders were much sharper than in Game Two. Johnstone homered off the lefty Saunders in the third to put the 69 Angels in the lead, and McGlothlin made it stand up into the seventh, allowing just one hit in the first six frames. But Guerrero led off the seventh with a base hit, Hunter added another, and with two outs, Aybar tripled for a 2-1 lead. Saunders went eight innings, and Fuentes nearly blew another lead, as Fregosi greeted him with a double off the wall. But Fuentes, with memories of the Game Three confrontation still fresh, struck out Reichardt and then popped up Bubba Morton and Spencer to end the threat, the game and the series.

Player of the series: A good case can be made for Messersmith, 19 innings of two-run ball in his two starts. But we'll go with Aybar, who had three game-winning RBIs.

Pitcher availability: Weaver can start the opener on full rest. Saunders must wait until Game Three to start without penalty.

Projected rotation: Weaver-Lackey-Saunders-Ervin Santana or Kazmir-(Weaver)-(Lackey)-(Saunders).

Stat break: 09 Nationals

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Bard                   16     1     3    1        1    0      0        0      0     .188
Dukes                10     2     3    3         1    0      0       5      2     .300
Dunn                 18     4     3     1        0    2      0       9      0      .167
Flores                  1     0     0     0        0    0      0       1      0      .000
A Gonzalez       16     2     4    3        1     1      0       0      0      .250
Guzman             27     3     4     0        0    0      0        0      0     .148
Harris                15      3     5     3       1    0      0        1      1      .333
Kearns                 7     4      2    0        0    1     0        1       0     .286
Morgan              25     5   11    4        0    0      0        7      8      .444
Morse                  6     0     0     2        0    0      0        2      0      ,000
Nieves                 9     2     2     1        0    0      0        2      0      .222
Orr                      9     0     1     0        0     0      0        1      0     .111
Willingham       22     4     7    10       1    1      2        2       0     .318
Zimmerman       22    9     9    10       1    0      4        7      0      .409

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Bergman            3      0       2          3     1      1      1      2        0      0    1       4.50
Burnett               2      0       3          1     0      0      0      2        0      0    0       0.00
Clippard            2      0       3          3     1      1      1      6        0      0     0       3.00
L Hernandez     2      2     12.3      15    4      4      2      3        0      1     1       2.92
Lannan              2      2     17        12     1      1      0      6        0      2     0       0.53

MacDougal       1      0       2          1     1      1      1      1        0      0     0       4.50
Mock                 2      0       3          3     0      0      0      3        0      0     0      0.00

Stammen           1      1       6          7     4      4      4      3        0      1     0      6.00

Villone              3      0       2.6       2     1      0      0      4        0      0     0       0.00
Zimmermann    1     1        6          6     3      3      1      3        0       0     0      4.50

Stat break: 69 Expos

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Bailey                16     2     4    0        3    0      0        0      0     .250
Bateman            19     2     6    3        2    0      1        0      0     .316
Brand                   7     0     2    0        0    0      0        0      0     .286
Cline                  14     0     3    1        0    0      0       1      1      .214
Collins                 9     0     1    0       0    0      0        1      0      .111
Fairey                  7     0     0    0       0    0      0        0      0       .000
Fairly                 22    3     7     0       1    1      0        1      0       .318
Herrera                9     1     3     0       1     0     0        0      0      .333
Jones                 18     3     5    6       1    1      1        1      0       .278
Laboy                15     0     3    0       0    0      0        1      0       ,150
Phillips              10     0     1    0       0    0      0        1      0       .100
Staub                 23     4     7    4       2    0      1        4      0       .304
Sutherland         19     0     6    1       2    0      0        0      1       .316
Wine                  20     1     3    1       0    0     0        1      0        .150

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Face                   2      0       2.3       1     0      0      0      1        0      0    0       0.00
McGinn             1      0       4          4     1      1      2      5        0      0    0       2.25
Raymond           2      0       3          8     7      7      3      1        0      0     0    21.00
Reed                  2      0       3.3       2     2      2      4      2        0      0     0      5.41
Renko                1      1       6        10     8      8      4      4        0      0     1    12.00

