Series 18: Flashes sweep three from Orators

Flashes 29-25, Orators 23-30

Game One: Flashes 5, Orators 2
WP: Nehf (4-2)
LP: Bayne (0-2)
HR: Cuyler (7), Gowdy (4), Hafey (12)

Game Two: Flashes 9, Orators 2
WP: Grimes (5-8)
LP: Shocker (5-4)
HR: Youngs (5)

Game Three: Flashes 7, Orators 4
WP: Haines (6-4)
LP: Sutton (5-6)
Save: Ryan (5)
HR: Bottomley (11)

The three-game sweep eliminated Ortonville from pennant contention.

Art Nehf threw a complete game seven-hitter in the opener, and Chick Hafey hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to put Fordham over the top. Hank Gowdy was 4-for-4 with a solo homer for the Flashes.

Burleigh Grimes matched Nehf's seven-hitter in the second game, and got considerably more run support. Ross Youngs was 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs; he hit a solo homer in the sixth. Fred Lindstrom also was 4-for-5. He scored twice and drove in two and had a triple.

Jim Bottomley had a big game in the finale: 4-for-five with a homer, triple and two doubles. He scored twice and drove in two. Jesse Haines allowed four runs in eight innings for the win, and Rosy Ryan worked the ninth for his fifth save. Jim O'Rourke and Heine Manush each went 3-for-4 for the Orators.

Pitcher availability: For the Flashes, Mule Watson sits one more game. Ryan worked one inning in the finale. All other bullpenners are fully rested. The Orators bullpen is fully rested; Sutton threw a complete game in the finale.

Projected starters: Flashes -- McQuillan-Barnes-Grimes-Haines-Nehf. Orators -- Jenkins-Davis-Wingard-Sutton-Jenkins.

Pitcher availability:

Series 18: Rams sweep four from Orioles

Rams 28-27, Orioles 22-33.

Game One: Rams 3, Orioles 2
WP: Collins (3-5)
LP: Cuellar (4-6)
Save: Dauss (8)
HR: Flick (5)

Game Two: Rams 8, Orioles 5
WP: Perry (8-5)
LP: McNally (4-6)
Save: S Johnson (1)

Game Three: Rams 6, Orioles 5
WP: Ruffing (4-6)
LP: Lopez (0-3)
Save: Dauss (9)
HR: Belanger (1)

Game Four: Rams 8, Orioles 7
WP: Stoner (2-2)
LP: Leonhard (1-4)
HR: Powell 2 (10), Wilson (19), Rizzuto (4)

The games were close but the series one-sided, and the last place Orioles have been mathematically eliminated from the pennant.

The opener featured the series one pitching duel. Rip Collins allowed two runs in seven innings, both unearned. Mike Cuellar went six innings and was burned by a two-out rally in the fourth that culminated in a three-run homer by Elmer Flick. Collins loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, but Hooks Dauss popped up Brooks Robinson and got a double-play grounder from Davy Johnson to escape that jam.

The Rams pummeled Dave McNally for six runs in three innings in the second game, then tacked on two more in the fourth. Phil Rizzuto drove in five runs with a double and triple, and Joe Sewell, Frank Chance and Flick scored twice each.

Mark Belanger's sixth-inning grand slam gave the Orioles a 5-2 lead in the third game, but the Rams rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth off Marcelino Lopez and Pete Richert. Flick had a one-out triple, and Rizzuto walked. Nellie Fox singled home Flick, and Lopez walked Johnny Bassler (in for the injured Ray Schalk) to load the bases. Rickert entered, and pinch-hitter Fats Fothergill singled in two runs, and Earle Combs followed with another RBI single before Sewell grounded into a double play.

The Rams got another pinch-hit RBI single, this one by Al Wingo, to win the finale. Boog Powell hit a pair of homers for the Orioles, one a three-run shot, and scored three times. Hack Wilson clubbed his league-leading 19th homer, and Rizzuto had a solo shot. Lil Stoner went four innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits, to get the win. The final run came in the bottom of the ninth when Rizzuto walked to lead off, took second on a Dave Leonhard wild pitch, advanced to third on Fox's bunt and scored on Wingo's single.

