End of Series 8

The standings

                          W      L    Pct.     GB
Quakers            16       8     .667   ---
Black Caps       12     10     .545    3
Flashes             13     11     .542    3
Rams                11     13     .458    5
Orators             10     14     .417    6
Orioles                9     15     .375    7


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

Series 8: Black Caps sweep two from Orators

Black Caps 12-10, Orators 10-14

Game One: Black Caps 10, Orators 1
WP: Holland (4-0)
LP: Shocker (2-2)
HR: Manush (1), Perkins (1)

Game Two: Black Caps 6, Orators 5
WP: Drake (3-1)
LP: Davis (0-3)
Save: Streeter (1)

The visitors from Lincoln Park scored a pair of runs in the first inning and never trailed in the first game. It was 3-1 for the Black Caps after six innings, but the Caps scored two in the seventh to chase Urban Shocker and five more in the eighth to blow it open. Charles Blackwell drove in four runs and Vic Harris scored three times, while Bill Holland went the distance, allowing eight hits.

The Black Caps had another big inning -- a six-run seventh -- in the second of the two games, piecing together four walks and four singles and benefiting from a passed ball. Pinch-hitter Dave Mararcher had a two-run single that put Lincoln Park ahead. Bill Drake worked the first six innings, allowing two runs on five hits for the win. Rube Currie and Webster McDonald combined to allow three runs in 2.2 innings before Sam Streeter retired Heinie Manush, the only man he faced, to end the game.

Pitcher availability: Six relievers worked an inning or less in the finale and can be used in their team's next game but rested a game for each inning they pitch: Currie, McDonald and Streeter for the Black Caps, Pruett, Bayne and Vangilder for the Orators. All other relievers for the Orators are fully rested. For the Black Caps, Williams must sit one game and is eligible to relieve the game after that and to start the game after that; Smith is eligible to relieve in the next game and to start thereafter. All others are fully rested.

Projected starters: Orators -- Sutton-Jenkins-Wingard-Shocker-Sutton. Black Caps -- Mathis-Cockrell?-Streeter?

Series 8: Quakers sweep Rams in three

Quakers 16-8, Rams 11-13

Game One: Quakers 9, Rams 7
WP: Faber (4-2)
LP: Dauss (0-2)
Save: Keen (3)
HR: Greenberg (5)

Game Two: Quakers 11, Rams 8
WP: Kaufmann (3-0)
LP: R Collins (1-3)
Save: Blake (3)
HR: Rizzuto (1), Doby (5)

Game Three: Quakers 6, Rams 4
WP: Wheeler (1-2)
LP: Holloway (3-1)
Save: Keen (4)
HR: Perez 2 (7), Greenberg (6)

The Quakers' big bats boomed in this series as Guilford tightened its grip on first place.

The visiting Quakers opened with a big inning, plating five runs off Red Ruffing in the first inning of the opener. Hank Greenberg had a two-run triple in the frame. But Raymond battled back and tied the game with a three-run eighth against Red Faber, who nevertheless finished the inning. Greenberg then struck again with a two-run homer off Hooks Dauss, and Vic Keen finished the game for the Quakers.

Guilford again put up a crooked number in the first inning of the second game, scoring three runs. The Quakers knocked Rip Collins and Lil Stoner around for 11 runs and carried an 11-2 lead into the ninth. George Milstead relieved Tony Kaufmann and, after getting one out, allowed a walk and four straight hits. Rip Wheeler relieved and got a double play grounder off the back of pinch-hitter Bob Fothergill, but Rabbit Maranville erred. Wheeler retired one man, but then allowed two straight hits, and with the tying run at the plate gave way to Sheriff Blake, who retired Frank Chance to end the game.

The third game opened as a pitchers duel between Elmer Jacobs and Ken Holloway; each threw three scoreless innings to open the game/ Each team scored a run in the fourth, and the Rams scored three in the fifth to take the lead. The Quakers narrowed the margin to 4-2 in the sixth, and in the eighth scored three runs on homers by Greenberg and Tony Perez. They added another run on a ninth-inning homer by Perez. Wheeler, Blake and Keen combined for three scoreless innings of relief to complete the sweep.

Pitcher availability: Blake should sit out the first game of the Quakers' next series. Wheeler may not pitch more than an inning and must sit a game if he does. Keen pitched two-thirds of an inning in the finale. For the Rams, Syl Johnson and Ed Wells each pitched one inning in the finale; if they pitch in the first game of their next series.

