Stat break: 09 Reds

Hitters

Name                AB     R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,

Bruce                 81    15   22   21       4    0      7      9      0      .272
Dickerson          68    10   19     3       4    2      0    10      3      .279

Encarnacion        4      2     3     0       1    0      0      0      0      .750

Gomes              61     11   20   11       4    0      5      8      0      .328

Al Gonzalez      45       4     7     7       1    0      3      1      0      .156
J Hairston, J     40       5     7     8       0     0     2      3       0      .175

Hanigan            50      6    14    5       0    1       0      2      0       .280

R Hernandez    59      9    15     4      2     1     1       2      0      .254

Janish               44      4      9     6       2    0      0      7       0     .205

L Nix                 58      7    15   18       5    1      3      2      0      .258

Phillips            112    21    32   15      8     1      3      9      3      .271

Rolen                48    12    14     5      4     0      1    11       0     .292

Rosales            16      2      3     1       2    0       0     1       0     .188
Stubbs              17      3      2     1      1     0      0      2       1     .118

Tavares            59      6      9     3      3     0      0      3       3      .152
Votto               106    20    36   23      8     0     7     12       0      .340

Pitchers

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

Arroyo               9      9      56.3   60   33    32    16     27       0      2     2       5.11
Bailey                2      2      14.3   14     7      7      7      7       0      0     2        4.40
Burton               9      0     11.6    16     9      5      3      7       0      2     0        3.86
Cordero          12      0     12       11     7      7      9     11     10      0     0        5.25
Cueto                7      7     37.6   54   36    36    21     21        0      4    2        8.60
Harang              6      6     39.3   45   21    20      9     18        0      3    2        4.58
Herrera           11      0     17       13     7     7      5       9        0      0     0       3.70
M Maloney        1      1       9         4      1     1     2      12        0     1     0       1.00

Masset            14      0     13.6    12     7      7      5     12       0      0     0      4.61
Owings             1      1       6         6     2      2      2       2        0      0     0      3.00

Rhodes           14      0    12       14     9      7      5      11       0      1     1       5.25

Volquez            1      1       7        4      2      2     4       5        0      1     0       2.57       

K Wells            7      0     13        8     5      5      5     12        0      2     2       3.46

Semifinals: Orioles (69) defeat Reds (09) in four games

Game One: 69 Orioles 3, 09 Reds 2
WP: Cuellar (3-1)
LP: Arroyo (2-2)
Save: Richert (3)
HR: Buford (2)

Game Two: 69 Orioles 9, 09 Reds 2
WP: McNally (5-0)
LP: Cueto (4-2)
HR: Buford (3), Johnson (2), B Robinson (4), J Hairston Jr. (1), Hendricks (1)

Game Three: 69 Orioles 3, 09 Reds 1
WP: Palmer (5-1)
LP: Harang (3-2)
Save: Richert (4)
HR: Buford (4), B Robinson (5)

Game Four: 69 Orioles 5, 09 Reds 3
WP: Hardin (2-0)
LP: Bailey (0-2)
Save: Richert (5)
HR: Powell (8), J Hairston Jr (2)

The unlikely run of the 2009 Reds hit a stout wall in the tournament semifinals as the 1969 Orioles allowed just eight runs in the four games while hitting eight home runs themselves.

Game One, played in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, was as close as the Reds got to a victory in the series, and that was very close indeed. A hit-and-run double by Brooks Robinson in the second inning gave Mike Cuellar the lead, and Don Buford's homer in the second inning made it 2-0. The two teams exchanged unearned runs in the seventh, and the Orioles pinch-hit for Cuellar in the process. Marcelino Lopez took the mound in the eighth and gave up a run before Dick Hall entered to get the final out of the inning. But in the top of the ninth, pinch hitter Chris Dickerson doubled and Dew Stubbs walked. Pete Richert entered and immediately threw a wild pitch to put the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second. But pinch-hitter Alex Gonzalez popped up for the first out, and Joey Votto's line drive was snared by second baseman Davy Johnson, who then caught Stubbs off second for the final out.

The Orioles drew four walks in the first inning of Game Two off Johnny Cueto to take a quick lead. Jerry Hairston Jr. tied it with a two-run homer off Dave McNally in the top of the fourth, but Johnson hit a two-run bomb of his own to give the O's a fresh two-run lead. Brooks Robinson and Elrod Hendricks hit back-to-back homers in the fifth, and later in the inning Buford hit a two-run shot to make it 8-2.