Pitcher availability: For the Rams, Stoner should sit at least two games. All other relievers are fully available. For the Orioles, Leonhard should sit a pair of games and Lopez one.

Projected rotations: Rams -- Whitehill-Perry-Ruffing-Collins-Holloway. Orioles -- Cuellar-McNally-Hardin (or Phoebus)-Phoebus (or Leonhard/Hardin/Lopez)-Cuellar.

End of Series 17

The standings

                                                W      L    Pct.     GB
Guilford Quakers                  31     19     .620     ---
Lincoln Park Black Caps       25     24     .510     5.5
Fordham Flashes                  26     25     .509     5.5
Raymond Rams                    24     27     .470     7.5 
Ortonville Orators                  23     27     .460     8
Baltimore Orioles                  22      29     .431     9.5

Series 18
Orators at Flashes (3)
Black Caps at Quakers (3)
Orioles at Rams (4)

Series 17: Black Caps take two of three from Orators

Black Caps 25-24, Orators 22-25

Game One: Black Caps 15, Orators 9
WP: H Smith (1-2)
LP: Bayne (0-1)
HR: Serrell (2)

Game Two: Black Caps 14, Orators 6
WP: Currie (3-3)
LP: Sutton (5-5)
HR: Palm (7). Currie (1), T Jackson (5), Brouthers (3), Harris (4)

Game Three: Orators 4, Black Caps 3
WP: Jenkins (8-5)
LP: Cockrell (1-7)
Save: Danforth (6)
HR: Perkins (2)

The Lincoln Park Black Caps moved above .500 and into second place in the standings, but misfired on several opportunities to complete a series sweep going into a series against the first-place Guilford Quakers.

The Black Caps battered four Orators pitchers for 19 hits, 10 walks and a HBP in the opener and batted around three times. Bonnie Serrell drove in five runs, two on bases-loaded walks and three on an eighth-inning homer. Charles Blackwell (4-for-6) scored three times and had a triple. Art Pennington, Spoony Palm and Serrell each drew three walks. The Orators had 19 hits of their own and went through all four available Black Caps pitchers. Billy Herman and Kiki Cuyler each scored three runs.

The hitting continued in the second game. The Black Caps hit for the cycle in the first inning against Don Sutton -- triple by Jerry Benjamin, single by Alec Radcliff, double by Pennington, homer by Palm. Starter Rube Currie, working on one day's rest after a disastrous two-inning start to close the previous series, homered in the second and got through five innings of two-run ball. Lincoln Park had 16 hits in this one.

Ferguson Jenkins settled things down in the finale for Ortonville, He worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first inning, and escaped the third when Heinie Manush gunned down Vic Harris at the plate. Manush broke the scoreless tie with a two-run triple in the fifth off Phil Cockrell, and while the Black Caps tied it with single tallies in the fifth and sixth, the Orators stung Cockrell for a pair of two-out runs, the last coming on a pinch-hit double by Ken Williams off reliever Sam Streeter. Bill Perkins homered in the eighth to make it a one-run game, but Dave Danforth surfed a wave of right-handed pinch hitters in the ninth to nail it down.

Pitcher availability: Ray Kolp sits the next game for the Orators. Danforth pitched one inning in the finale. For the Black Caps: Cockrell needs four games to start, two to relieve; Currie needs three to start, two to relieve; Mathis needs two to start, one to relieve; McDonald and Holland need one game for either purpose. Streeter faced two hitters in the finale.

Projected starters: Orators -- Wingard-Shocker-Sutton-Jenkins-Davis-Wingard. Black Caps -- Williams-Drake (or Streeter)-Streeter (or Mathis/Holland/Drake).

Series 17: Quakers take two of three from Rams

Quakers 31-19, Rams 24-26

Game One: Quakers 11, Rams 8
WP: Wheeler (2-2)
LP: Stoner (1-2)
Save: Keen (8)
HR: Fox (3)

Game Two: Rams 11, Quakers 7
WP: Ruffing (4-6)
LP: Lyons (8-5)
HR: Perez 2 (14), Wilson (18), Flick (4)

Game Three: Quakers 7, Rams 3
WP: Faber (9-4)
LP: Whitehill (2-5)
HR: Ferrell (3)


The Quakers continued their push for the pennant by winning their third straight series, scoring 25 runs in the three games against the Rams.