Robertson          2      2       6        11     7      7      4      6        0      0     2    10.50
Shaw                 3      0       6          4     2       1     7      4        0      0     0      2.25

Stoneman          2      2     16        10     8      8    10    12        0      1     1      4.50

Waslewski         1      0       3          2     1      1      2     1        0      1     0       3.00
Wegener            1     1        6.6       6     3      2      3     2         0     0     0       2.70

John bracket: Nationals (09) defeat Expos (69) in six games

Game One: Expos 1, Nationals 0
WP: Stoneman (1-0)
LP: L Hernandez (0-1)

Game Two: Nationals 4, Expos 0
WP: Lannan (1-0)
LP: Robertson (0-1)
HR: Zimmerman (1)

Game Three: Nationals 14, Expos 4
WP: Stammen (1-0)
LP: Renko (0-1)
HR: Willingham (1), Staub (1), Zimmerman (2)

Game Four: Expos 6, Nationals 5 (13 innings)
WP: Waslewski (1-0)
LP: Bergman (0-1)
HR: Bateman (1), Jones (1)

Game Five: Nationals 10, Expos 4
WP: L Hernandez (1-1)
LP: Stoneman (1-1)
HR: Willingham (2), Zimmerman (3)

Game Six: Nationals 7, Expos 1
WP: Lannan (2-0)
LP: Robertson (0-2)
HR: Zimmerman (4)

The Expos won the one-run games, the Nationals won the blow outs, and there were more blowouts than competitive contests in this series.

Bill Stoneman got Montreal off with a win in the opener, holding the Nats to just three hits. The Expos got the game's only run in the first inning, with Ron Fairly smacking a double and scoring on Rusty Staub's single. Stoneman walked six and struck out six in his complete game.

John Lannan returned the shutout favor in Game Two. The lefty held Montreal to just three hits himself. The Nationals scored all four of their runs in the first inning off Jerry Robertson, with Ryan Zimmerman bopping a three-run homer and Adam Dunn getting a triple.

Game Three, the first in Montreal's Parc Jarry, was the first of the routs. Staub gave the Expos a 2-0 lead with a first inning homer, but a pair of errors by Montreal shortstop Bobby Wine opened the doors to a four-run third. Zimmerman and Josh Willingham homered in the fifth. The Nats picked up runs in the sixth and eighth innings and then blasted Claude Raymond for five more in the ninth

Game Four was a beauty. The Expos pieced together three runs in the first two innings against Jordan Zimmermann, only to see the Nats tie it in the seventh in an inning based on an Alberto Gonzalez pinch-hit triple. Willingham's pinch-hit double in the eighth put the Nats up 4-3, but John Bateman promptly tied it again with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning. The Nats took the lead again in the 11th -- Austin Kearns tripled and scored on Gary Waslewski's error -- but Mack Jones greeted Mike MacDougal with a homer in the bottom of the inning, Aldolfo Phillps threw out Elijah Dukes at the plate in the 12th inning, and the Expos finally won it in the 13th on Staub's single and Jones' triple. Nyjer Morgan was seven-for-seven with four steals but never scored a run.

From there the Nationals took control. The blasted Stoneman for five runs in the first inning of Game Five -- Willingham with a bases-loaded triple -- and were never threatened the rest of the way. Willingham wound up with five RBIs. Morgan ran his on-base streak to nine before finally being retired.

Back in Nationals Park, Lannan spotted the Expos a run in the first, then blacked them for seven innings. The Nats hit for the cycle in the first inning -- homer from Zimmerman, triple by Dunn, double for Willingham, single by Dukes -- for three run of Robertson, who then left with an injury. The Nats scored three more off Howie Reed in the fourth and clinched the series easily.

Player of the series: Morgan had 10 hits and seven walks. Zimmerman hit four homer and 10 RBIs. Willingham also had 10 RBIs. But Lannan allowed just one run in 17 innings over two starts. He's my pick.