Buford led off Game Three, in Cincinnati's Great American Park, with his third homer of the series. Brooks Robinson hit another homer in the second. The Orioles didn't score again off Aaron Harang until the eighth, but they didn't need to; Jim Palmer and Richert combined to allow just one hit, a fourth inning single by Brandon Phillips that set up the sole Cincy run, which scored on a double play.

The Orioles went with Jim Hardin for Game Four and staked him to a 2-0 lead before he took the mound. Buford walked off Homer Bailey and stole second before Frank Robinson walked. Both men moved up on a wild pitch. Boog Powell singled Buford home, and Brooks Robinson plated Frank Robinson with a deep fly. But Hardin struggled early himself; the first two batters singled, and he escaped the first on a triple play off the bat of Phillips. In the second inning, Jay Bruce singled and Hairston homered to even the score. The Reds took their first lead of the series in the third inning as Dickerson, Votto and Bruce singled. Hardin and Bailey threw scoreless ball after that into the eighth. Chico Salmon hit for Hardin and singled to lead off the frame. Bailey retired Buford but walked Johnson. With Dave May (who had replaced Frank Robinson for injury) and Powell due up, the Reds brought Arthur Rhodes. Merv Rettemund hit for May and fanned, but nobody hits for Powell, and the lefty slugger won the duel with the lefty specialist with a three-run homer and a 5-3 lead. Richert threw two scoreless innings of relief to wrap up the sweep.

Player of the series: With apologies to Buford (three homers) and Brooks Robinson (two homers and five RBIs), we'll go with Richert, who got out of that critical jam to end Game One and worked four scoreless innings for three saves overall.

Player availability: Frank Robinson will again be good to go for the final series. The Orioles pitchers will all be fully rested for the championship series.

Projected rotation: Cuellar-McNally-Palmer-???-(Cuellar)-(McNally)-(Palmer)

Stat break: 09 Giants

Hitters

Name                  AB   R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Aurilia                   12     2     4     1       1    0      0      1      0      .333
Burriss                   2     0     1     0       1    0      0      0      0      .500
Ishikuma              54     6   16     5       6    1      1      6      0      .296
F Lewis                46   13   18     3       5    1      1      4      1      .391
B Molina               85     7   17     7       2    0      1      2      0      .200
Renteria               42     3   11     4       0    0      1      2      0      .262
Rowand               93   17   30   12       9    0      4      5      1      .323
F Sanchez         116   15   36   19       9    0      4      5      0      .310
Sandoval           105    15   31   17       5    1     3      6       0      .295
Schierholtz          65     3    17     8       7    1     0      0       0      .261
Torres                 18      3      4     1       0    2     0      1       1      .222
Uribe                   96    12   28    19       4     1    6      9       0     .292
Velez                   46    11   19      5       2    2     0      4      2      .413
Whiteside           10      1      3      0      0     0     0      0      0     .300
Winn                   55     4    13     3       5     0      0     1       0     .236

Pitchers

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

Affeldt               8      0       8.3       8     3      3      4      8        1      0     1      3.24
Cain                  7      7     46.6    48   15    15      8     55        0      2    3       2.89
Howry               7      0       7.6      4     0      0      3       8        0      1     0      0.00
R Johnson        1      1       5         5     2      2      0       3        0      0     0      3.60
Lincecum          9     9     67.3    47   23    20    22     69        0      7     0      2.67

Medders         10      0     14.6    19     8      8      5     17        0      4    1      4.91
Ju Miller            4      0       5.6      0     0      0       4      6        0      0     0      0.00
Romo               3      0       2.6      2     1      1       0      0       1      0      0     3.37
J Sanchez       4      4      25.3    18   13    12     11    23        0      1     1     4.26
B Wilson        11      0      10.6      8     1      1       1   12       11      0     0     0.84
Zito                   5      5     36       24    14    11     20    28        0     3      2     2.75

Stat break: 87 Giants

Hitters

Name                AB   R   H   RBI  2B  3B  HR  BB  SB  Avg,
Aldrete              46     9  15     3        3    1    2      8      0    .326
Brenly               85   14  26   21      10    0    2      8      0    .306
W. Clark          114   12  28   14        3    0    8      8      0    .246
C. Davis          105   20  27   16       4    0    7     12      4    .257
Leonard            80    10  18   10       5    1    4       4      1    .225
Maldonado       60      9  20     9       8    0    1       3      0    .333
Melvin             10      3     4    4        1    1    1      1      0    .400
E. Milner          36     7   14     7        4    0   3      8      1    .389
Mitchell          107   14   29     6       6    0    2      8      1    .271
Speier               14     1     3     1        0    0   1      2      0     .214
Spilman              8     0     3     2       1    0    0      0      0     .375
Thompson      114   13   25   16        4    1    3      3      4    .219
Uribe                77     4   18     8       3     1    1      2     2     .234
Ma Williams    18     3     4     4        0    0    2      1      0    .222
Youngblood       6     1     0     0        0    0    0      0      0    .000

