End of Series 7

The standings

                          W      L    Pct.     GB
Quakers            13       8     .619   ---
Flashes             12       9     .571    1
Rams                11     10     .524    2
Black Caps       10     10     .500    2.5
Orators             10     12     .455    3.5
Orioles                7     14     .333    6


Series Eight
Orioles at Flashes (3)
Quakers at Rams (3)
Black Caps at Orators (2)

Series 7: Flashes take two of three from Black Caps

Flashes 12-9, Black Caps 10-10

Game One: Black Caps 6, Flashes 4
WP: Streeter (2-0)
LP: McQuillan (2-1)
Save: Cooper (3)
HR: Pennington (3), Youngs (1)

Game Two: Flashes 8, Black Caps 6
WP: V Barnes (3-1)
LP: H Smith (0-2)
Save: Bentley (2)

Game Three: Flashes 2, Black Caps 1
WP: Grimes (3-3)
LP: T Williams (1-2)


Art Pennington's two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning gave Lincoln Park an early 3-0 lead in the opening game, and the Flashes never caught up. Sam Streeter needed help from Andy Cooper in the ninth but went 8.1 innings for the win. Bonnie Serrell was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Vic Harris was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The Black Caps took advantage of two Fordham errors to score four unearned runs in the second inning of the next game, but the Flashes chipped away at Hilton Smith. Jim Bottomley drove in two runs with a third inning double and another with a single in the fifth to make it 4-3. After the Black Caps added a run in the sixth, the Flashes scored three in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead, with Bottomley driving in two more with a triple. Fordham added another pair in the eighth. Virgil Barnes went six innings for the win, allowing one earned run, and Jack Bentley allowed one run in three innings for his second save.

Burleigh Grimes and Tom Williams had a brilliant pitchers duel in the finale, each going the distance. Williams allowed two runs in the first inning and none thereafter; he spread out seven hits, four walks
and one hit batter in the process. Grimes shut out the Black Caps until there were two outs in the ninth; he allowed five hits and two walks. Bottomley drove in both Fordham runs and had eight RBIs for the series.

Pitcher availability: Williams rests three games, should not start for at least five. Smith should sit out the next series. Streeter will be available to relieve after one game, start again after two. Cockrell is eligible to relieve in the next game, start after that. The rest of the Black Cap pitchers are fully rested. For the Flashes, Bentley should sit a game for any inning he pitches in their next game; all other relievers are on full rest.

Projected starters: Flashes -- Haines-Neft-McQuillan-Grimes-Haines. Black Caps -- Holland-Mathis-??? (Drake, Cockrell, Currie, Streeter).

Series 7: Quakers take two of three from Orioles

Quakers 13-8; Orioles 7-14

Game One: Quakers 5, Orioles 4
WP: Keen (2-0)
LP: Cuellar (1-3)
HR: Carey (3), D Johnson (1), Blair (5)

Game Two: Quakers 5, Orioles 1
WP: Aldridge (2-0)
LP: McNally (1-3)
HR: Tinker (2)

Game Three: Orioles 9, Quakers 2
WP: Palmer (2-2)
LP: T Lyons (3-2)
HR: Perez (5), F Robinson (9), Blair (6)

Max Carey drove in three runs, including a game-winning homer to lead off the bottom of the ninth, in the series opener. The Orioles scored first, with a fourth-inning home run by Davey Johnson, and Mike Cuellar held that 1-0 lead into the seventh, when Guilford put together a four-run rally that included a two-run triple by Carey. But reliever Vic Keen promptly surrendered a three-run homer to Paul Blair to tie the score. Carey untied it in the ninth. Quakers starter Elmer Jacobs got a no-decision for seven innings of six-hit ball.

The second game was scoreless into the bottom of the seventh, when Joe Tinker reached Dave McNally for a leadoff homer. The Quakers added four more in the eighth, with Tinker driving in two more with a bases-loaded single. Vic Aldridge went the distance for Guilford, holding Baltimore to eight hits and not allowing a run until there were two outs in the ninth.

Jim Palmer got plenty of run support from the Orioles in the third game and needed little of it. Palmer held the Quakers to just three hits, but one was a two-run homer by Tony Perez. Baltimore got another three run homer from Blair and a solo homer by Frank Robinson. Blair scored three runs and Mark Belanger drove in three.

Pitcher availability: The Baltimore bullpen is fully rested. Sheriff Blake pitched one inning for the Quakers; if he pitches in their next game, he should sit one game for each inning he works.

Projected starters: Quakers-- Faber-Kaufmann-Jacobs-Lyons-Faber. Orioles -- Phoebus-Cuellar-McNally-Hardin-Palmer.