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

Series 8: Orioles take two of three from Flashes

Flashes 13-11, Orioles 9-15

Game One: Orioles 7. Flashes 3
WP: Phoebus (1-2)
LP: Haines (2-3)
Save: D Hall (3)
HR: Powell (5), B Robinson (3)

Game Two: Flashes 2, Orioles 1
WP: Nehf (2-0)
LP: Cuellar (1-4)
HR: F Robinson (10)

Game Three: Orioles 12, Flashes 11
WP: Watt (1-0)
LP: Ryan (0-2)
Save: Richert (2)
HR: Bottomley (6), B Robinson 2 (5), Blair (7), Kelly (4), Hafey (5), Salmon (3), Powell (6)

The power was on for the visiting Orioles in this series, as last-place Baltimore bopped eight homers to claim two wins.

Boog Powell set the tone quickly, nailing a two-run first inning homer off Jesse Haines in the opener. Tom Phoebus tossed 6.2 innings of two-run ball for his first win. Three Birds had two RBIs apiece -- Davey Johnson, Powell and Brooks Robinson. Highpockets Kelly scored twice for the Flashes.

The second game was a taut pitchers duel between southpaws Art Nehf of Fordham and Mike Cuellar of Baltimore. The Flashes scored in the third (Dave Bancroft walked, moved to second on Nehf's bunt, scored on Ross Young's single); the Orioles tied it in the eighth on Frank Robinson's 10th homer of the season. In the bottom of the ninth, Brooks Robinson committed a two-base error on Frank Snyder's grounder, and Bancroft promptly singled the catcher home for the winner. Both Nehf and Cuellar went the distance; Cuellar allowed six hits and Nehf seven.

Game Three was a long-ball orgy. Jim Bottomley tagged Dave McNally for a three-run homer in the bottom of the first; Paul Blair and Brooks Robinson replied with back-to-back solo homers. The Flashes scored four more runs in the third and fourth innings as Joe Medwick contributed a pair of triples, and Fordham opened a 10-3 lead in the seventh on Kelly's three-run homer off Jim Hardin. The Flashes hit for Hugh McQuillan in that inning, and Wayland Dean failed to get any outs; by the time Rosy Ryan retired all three men he faced that inning, the Orioles had scored five runs to make the score 10-8. Ryan stayed in for the ninth, and the Orioles clubbed three homers off him -- solo shots by Powell and Brooks Robinson to tie the game, and a two-run pinch-hit job by Chico Salmon to give the O's an unlikely 12-10 lead. Pete Richert relieved in the bottom of the inning and immediately allowed a homer to Chick Hafey, but then retired three in a row to wrap the game up.

Pitcher availability: Hardin pitched two innings and cannot make his next scheduled start. Watt, Richert pitched one inning each. If any of them pitch in the Orioles next game, they must sit a game out for each inning. Dean (six batters, no innings) and Ryan (two innings) are in the same position. All other relievers are fully rested.

Projected starters: Orioles -- Lopez or Leonard for the next game, followed by Palmer-Cuellar-McNally-Phoebus-Hardin. Flashes -- Grimes-Haines-Barnes-Nehf-Grimes.

End of Series 8

The standings:

Division A

Franklins 13 7 .650 --

Obamas 12 7 .632 .5

Kennedys 10 9 .536 2.5

Teddys 9 10 .474 3.5

Ikes 8 11 .421 4.5

Division B

Homestead 12 7 .632 --

Crawfords 12 7 .632 --

X-Giants 10 10 .500 2.5

Hilldale 6 13 .316 6

Garfields 4 15 .211 8

Hitter of the series: Stan Musial of the Ikes

Pitchers of the series: Bill Foster of the Crawfords, Bob Lemon of the Ikes

Series 9:

Kennedys at Homestead (2)

Crawfords at Garfields (3)

X Giants at Hilldale (3)

Obamas at Teddys (3)

Franklins at Ikes (3)

Series 8: Obamas take two of three from Teddys

Obamas 12-7, Teddys 9-10

Pitcher use: Nichols and Waddell need three games, Ryan and Matthewson need two games, Johnson and Alexander need one game. Walsh and McGinnity pitched one inning in finale, Joss two.

Game One: Obamas 3, Teddys 2
WP: W. Johnson (3-1)
LP: Alexander (1-4)

Game Two: Teddys 7, Obamas 5
WP: Matthewson (1-3)
LP: Gomez (0-2)
Save: Bender (3)
HR: Foxx 2 (6)

Game Three: Obamas 6, Teddys 4
WP: Nichols (3-1)
LP: Waddell (1-2)
Save: Walsh (3)
HR: Mantle (6), Lombardi (5)

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The opening game of this series was marked by the unusual and the dramatic.

Down 2-1 in the fourth inning, the Teddys got Honus Wagner aboard on an error by Charlie Gehringer. Tris Speaker drew a walk. But Nap Lajoie killed the rally by hitting into a triple play, the first triplet-killing of the season.

With the score 3-2 in the ninth, Wagner led off with a triple against Walter Johnson. He tried to score on Speaker's short fly to center, only to be cut down by Mickey Mantle. Lajoie then clouted a triple of his own, but the Big Train fanned Sam Crawford to end the game.