Pitcher availability: Hernandez can pitch Game 1. Lannan can start game Two with penalty, Game Three without.

Projected rotation: Hernandez-Stammen (or replacement)-Lannan-Zimmermann-(Hernandez)-(Stammen or replacement)-(Lannan).

Stat break: 69 Twins

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Allison                11    2     4    3        2    0      1        0      0     .364
Cardenas            26     1     6    2        0    0      1        2      0     .231
Carew                 29    4     8    2        1    0      0        1      1     .276
Killebrew           25     9     8    8        2    0      2       5      1      .320
Manuel                 2     0     0    0       0    0      0        0      0      .000
Mitterwald         11     1     4    0       0    0      0        0      0      .364
Nettles                 5     0     1    0       0    0      0        1      0       .200
Oliva                  28    4     7    4       0     0      1        1      0      ,250
Quilici                  2    0     0    0       0    0      0         0      0      .000
Reese                 26     1     7    4       0    0      0        2      0       .269
Renick                 4     0     1    0       0    0      0        0      0       .250
Roseboro           15     1     4    0       0    0      0        0       0      .266
Tovar                 30     6     9    2       1    1      2        0      1       .300
Uhlaender          15     0    2     3       0    0      0        0      1       .133

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

D Boswell          2      2     10.6       9     8      8      4      6        0      1    0       6.75
Chance               1      1       6          6     2      2      2      1        0      0    1       3.00
Gzrenzda           2      0       3        10     5      5      2      2        1      0     0    15.00
Hall                    1      0      2           2     0      0      0      0        0      0     0      0.00
Kaat                   2      2     15        12     6      3      2    13        0      1     1      1.80

Miller                2      0       3           3     1      1      0      2        0      0     1      3.00
Perranoski         2      0      2           1     0       0     0      1         1      0     0      0.00

J Perry               2      2    14         14     2      2      3    11        0      2     0       1.29

Woodson          2      0       3          5      5      4      0      4        0      0     0     12.00
Worthington      2     1       2.3       0      0      0      0     1         0     0     0        0.00

Stat break: 09 Twins

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
O Cabrera           26    5     9    4        1    0      2        2      0     .346
Casilla                   1    0    0    1        0     0     0        0      0      .000
Crede                  20    2     4    7        0    0      2        2      0     .200
Cuddyer             26     3     5    3        2    0      1       1      0      .192
Gomez               22     1     3    0        0    1      0        0       0     .136
Harris                   4     0     1    2       0    0      0        0      0      .250
Kubel                 16     3     7    4       1    0      1        0      0      .438
Mauer                28     3   10    3       0    0      0        2      0       .357
Morneau            23     3     6    2       0    0      1        1      0       .261
Punto                 23     1     3    1       0    0      1        1      0       .130
Redmond             2     1     0    0       0    0      0        0       0      .000
Span                  31     4     9    1       1    0      1        0       0      .290
D Young           11     3     5    1       0    0      0        0       0      .455

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

S Baker              2      2     14          8     4      4      2    11        0      0    2       2.57
Blackburn          2      2     12        21   11    11      0      1        0      0    1       8.25
Crain                  2      0       1          0     0      0      1      1        0      0    0       0.00
Dickey               2      0       4.6       4     0      0      2      2        0      0     0      0.00
Duensing           3      0       5.6       4     1      1      4      3        0      1     0      1.59

Guerrier             2      0      4           4     1      1      0      2        0      0     0      2.25
Liriano              2       2      7.3      14   11    11     5      8         0      1     1    13.51

Mijares              1      0      0.3         3    1      1      0      0        0      0     0     27.00

Nathan              2      0       1.3        0     0      0      0      2        2      0     0      0.00
Perkins              2     1        9.6        5    0      0      2      7         0     1     0       0.00

John bracket: Twins (69) defeat Twins (09) in seven games

Game One: 69 Twins 3, 09 Twins 1
WP: J. Perry (1-0)
LP: Baker (0-1)
Save: Grzenda (1)
HR: Cardenas (1), Oliva (1)