End of Series 7

The standings:

Division A

Obamas 10 6 .625 --

Franklins 10 7 .588 .5

Kennedys 10 7 .588 .5

Ikes 8 8 .500 2

Teddys 8 8 .500 2

Division B

Homestead 10 7 .588 --

Crawfords 9 7 .563 .5

X-Giants 8 9 .471 2

Hilldale 5 11 .313 4.5

Garfields 4 12 .250 5.5

Player of Series 7: Mel Ott, Franklins

Pitcher of Series 7: Lefty Grove, Franklins

Series 8 schedule

Homestead at Kennedys (2)

Garfields at Crawfords (3)

Hilldale at X-Giants (3)

Teddys at Obamas (3)

Ikes at Franklins (3)

Series 7: Franklins sweep Crawfords

Franklins 10-7, Crawfords 9-7

Pitcher use update: Grove, Brewer need three games; Vance, Rogan need two. Mathis worked one inning in finale.

Game 1: Franklins 5, Crawfords 4
WP: Hoyt (1-0)
LP: Rogan (1-2)
HR: Ott 2 (3), Wright (5)

Game 2: Franklins 5, Crawfords 2
WP: Grove (2-3)
LP: Brewer (1-2)
HR: Ott (4)

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Mel Ott emerged from his season-long power drought to bop three homers in the two-game series, and he hit them when they mattered most.

In the third inning of the series opener, the Franklins right fielder/leadoff man hit a solo shot to tie the game at 2. He hit another in bottom of the ninth with a man on to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 win. And in the nightcap, Ott's two-run homer in the fourth opened a 5-2 lead and finished the scoring.

Waite Hoyt got the W in the first game with two innings of perfect relief. Bullet Joe Rogan went the distance for the Crawfords, whose bullpen (which has included Rogan) has blown several leads already this season. This time the bullpen stayed out of it, and the starter coughed up the lead.

Paul Waner pinch hit for Franklins starter Dazzy Vance in the seventh, singled and scored. He remained in the game in a double switch with Babe Ruth, and set up Ott's game winner with another single.

Lefty Grove shone bright in the finale, allowing just three singles (all in the third inning). He walked two and struck out five. He also had a hit, a walk and two sacrifice bunts at the plate.

Series 7: Teddys sweep Homestead

Homestead 10-7, Teddys 8-8

Pitcher use: Paige, TF Brown need three games; Waddell, Manning need two games; McGinnity needs one. Matlock pitched less than an inning in both games. Joss pitched two innings in finale.

Game One: Teddys 5, Homestead 4
WP: Rixey (1-0)
LP: Matlock (1-1)

Game Two: Teddys 3, Homestead 2,10 innings
WP: Joss (2-0)
LP: Matlock (1-2)
HR: J Gibson (8)

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Lefty specialist Leroy Matlock wasn't the only bullpenner to have a rough series, but it was his name that has the "L" attached.

The Homestead southpaw hadn't been charged with a run all season, but the lefty-dominated Teddys did a number on him in the ninth innings of both games.

Game One opened as a pitchers duel between Rube Waddell and Max Manning. Homestead got two in the first, but the Teddys got one back in the bottom of the inning and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Homestead tied it in the top of the eight, building a two-run rally on a single by Josh Gibson and a double by Jud Wilson. Chief Bender relieved Waddell, but Mule Suttles greeted him with an RBI single -- and further damage was negated when Tris Speaker threw out Wilson at home.

The Teddys promptly reclaimed the lead off Manning with a two-out rally of their own -- double, walk, single, walk. The inning ended with Bender allowed to hit for himself.

But Bender broke. A leadoff homer by Willard Brown knotted the score again. When Heavy Johnson and Dobie Moore singled, Bender was pulled for Eppa Rixey. Rixey got pinch-hitter Jimmy Lyons on a sac bunt, then fanned Tubby Scales and Chino Smith to strand runners on third and second.

In came Matlock. Consecutive singles by Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins and Honus Wagner came immediately, and the Teddys had the win.

Game Two pitted Three Finger Brown and Satchel Paige. Gibson homered in the fourth; the Teddys tied it in the eighth on singles by Brown, Cobb and Collins. A weary Paige worked out of that jam and worked the ninth as well before giving way to a pinch-hitter in the 10th.

While pinch-hitter Hurley McNair didn't play a role in the run, Homestead took the lead on a Smith double. In again came Matlock.

This time he retired Cobb and Collins. But Wagner doubled, moved to third when Tubby Scales erred on Tris Speaker's grounder, and scored on Shoeless Joe Jackson's pinch-hit single. Sam Crawford then plated Speaker with another single, and the unearned runs again made a loser of Matlock and Homestead.

Series 7: Obamas, Hilldale split

Obamas 10-6, Hilldale 5-11

Pitcher use: Plank, Byrd need three games; Nichols, Winters need two; Chesbro needs one. Willis pitched one inning in finale, A. Cooper less than an inning.

Game One: Obamas 4, Hilldale 1

WP: Nichols (3-1)

LP: Winters (0-3)

HR: Trouppe (1), Lombardi (4)

Game Two: Hilldale 6, Obamas 5

WP: Byrd (1-3)

LP: Plank (3-1)

Save: A Cooper (3)

HR: Schmidt (3)

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Lowly Hilldale snapped a five-game losing streak in the finale, but even what had been a cozy 6-0 lead turned into a nail-biter.