Johnson allowed seven hits and one walk while fanning five for the complete game win, while Pete Alexander struggled in the first two innings, allowing two runs and stranding another five runners in those frames, but settled for a strong eight innings -- eight hits, two earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

The Teddys tried to run away with game two, literally. They stole three bases in the first inning against the battery of Nolan Ryan and Mickey Cochrane and added two more in the second. More important, they scored five runs.

But Ryan settled in for five shutout innings after that. Cochrane threw out Eddie Collins on a sixth steal attempt, and Ryan picked off Home Run Baker.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Foxx cranked a two-run homer in the sixth off Christy Matthewson and added a three-run bomb in the seventh to tie the score. But that was a good as it got for the Obamas, as Lefty Gomez allowed single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Game three went to the Obamas on the strength of a five-run third highlighted by Ernie Lombardi's grand slam off Rube Waddell. Kid Nichols shut out the Teddys through six innings but needed help from Ed Walsh, who finally ended things by getting Wagner to ground into his third 6-4-3 DP of the game.

Cobb was 5-for-11 in the series with two doubles, two steals, three runs and two RBIs. Lajoie was 4-for-12 with a pair of triples.

Series 8: Homestead sweeps Kennedys

Kennedys 10-9, Homestead 12-7

Pitcher use: B. Gibson, R. Brown need 3 games; Carlton needs two games; Bell and Wickware need one. Niekro worked two innings in finale; Koufax 2.6 in the two games; Salmon pitched 1.3 in the two games.

Game 1: Homestead 10, Kennedys 9 (11 innings)
WP: W Bell (1-0)
LP: Fingers (0-1)
HR: Aaron (6), Bench (3), Brett (2)

Game 2: Homestead 9, Kennedys 8
WP: R. Brown (3-2)
LP: B Gibson (4-1)
HR: W. Brown (6), Bench (4)
Save: Salmon (1)

---

A slugfest series went Homestead's way, as the team designer intended.

The Kennedys jumped out to a big lead early in the first game. George Brett and Hank Aaron hit three-run homers in the first two innings, and the Kennedys held an 8-1 lead into the sixth inning. It didn't help Homestead that star slugger Josh Gibson was sidelined in the first inning when hit by a Steve Carlton pitch.

Homestead put up three runs in the sixth, then knocked Carlton out of the box in the eighth. Sand Koufax came on with one out, two on and an 8-5 lead. He induced Chino smith to hit a fly ball to right, but Aaron muffed it. One out later, pinch-hitter Hurley McNair tripled; Mule Suttles singled; and Homestead led 9-8.

That lead lasted only one batter into the bottom of the eighth, when Johnny Bench greeted William Bell with a homer. The two teams matched zeros in the ninth and tenth before Homestead punched a run in off Rollie Fingers and a weary Bell pitched around a leadoff single in the 11th.

Each team used a pitcher to pinch run, and Homestead even had Ray Brown pinch hit.

Bob Gibson had a miserable time in the second game, yielding nine runs and 15 hits in six innings. Ray Brown, staked to an early lead, absorbed a pounding in the last three innings (six runs in 2.6 IP) before finally giving way to Harry Salmon, who retired Bench with two on to end it.

Tubby Scales was 5-for-9 with three walks in the two game series with five runs scored. Brett was also 5-for-9 with five RBI. Bench has now homered in three straight games.

Series 8: Franklins sweep Ikes

Franklins 13-7, Ikes 8-11

Pitcher use: Lemon, Vance need three games; Wynn, Hoyt and Feller need two games; Newhouser, Hubbell and Spahn need one game. Roberts pitched one inning in finale, Wilhelm two.

Game 1: Franklins 5, Ikes 4
WP: Hubbell (4-0)
LP: Spahn (2-2)
HR: Hartnett (2)

Game 2: Franklins 8, Ikes 5
WP: Feller (2-0)
LP: Wynn (0-4)
Save: Hoyt (1)
HR: Musial (1), Gehrig (5),Berra (2)

Game 3: Franklins 5, Ikes 4 (12 innings)
WP: Hoyt (2-0)
LP: Newhouser (0-1)
HR: Musial 2 (3), Ruth (11), Hornsby (1)

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A close series on the scoreboard turned into a rout in the standings.

Carl Hubbell yielded three runs in the first inning but only one thereafter in the opener for the Franklins. Warren Spahn had a disastrous third inning: Three triples, a homer and a pair of walks added up to five runs.

Lou Gerhig's three-bagger came with the bases loaded and was followed by Gabby Hartnett's homer. Stan Musial hit a pair of triples himself for the Ikes.

The second game turned on a crucial error by Eddie Mathews in the third. That loaded the bases and kept the inning alive for Gehrig's grand slam. The Ikes got two-run homers from Musial and Yogi Berra, but the Franklins tacked on three more runs in the seventh and eighth, including a fifth unearned run.