Game Two: 69 Twins 6, 09 Twins 3
WP: D. Boswell (1-0)
LP: Blackburn (0-1)
HR: Tovar (1), Crede (1)

Game Three: 09 Twins 5, 69 Twins 4
WP: Liriano (0-1)
LP: Kaat (0-1)
Save: Nathan (1)
HR: O. Cabrera (1), Killebrew (1)

Game Four: 09 Twins 2, 69 Twins 0
WP: Perkins (1-0)
LP: Chance (0-1)
Save: Nathan (2)
HR: Morneau (1), Kubel (1)

Game Five: 69 Twins 3, 09 Twins 1
WP: J. Perry (2-0)
LP: Baker (0-2)
Save: Perranoski (1)
HR: Killebrew (2), Cuddyer (1)

Game Six: 09 Twins 16, 69 Twins 6
WP: Duensing (1-0)
LP: Miller (0-1)
HR: Crede (2), Cabrera (2), Span (1)

Game Seven: 69 Twins 8, 09 Twins 1
WP: Kaat (1-1)
LP: Liriano (1-1)
HR: Killebrew (2), Allison (1), Punto (1)

The southpaw magic ran out for the underdog 2009 Twins in Game Seven.

Game One was scoreless into the fourth inning, when Leo Cardenas clubbed a two-run homer off Scott Baker. Jim Perry kept the 09 Twins off the board until the seventh, when pinch-hitter Delmon Young and Denard Span opened the frame with base hits. Perry retired Orlando Cabrera, then gave way to relief ace Ron Perranoski with three big left-handed sticks due next. Joe Mauer singled home Young, but Perranoski got Justin Morneau and pinch-hitter Michael Cuddyer to end the threat. Tony Oliva homered to get the lead back to two, and Dick Woodson and Joe Grzenda worked the eighth and ninth respectively to seal the win.

The 69 Twins scored twice in the first inning of the second game and peppered Nick Blackburn for runs in every odd-numbered inning. Meanwhile, Dave Boswell held the 09 Twins to one hit through eight innings. In the ninth Joe Crede reached Boswell for a two-out, three run homer, and Al Worthington entered to get the final out.

With the series moving to the Metrodome and the DH rule, the 09 Twins went to the lefties. Francisco Liriano was stung for three runs in the first inning, but steadied to allow just one more in the next five. His teammates chipped away at Jim Kaat, scoring five runs (three unearned) runs in the second, third and fourth innings. Kaat, a 16-time Gold Glove winner, committed a costly error in the process. Armed with a one-run lead, the 09 Twins used Jesse Crain, Brian Duensing and Joe Nathan for a perfect inning apiece to close the game.

Glen Perkins threw a gem in Game Four, allowing five hits and leaving with just one out to go. Nathan got that last out. Morneau homered in the first and Jason Kubel in the second, both off Dean Chance. Worthington worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam he inherited from Chance in the seventh to keep the game close.

With the series tied. Perry again outdueled Baker. Harmon Killebrew and Cuddyer traded homers. Perry allowed just six hits before Perranoski entered for a four-out save.

Back at Met Stadium, Boswell was drilled for four runs in the first inning and another in the second. Relievers Tom Hall and Bob Miller held the 09 Twins down for three innings, and the 69 hitters tied it in the fifth off Blackburn. But in the top of the sixth, pinch-hitter Alexi Casilla squeezed home Jason Kubel for the go-ahead run, and the 09 Twins plated five runs off Woodson in the seventh (Crede with a grand slam) and five more off Grzenda in the eighth and ninth. Duensing threw four innings of one-run relief and was credited with the win at the scorer's discretion.

Game Seven was a rout from the start. Cesar Tovar led off the game with a homer off Liriano, and the second was a disaster for the lefty. With the bases loaded and one out, Young misplayed a Killebrew fly ball; it went for a three-run double and a two-base error, with Killebrew scoring. Oliva singled and Bob Allison homered, and that was all for Liriano.