There was hitting aplenty from the beginning. Both the visiting Rams and the homestanding Quakers scored four runs in the first inning. The Quakers added another four run outburst in the fifth. Joe Tinker (3-for-4) had five RBIs for Guilford, and Rick Ferrell (3-for-4) scored three times and had a pair of doubles. Nellie Fox hit a three-run homer in the seventh for the Rams; he had four RBIs and scored twice. For Guilford, Max Carey, Larry Doby and Tony Perez each scored two runs.

The Rams battered Ted Lyons for six runs in the second inning of the second game and were never seriously threatened after that. Perez hit a pair of solo homers off Red Ruffing. Hack Wilson drove in three for Raymond, including his league-leading 18th homer of the season. Earle Combs also had three RBIs for the Rams.

The Quakers took the rubber game, with Red Faber contributing the only quality start for either squad. Faber went eight innings, allowing three runs on nine hits. Earl Whitehill was just as sound for seven innings,but Guilford erupted for four runs with two outs in the eighth to break the tie. Rabbit Maranville knocked a two-run triple to highlight the inning.

Pitcher availability: Sheriff Blake worked one inning in the finale for the Quakers; the rest of the bullpen is rested. Syl Johnson will sit a game for the Rams.The rest of their bullpen is rested.

Projected rotations: Quakers -- Jacobs-Kaufmann-Lyons-Faber-Aldridge-Jacobs. Rams -- Collins-Perry-Ruffing-Holloway-Whitehill.

Series 17: Orioles take two of three from Flashes

Flashes 26-25, Orioles 22-29

Game One: Orioles 5, Flashes 4
WP: McNally (4-5)
LP: Grimes (4-8)
Save: Watt (5)
HR: Bottomley (10)

Game Two: Orioles 7. Flashes 6
WP: Palmer (4-4)
LP: Haines (5-4)
Save: Richert (6)
HR: Lindstrom (5)

Game Three: Flashes 9, Orioles 6
WP: Watson (3-1)
LP: Phoebus (2-5)
Save: Ryan (4)
HR: Blair 2 (10), B Robinson (10), Medwick 2 (7), Youngs (4)

It was the fifth straight series loss for the Flashes, who are seeing their pennant ambitions fade.

Baltimore scored the first five runs of the opener. Don Buford drove in two runs in the second inning with a base hit, and Brooks Robinson's triple was the key blow in a three-run fifth. The Flashes chipped away at Dave McNally and Eddie Watt, but Paul Blair gunned down Fred Lindstrom at the plate for the final out of the seventh in a pivotal play. and the Orioles hung on for the win.

The Orioles batted around in the fifth inning of the second game to stake Jim Palmer to a 7-2 lead. The Flashes scored last four runs fo the game, but that still left them losers. Lindstromg drove in four runs; he was 4-for-5 with a homer and a double.

Fordham avoided the sweep by winning a duel of long relievers. Paul Blair hit two homers for the Orioles, and Joe Medwick matched them for the Flashes. Boog Powell and Blair committed consecutive errors in the fourth as the Flashes scored three unearned runs off Jim Hardin. Tom Phoebus allowed a pair of two-run homers in three innings to take the loss for Baltimore; Mule Watson went 4.2 innings in relief of Virgil Barnes for the win, with Rosy Ryan entering to get the final out after three straight hits brought the tying run to the plate.

Pitcher availability: For the Flashes, Watson must sit at least three games, preferably four. Ryan pitched two innings in the second game and worked again briefly in the finale; he should sit the next game. For the Orioles, Phoebus pitched three innings of relief and should sit the next two games

Projected starters: Flashes -- Nehf-Grimes-Haines-McQuillan-Barnes. Orioles -- Cuellar-McNally-Phoebus-Palmer-Cuellar.