Pitchers

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

Downs              5      5     32         29    7      6        6    28       0      2    0    1.69

Dravecky          7      7    49         39   12    12      14    35       0      4    1    2.20

Garrelts           10      0    15           5     1      1       6    16       2      3     0    0.60

Hammaker        6      3    22         26   12      9       2   15        0      1    1     3.68
Krukow             2      0      2          0      0      0       0     2        0      0     0     0.00

LaCoss              6      3    26.3     29      5      5      7      9        0      2     0    1.71
Lefferts             7      0       6.6      3      0      0       0      3        3      1      0    0.00

Price                 5      0       4          2     2      2        0      3       0      1     0    4.50

Reuschel        10     10    75.6     61   21    17      13    39       0      7     3    2.02

D. Robinson   11    0      15.6      18     6      6        4    13       5     0      3    3.45

Semifinals: Giants (87) defeat Giants (09) in six games

Game One: 09 Giants 4, 87 Giants 0
WP: Lincecum (7-0)
LP: Reuschel (7-2)

Game Two: 87 Giants 3, 09 Giants 1
WP: Lefferts (1-0)
LP: Affeldt (0-1)
Save: D Robinson (4)
HR: Renteria (1), C Davis (8)

Game Three: 87 Giants 4, 09 Giants 0
WP: Hammaker (1-1)
LP: Zito (3-2)
HR: Thompson (3)

Game Four: 87 Giants 5, 09 Giants 2
WP: Garrelts (3-0)
LP: Medders (4-1)
Save: Lefferts (3)
HR: Brenly 2), Maldonado (1), 

Game Five: 09 Giants 7. 87 Giants 4
WP: Howry (1-0)
LP: Reuschel (7-3)
Save: B Wilson (11)
HR: F Sanchez (4), W Clark 2 (8)

Game Six: 87 Giants 3, 09 Giants 0
WP: Dravecky (4-1)
LP: Cain (2-3)
Save: D Robinson (5)
HR: Aldrete (2)

In a big matchup of Giants, the 1987 edition got some huge work from its bullpen and left-handed starters -- a total of 33 innings with one run allowed.

But it was the 09 version that opened with shutout pitching. Tim Lincecum, working in 1987's Candlestick Park, didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and just three in his complete game. He walked one and struck out 13, getting six of the final seven outs on whiffs. His teammates scored once in the third, once in the fourth and twice in the fifth off Rick Rueschel. Aaron Rowand was 3-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base.

The 09 Giants' Edgar Renteria homered off Dave Dravecky in the second inning of Game Two, and Matt Cain held the 1-0 lead into the seventh, when Chili Davis hit a solo shot of his own. The 87 club pieced together a two-run eighth on three hits and two walks: single by Kevin Mitchell, double by Mike Aldrete, walks for Bob Brenly and Eddie Milner, single by Jose Uribe. Dravecky got a no-decision despite allowing just four hits in seven innings.

The even series moved to 09's AT&T Park, where Atlee Hammaker and Barry Zito dueled with six scoreless frames apiece in Game Three. Zito loaded the bases with two outs in the first but escaped when Brenly's long fly was caught by Eugenio Velez; Zito allowed just two baserunners in the next five innings. Meanwhile, Hammaker sailed along, getting a key double-play grounder from Pedro Sandoval to elude a sixth-inning jam. Two errors helped build the 1987 team's four-run seventh, which was capped by Rob Thompson's three-run homer. One of the runs was earned. Hammaker was hit for in that inning, and Mike LaCoss and Scott Garrelts finished.

The 09 Giants took a quick lead in Game Four: Leadoff hitter Fred Lewis doubled and scored on Freddy Sanchez's single. Jonathan Sanchez held the 1-0 lead into the fifth, when Brenly homered. Travis Ishikuma homered in the sixth for a 2-1 lead, but Candy Maldonado retaliated with another solo shot to re-tie it. The 09 Giants turned to good-luck charm middle man Brandon Medders, who had collected wins in each of the first four rounds, but it didn't work this time. With one out in the ninth, Maldonado walked. Brenly singled, and Jeff Leonard singled for the lead. One out and a passed ball later, Harry Spilman singled in two runs to salt the game away.