Staked to that 7-0 lead, Kaat sailed through eight innings, allowing a homer to Nick Punto in the third but only five other safeties. RA. Dickey, Perkins and Matt Guerrier combined to allow one run in the final six innings, but the game and series were already out of reach.

Player of the series: We'll give it to Killebrew for his nine-run, eight RBI performance. The Killer was eight-for-25 in the series with five walks and a pair of homers.

Pitcher availability: Perry can start Game One without penalty. Boswell could start Game Two with penalty. Kaat cannot start until Game Three.

Projected rotation: Perry-Boswell-Kaat-Chance-(Perry)-(Boswell)-(Kaat).

Stat break: 09 Cubs

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Baker                    8    2     2    1        1    0      0        0      0     .250
Bradley               21    4     8    4        1     0     2        5      0     .381
Fontenot             21    4     7    8        2    0      2        2      0      .333
Fox                       7    0     1    0        0    0      0        0      0      .143
Fukudome          21    2     6    2        2    0      0        5       0     .286
Fuld                      3    1     1    0        0    0      0        1      0      .333
K Hill                   4     0     1    0       0    0      0        0      0      .250
R Johnson            7     0     1    2       0    0      1        1      0       .143
D Lee                 28     3     4    6       1    0      1        3      0      .214
Miles                    4     0    0    0       0    0      0         0      0      .000
Ramirez             29     3     8    1       0    0      1        1       0      .276
A Soriano          29     4     6    3       0    0      1        2       0      .207
Soto                   15     2     4    4       1    0      0        6       0      .267
Theriot              28      6   11    0      1    0      0        1       3      .393

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Dempster           2      2     12        14     5      4      4       9        0     1    0       3.00
Gorzellany         2       0      2.3       1     0      0      0      2        0      0    0       0.00
Grabow              3      0      4           6     5      5      5      5        0      0    1     11.25
Gregg                 5      0      5.6       7     7       7     3       3        0      0     0    11.11
Heilman             3      0      4.6       5     2      2      1       4        0      1     0      3.85

Lilly                   2      2    11        10     7      7      2     10        0      1     0      5.73
Marmol             1       0      1          0     0      0       1      2        1      0     0      0.00

Marshall            2      0       2          2     0      0      0       1        0      0     0      0.00

R Wells             1      1       6          8     5      5      0       0        0      0     1      7.50
C Zambrano      2      2     12.6    14    15    15      7       6        0      0     2    10.66

  

Stat break: 69 Cubs

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Banks                  25    5     4    5        1    0      1        4      0     .160
Beckert               26    5     7    1         1     0     0       0      0     .269
Gamble                 5    1     0    0        0    0      0        1      0     .000
Hickman             26    5     7    6        1    0      1        3      0     .269
Hundley              27    4   10    6        2    0      1       2       0     .370
Kessinger           31     5     9    7        3    0      1       2      1      .290
N Oliver               1     1     0    0       0    0      0        0      0      .000
Popovich              3     1     1    0       0    0      0        0      0      .333
Qualls                   8     0    0    0       0    0      0         0      0      .000
Rudolph               2     0     0    0       0    0      0        0       0     .000
Santo                 26    10  15   10       3    0     5         5       0     .577
W Smith               0     0    0    1        0    0     0        0       0      .000
Spangler               1     0    0    0       0    0      0        0       0      .000
B Williams        29      6  12    3      0     2      0        2       0      .414
D Young            15     2    4    5       3     0      1        3      0       .267

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L   ERA

Abernathy           2      0      3.3      4     2      2      3        3        0     1    0      5.41
Aguirre               2       0     3          0     0      0      3       0        0      0    0       0.00
Hands                 2       2   14        12     8      8      6     11        0      0    1       5.14
Holtzman           2       2   11.6     16    10   10      6     10        0      1     0      7.71
Jenkins               3      3    24        22     8      8      7     21        0      2     1      3.00

K Johnson          1      0      1          0     0      0      1       2        0      0     0       0.00

Regan                 4      0      3          4     3      3      1       2        1      0     1      9.00

Selma                 1      0      2          3     4      4      5       2        0      0     0     18.00