Bob Feller fanned eight in seven innings of work.

Bob Lemon turned in eight innings of scoreless relief in the third game after Robin Roberts injured himself in the first inning. Combined with two innings in the first game, that gave Lemon 10 scoreless innings in the series -- impressive enough against the Franklins' imposing lineup, but especially so considering he entered with a 10.28 ERA. He left with a 4.24 ERA.

Musial hit a game-tying homer in the eighth and a go-ahead two-run shot in the 10th, but Hoyt Wilhelm blew a save for the first time, giving up back-to-back homers to Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby to open the bottom of 10th.

Dazzy Vance fanned 10 in 9.3 innings. Waite Hoyt wriggled out of a 12th inning jam to set up the winning rally off Hal Newhouser.

For the series, Musial was 7-for-14 with three homers and two triples, five runs and six RBIs. Gehrig was just 2-for-13 but drove home seven runs.

Series 8: X-Giants take two of three from Hilldale

Hilldale 6-13, X-Giants 10-10

Pitcher use: Mendez needs four games, Radcliffe, S. Jones and Winters need three games, Dihigo and SJ Williams need two games, Redding and Dismukes need one game. Powell pitched two innings in finale, Cooper 1.6.

Game 1: Hilldale 2, X-Giants 1
WP: Redding (1-2)
LP: Dihigo (1-4)

Game 2: X-Giants 5, Hilldale 2
WP: S. Jones (3-1)
LP: SJ Williams (2-3)
Save: H. Smith (5)
HR: Carr (1)

Game 3: X-Giants 3, Hilldale 2 (12 innings)
WP: Radcliffe (1-0)
LP: Dismukes (1-2)
HR: Dixon (2)

----

Pitching and missed opportunities abounded in this series.

Cannonball Dick Redding, mired in a pitching slump previously, allowed just two hits for Hilldale in the opener. Martin Dihigo allowed nine, two of them to Redding, who scored one of Hilldales' two runs.

The X-Giants put up the one crooked number of the series in the fifth inning of the second game, scoring four times against Smokey Joe Williams out of four singles, a walk, a steal and a sac fly. Slim Jones allowed just four hits, but the last was a two-run pinch-hit homer by Tank Carr in the eighth.

The nightcap went 12 innings, with the X-Giants' Jose Mendez and Double Duty Radcliffe littering the scorecard with stranded runners. Twice Mendez wiggled out of jams when first baseman Ben Taylor nailed runners at the plate. Hilldale led off consecutive innings (the seventh and eighth) with triples and failed to score. Radcliffe ended four of his five innings with a man in scoring position.

Rap Dixon hit a game-tying homer in the seventh and singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 12th. Dihigo had a crucial pinch-hit single in the ninth to keep the game alive for the X-Giants.

Ben Taylor was 7-for-12 for the series.

Series 8: Crawfords sweep Garfields

Crawfords 12-7, Garfields 4-15

Pitcher use update: Galvin and Rogan need three games, Welch and Trent need two games, Young, R. Davis and B. Foster need one game each. Clarkson and Radbourne each worked two innings in finale, Mathis one.

Game 1: Crawfords 4, Garfields 0
WP: B. Foster (3-2)
LP: Young (1-4)
HR: Oms (1)

Game 2: Crawfords 5, Garfields 3
WP: Trent (2-0)
LP: Welch (1-2)
Save: R. Davis (1)
HR: Delahanty (1), Thompson (1), Charleston (4)

Game 3: Crawfords 9, Garfields 5
WP: Rogan (2-2)
LP: Galvin (1-3)
HR: Beckwith (3), Charleston (5), Lundy (2)

---

The Garfields keep on losing. Since they opened their season with a sweep of the X-Giants, the 19th century squad is 1-15. Their current losing streak stands at seven.

The first game was a good pitchers duel between Cy Young and Big Bill Foster, but the Crawfords lefty had the better of it. He went the distance, allowing just four hits and a walk. Young allowed two runs in his seven innings, with John Clarkson getting touched for a pair in the eighth.

The Garfields actually held a 3-0 lead after two-and-a-half innings in the second game after a rare power outburst -- Ed Delahanty and Sam Thompson hit back-to-back homers off Ted Trent. But the Crawfords came back with three of their own in the bottom of the inning (Oscar Charleston hit a two-run homer) against Smiling Mickey Welch and added two more in the fifth. Roosevelt Davis came in for Trent at that point and allowed the Garfields just four baserunners the rest of the way.

The finale was more one-sided than the final score indicated. Bullet Joe Rogan had a 6-0 lead before he allowed a pair of runs in the seventh, and Verdell Mathis allowed three runs, one unearned, while mopping up in the ninth inning. Charleston had three RBIs in the finale and went 5-for-12 in the series with 13 total bases.