End of Series 16

The standings

                                                W      L    Pct.     GB
Guilford Quakers                   29     18     .617     ---
Fordham Flashes                  25     23     .521     4.5
Lincoln Park Black Caps       23     23     .500     5.5
Raymond Rams                    23     25     .479     6.5 
Ortonville Orators                  22     25     .468     7
Baltimore Orioles                  20      28     .416     9.5

Series 17
Orioles at Flashes (3)
Rams at Quakers (3)
Orators at Black Caps (3)

Stat break: Lincoln Park Black Caps

Hitters

Name                AB     R    H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Benjamin          152    20  41    11       8    2      1     11       3      .270
Blackwell          135    20  43    18     11    1      3     11       2      .319
Harris               146    28  52    14       8    2      3     12       0     .356
Malarcher           39     3   11      5      2    0      0        3       0      .282
Marcelle             58      5   10     3       5    0      0       2       0      .172
O'Neil                 85     7   21    14       3    4      0       2       1      .247
Palm                  91    16   26    21     `3    0      6        9       0      .286
Parnell               53      8   14    12       5    1      1       2       0      .264
Pennington      113    24   35    24       5    0      8     23      1       .310
Perkins              84      9   19    10       2    0      1     12       0      .226
A Radcliff        148    16   47     26      8     0      3     12       0      .318
Redus                66      8   21      8      4     1     1       3       0       .318
N Robinson       57      8    14     2       2     0     1      6      0        .246
Seay                130   10    29    13      4     0     2     12      0        .223
Serrell              150   23    44    17      7     1     1      8       2       .293

Pitchers

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

Cockrell         12      5     49.6   43   30    23    13     17        0      1     6      4.17
Cooper            9      1     14.3   16     8      7      3       7        5      0     2      4.40
Currie            12      7     43      63   33    29    16     19        1      2     3      6.07
Drake              9      6     48      51   22    16    15     13        0      5     1      3.00
Holland          11      6     47      52   22    20    12     19        0      6     3      3.83
Mathis             9      5     34.3   26   15    12      6     10        0      2     2       3.15
McDonald      13      1    37.3   38     8      8      4       9        2      0     1       1.93
H Smith         14      1    26.6    36   18    16      5     12       2      0     2        5.40
Streeter         10      7    51.3   49   15    13    15     21        1      5     1        2.28

T Williams     12      6     55      51   20    19     15    22        0      2     3       3.11

Stat break: Guilford Quakers

Hitters

Name                AB     R     H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Adams                  6      1     0     1       0    0      0      0      0      .000
Carey                213    31   68   28      9    3      3     16    12      .319
Doby                 184    36   61   37     10    3      8    29      0      .332
Evers                189    36   46   19       3    2      1    29      6       .243
Ferrell               180    26   57   22     11    1      2    16       0      .317
Grantham           13      1     5     4       1    0      0      0       0      .385
Greenberg        190    40   54   34     17    2    11    23       0      .284
Grigsby               15      2     5     1       0    0      0      0       0      .333
Heathcote             9      1     3     0       0    0     0       1       0      .333
Maranville         179    26   51   16       6    8      0    10       2       .285
H Miller                 7      1     1      1       0    0      0      0       0      .143
O'Farrell               3      1     1      2      0     0      0      1       0      .333
Perez                200   29   60    43       9     1   12    14       0      .300
Statz                     8      2     1     0       1     0     0      0       0       .125
Tinker               160    17   49   32     14     2     3     10       6       .306

Pitchers

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

Aldridge           8      8     58.6     56   21    21    25     22        0      3     1       3.22
Blake             17      0     20.3     29   17    16    13       6        5      1     2       7.08
Bush                9      0    13        15     5      5      3        4        0      1     0       3.46
Faber            12    12     89        90   41    39    27      36        0      8     4      3.94
Jacobs            7       6    44        50   19    17     23       8        0      2     0      3.47
Kaufmann       8      8    59.6      63   37    36     23     22        0      4     1       5.43
Keen             13      1    27.3      26   16    16       9       5        7      2     3       5.27
T Lyons         12    12    87       101   44    38     27     20        0      7     4       3.93

Milstead          6      0      8         16   16    16       6       1        0      0     1      18.00

Wheeler        13      0    18.6      20     7      4      5       1         1      1     2       1.93