Hilldale had Eddie Plank on the ropes all game, scoring a run in the third, three in the fifth and another in the sixth. Plank left with the bases loaded, a run in and nobody out, but Jack Chesbro induced a 5-2-3 double play from Willie Wells before popping up Judy Johnson.

But Bill Byrd had the Obamas flat-footed at the plate — at one point the righty, who entered the game 0-3 with an ERA of 8.46, retired 14 in a row — and Chesbro wild-pitched a run home in the eighth inning, making the score 6-0.

But the Obamas struck for three runs in the eighth, all coming with two out. Mike Schmidt led off the ninth with a homer off Byrd, who got the next two outs before hitting Tony Lazzeri with a pitch. That brought in closer Andy Cooper, who allowed a walk and a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Ernie Lombardi before popping up Jimmy Foxx to end it.

There was nowhere near as much drama in the first game. The Obamas scored three runs in the first two innings — a two-single from Frank Robinson and a solo homer from Lombardi — and Kid Nichols did the rest.

Nichols allowed just five hits (one a homer by Quincy Trouppe) and four walks while striking out three in the complete-game win.

Series 7: Kennedys sweep X-Giants

Kennedys 10-7, X-Giants 8-9

Pitcher use: Radcliffe and Seaver need three games, Donaldson needs four games. R. Foster can pitch short relief in one of next two games.

Game One: Kennedys 9, X-Giants 8

WP: Koufax (1-1)

LP: Dihigo (1-3)

HR: Morgan (2), CP Bell (1)

Game Two: Kennedys 3, X-Giants 2

WP: Seaver (2-1)

LP: Donaldson (1-2)

HR: Bench (2), Hill (1)

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Two very different games with very similar endings — walk-off homers from the Big Red Machine.

The Kennedys jumped out in front in the opener with a seven-run first inning. Rube Foster faced nine men and got none of them out.

Double Duty Radcliffe, who had started behind the plate, relieved Foster with six innings of one-run ball, during which time the X-Giants had a six-running inning of their own off Juan Marichal. Three of those runs were unearned, as George Brett and Robin Yount committed consecutive errors. (Each would have another boot later in the game, but neither resulted in any damage).

The X-Giants tied the game with two runs in the top of the eighth. Martin Dihigo and Sandy Koufax match each other with a shutout inning of relief, but in the bottom of the ninth Joe Morgan took Dihigo deep to end it.

The X-Giants opened the second game with a single by Cool Papa Bell and a homer by Pete Hill. But Tom Seaver shut them down the rest of the way, allowing just six hits for the game. Seaver walked none, struck out four and retired the final 10 men he faced.

John Donaldson looked like he could make those two early runs stand up. Luis Aparicio singled home Robin Yount for a run in the fifth, and Donaldson worked around a Henry Aaron triple in the sixth. But Harmon Killebrew led off the ninth with a double, Brett moved pinch-runner Reggie Jackson to third, and Johnny Bench followed with a home run.

Donaldson allowed six hits, walked four (three of them Killebrew) and fanned five.

Series 7: Ikes sweep Garfields

Ikes 8-8, Garfields 4-12

Pitcher use: Ford, Keefe need three games; Roberts, Galvin need two games. Bunning pitched an inning or less in each game. Wilhelm pitched an inning in finale.

Game One: Ikes 4, Garfield 2, 11 innings
WP: Bunning (3-0)
LP: Clarkson (0-2)
HR: Berra (2), Mathews 2 (3)

Game Two: Ikes 4, Garfields 3
WP: Ford (3-1)
LP: Keefe (1-3)
Save: Wilhelm (4)
HR: Snider (4), Banks (5)

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The Garfields continue to struggle to score runs. Willie Mays appears to be past his struggles.

Pud Galvin and Robin Roberts matched each other for regulation distance — and beyond, in Roberts' case — before Eddie Mathews hit a two-run homer off John Clarkson in the bottom of the 11th.

It was Mathews's second home run of the game. He and Yogi Berra went back-to-back off Galvin in the second inning. Galvin allowed just three other hits and three walks.

For his part, Roberts allowed five hits in 10 innings before giving way to Bunning.

Bunning came through in relief in the second game as well, fanning Cap Anson with two on and two out in the eighth to preserve a 4-3 lead for Whitey Ford. Ford had allowed five hits and four walks, but five of those baserunners were bunched together in the Garfields' three-run fourth inning.

Tim Keefe held a 3-1 lead into the fifth, but Ernie Banks hit a solo homer to lead off the frame and Duke Snider hit a two-run dinger with two outs to provide the final margin. Keefe stranded runners in scoring position in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but Bunning negated the only threat the Garfields count mount.

Mays entered the series hitting .133 (8 for 60) but went five for eight in the series.