The 87 Giants appeared intent on claiming the series in Game Five. Will Clark homered off the undefeated Lincecum in the first and second innings as the 87 squad staked Reuschel to a 4-0 lead. But that was all the 09 Giants yielded; Lincecum steadied for three shutout frames before leaving for a pinch hitter as the 09ers tied it with a four-run fifth; five singles were joined by a Thompson error.
Reuschel maintained the tie into the seventh, when he got the first two outs. Then pinch hitter Eli Whiteside and Velez singled and Freddy Sanchez homered. Bob Howry, Affeldt and Brian Wilson combined for five innings of scoreless relief for the 09 team.

The series returned to Candlestick for Game Six, and Dravecky and the bullpen put it away for the home team. The southpaw worked out of jams in the first and second innings, and Mike Aldrete gave him a 1-0 lead with a fourth-inning homer. The 87 team picked up another run in the sixth; Clark walked, Kevin Mitchell doubled and Brenly singled Clark home. Dravecky got into a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the seventh, but Garrelts entered to retire Freddy Sanchez to get out of it. The 87 Giants plated a third run in the eighth, and Garrelts and Don Robinson littered the bases with stranded baserunners in the final two frames in securing the shutout win.

Player of the series: Dravecky allowed eight hits and one run in 13.3 innings in two starts.

Player availability: Dravecky cannot pitch until Game Three. All other starters are eligible to work immediately.

Projected rotation: Reuschel-Kelly Downs-Dravecky-Mike LaCoss-(Reuschel)-(Downs)-(Dravecky)

End of Round Four: The Final Four set

Advancing: 87 Giants, 09 Giants, 69 Orioles, 09 Reds.

Eliminated: 09 Angels, 69 Dodgers, 69 Pilots, 87 Twins

---

Of the 28 potential games in the fourth round, 24 were played. One series went seven games, two went six, one went five.

Two versions of the San Francisco Giants advanced and will play in Round Five, so the Giants are guaranteed a representative in the championship series. Two 2009 teams survive, one 1969 team and, of course, one 1987 team. There are no DH teams left. Three of the four remaining teams are from the National League.

Stat break: 09 Reds

Hitters

Name                AB     R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,

Bruce                 71    14   19   19       3    0      7      8      0      .268
Dickerson          63      8   16     3       3    2      0      8      3      .254

Encarnacion        4      2     3     0       1    0      0      0      0      .750

Gomes              51     11   17   11       4    0      5      8      0      .333

Al Gonzalez      38       4     7     7       1    0      3      1      0      .184
J Hairston, J      29      3     5     4       0     0     0      3       0      .172

Hanigan            41      6    12     5       0    1      0      2      0      .292

R Hernandez    53      9    15     4      2     1     1       2      0      .283 

Janish               37      4      6     5       2    0      0      7       0     .162

L Nix                 53      7    15   18       5    1      3      1      0      .283

Phillips              94    19    28   15      7     1      3      8      3      .298

Rolen                48    12    14     5      4     0      1    11       0     .292

Rosales            12      1      2     1       2    0       0     1       0     .167
Stubbs              12      3      2     1      1     0      0      2       1     .167

Tavares            54      6      8     3      2     0      0      1       3      .148
Votto                 90    20    31   23      7     0     7      11      0      .344

Pitchers

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

Arroyo               8      8      50.3   55   31    30    15     23       0      2     1       5.36
Bailey                1      1        7      12     3      3      1       4       0      0     1       3.86
Burton               8      0     10.6   13     8      5      3       6       0      2     0        4.22
Cordero          12      0     12       11     7      7      9     11     10      0     0        5.25
Cueto                6      6     33.3   45   28    28    15     19        0      4    1        7.56
Harang              5      5     32      38   18    17      8     14        0      3     1       4.78
Herrera           10      0     13.3    10     6     6      5       9        0      0     0       4.05
M Maloney        1      1       9         4      1     1     2      12        0     1     0       1.00

Masset            11      0     10.6    10     7      7      5       9        0      0     0      5.90
Owings             1      1       6         6     2      2      2       2        0      0     0      3.00

Rhodes           12      0    10.6    12     8      6      5      9        0      1     1        5.06

Volquez            1      1       7        4      2      2     4       5        0      1     0       2.57       

K Wells            7      0     13        8     5      5      5     12        0      2     2       3.46