59-Braves 3, 85-Padres 1

This was a fun series. Joey did his best to keep the 85-Padres in it. What a tough team to manage with such little offense, but he held it close.

GAME 1: The first game saw Lew Burdette start over Warren Spahn and give the Braves 8 2/3 innings before he ceeded to Don McMahon who notched his first save of the season. Below are the PBP highlights straight from the game:

Aug 20 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 0Inning: 1 Outs: 1 Bases: Full
Del Crandall steps in, batting 5ththe sacks are fullthe first pitch to Crandallhe cuts..hit on the ground to shortTempleton has itto second for oneto firstand the throw pulled Garvey off the bagAvila scoresAaron goes to thirdAaron scoresCrandall is safe at first
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Aug 20 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 2Inning: 2 Outs: 1 Bases: 1st & 3rd
infield in at the cornersthe pitcher Eric Show steps in..runners on 1st and 3rdcorners are inBurdette gets the signthe first offering to Showhe swings..towering fly towards right centerAaron is under itand he gloves itKennedy is trying to scorehere comes the throw from AaronKennedy slides for the plateCrandall tags himsafe!__________________________________________________
Aug 20 85 San Diego 1 59 Milwaukee 2Inning: 2 Outs: 0 Bases: Empty
Johnny Logan will get this inning startedhe kicks and throwscutterLogan swings..flied to centerwell hitit's got a chance to goMcReynolds going back quicklyHome Runthe first home run for Johnny421 foot homer
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Aug 20 85 San Diego 1 59 Milwaukee 3Inning: 5 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd
Eddie Mathews at the platerunner on 2nd1-2 countMathews swings..he hits a ground ball between third and shortit's a base hitAvila takes a wide round of thirdhe's heading for homethe throw from MartinezMathews is going for secondAvila slides for the plateKennedy with the tagsafe!Mathews goes to second
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Aug 20 85 San Diego 1 59 Milwaukee 4Inning: 8 Outs: 2 Bases: 1st & 2nd
Kevin McReynolds steps in against Burdettemen on 1st and 2ndthe first pitch to McReynoldshe cuts..grounder to Mathews at thirdit's off his gloveGwynn will score from secondNettles goes to thirdMcReynolds gets all the way to secondthat's an error on Mathews

GAME 2: Spahn must have been angry for being passed by for the opening day start as he went the distance and tossed a 6 hit shutout. Aaron, Mathews and Crandall knocked it big runs.

Aug 21 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 0Inning: 2 Outs: 2 Bases: 1st
Andy Pafko steps in against Hawkinsrunner on 1stthe first pitch to Pafkohe swings..it's roped hard to left centerMartinez on the run..he cuts it offMathews goes to thirdPafko is in with a stand-up double
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Aug 21 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 0Inning: 2 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd & 3rd
Felix Mantilla comes up against Hawkinsrunners on 2nd and 3rdHawkins is ready1-1 countcurveballMantilla swings..routine ground ball to secondRoyster boots itand he can't make a playMathews scoresPafko goes to 3rdMantilla to firstthat's an error on Royster
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Aug 21 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 1Inning: 5 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd
Hank Aaron now up at the platerunner on 2nd1-0 countAaron swings..Aaron really got a hold of this onetowering fly down the left field lineit's well hithooking..way backit's got a chance to goMartinez backing up..off the wall!Spahn scoresAaron with a stand-up double
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Aug 21 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 2Inning: 6 Outs: 0 Bases: Empty
Del Crandall will lead off the inningthe pitchcurveballCrandall swings..it's a deep fly ball to left centerback, backMartinez and McReynolds going back..Martinez back on the trackthat's out of here!that's his first home run on the year382 foot homer
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Aug 21 85 San Diego 0 59 Milwaukee 3Inning: 7 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd
Eddie Mathews steps in against Hawkinsman on 2nd0-2 countMathews swings..line shot between 1st and 2ndit's a hitBruton will score from 2ndGwynn tosses it back inMathews rounds first and holds

GAME 3: Bob Buhl went the distance yielding only 1 run. Adcock had 3 hits and Crandall knocked in 2 runs.

Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 0 85 San Diego 0Inning: 2 Outs: 0 Bases: Full
Garry Templeton now battingbases juicedthe first pitch to TempletonfastballTempleton swings..flied to left centerBruton is under itand makes the catchMartinez is going for homethere won't be a throw from Bruton
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Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 0 85 San Diego 1Inning: 4 Outs: 1 Bases: 2nd
the right fielder Hank Aaron steps inrunner on 2ndHoyt gets the sign0-2 countAaron swings..hit on the ground between third and shortTempleton lays outbut he can't make the playthat's a base hitBruton holds thirdAaron rounds first and holds
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Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 0 85 San Diego 1Inning: 4 Outs: 2 Bases: 1st & 3rd
the first baseman Joe Adcock steps inrunners at the cornersHoyt keeps the runners closehas the signthe first delivery to Adcockhe cuts..laced toward right centerin the alleythat will be extra basesit rolls to the wallBruton scoresAaron rounds 3rdthe throw from McReynoldsAdcock is heading for thirdhe's deadAaron dives for the plateKennedy slaps the tag on himout!Adcock with a stand-up double
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Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 1 85 San Diego 1Inning: 7 Outs: 2 Bases: 1st
Wes Covington now battingCrandall is on deck if he can get on..runner on 1st2-0 countCovington cuts..lined to right centerAdcock goes to thirdCovington takes a look at secondCovington is going for second!here comes the throw from GwynnCovington slidessafe!double
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Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 1 85 San Diego 1Inning: 7 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd & 3rd
Del Crandall steps in against Hoytmen on 2nd and 3rd0-2 countCrandall swings..it's laced down the left field linethis ball is well hitfair ballthat will be extra basesit's in the cornerall the way to the wallthat will clear the basesAdcock crosses the plateCovington scoresCrandall takes a look at thirdhe's is heading for third!they have a chance to get himthe throw comes in from Martinezhe slidesNettles applies the tagsafe!triple
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Aug 22 59 Milwaukee 3 85 San Diego 1Inning: 8 Outs: 0 Bases: 1st
Hank Aaron digs in against DeLeonrunner on 1stthe first pitch to AaronfastballMantilla is going for 2ndthe pitch is a ballKennedy fires to secondTempleton with the tagout

GAME 4: Both teams had getaway day lineups starting. It all came down to the Goose having to get Aaron out with the bases loaded and the Pods up by 2. Score one for the Goose.

Aug 23 59 Milwaukee 0 85 San Diego 2Inning: 1 Outs: 2 Bases: 3rd
Kevin McReynolds steps in against WilleyBochy is up next if he gets on..runner on 3rdWilley is ready0-2 countMcReynolds swings..flied deep towards left centerget up, get up, get out of here..at the wall..outta here!that's his first home run on the yearthat one measured 414 feet
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Aug 23 59 Milwaukee 0 85 San Diego 4Inning: 2 Outs: 1 Bases: 2nd & 3rd
Stan Lopata now in the batter's box2 runners in scoring positionDravecky looking in to Bochy3-2 countLopata swings..hammered to right centerit's a base hitGwynn on the run..he cut it offPafko scoresTorre holds thirdLopata rounds 1stand stays
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Aug 23 59 Milwaukee 2 85 San Diego 4Inning: 8 Outs: 1 Bases: Empty
Carmelo Martinez against Willey1-2 countMartinez swings..long fly ball down the left field linehookingway backit might goVernon racing back..off the wall!Martinez with a standing double
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Aug 23 59 Milwaukee 2 85 San Diego 4Inning: 8 Outs: 2 Bases: 2nd
Bruce Bochy comes up against Willeyman on 2nd0-2 countBochy swings..he hits a fly balltoward centerPafko is under itPafko is under ithe dropped it!Martinez scoresBochy is safe at 2nd
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Aug 23 59 Milwaukee 2 85 San Diego 5Inning: 9 Outs: 1 Bases: Full
the infield is looking for twoBill Bruton digs in against Gossage..all of the bases are occupied2-2 countBruton swings..easy grounder to secondFlannery boots itand he can't come up with itWise scoresMaye goes to 3rdCovington goes to 2ndBruton to firstFlannery will be charged with an error

04-Cubs 3, 63-Giants 1

GAME 1: Cubs jump out to a 2-0 lead, Derek Lee hit a two run homer off Marichal. 5-0 zip Cubs, Marichal is gettting pounded. Sosa just hit a two run HR, up now 7-0. 7-1 Bailey hit a HR for San Fran. Zambrano is cutting them down like butter. McCovey 2 run triple, 8-3, Zambrano is releived. Final 8-3 Winner Zambrano, loser Marichal.

GAME 2: Perry vs. Maddux in this one. 1-0 Cubs after 1/2 thanks to a passed ball ny Haller. SC fly brought Alou home. Steroid age 3 old age baseball 1, Sosa 2 run shot, you would think that the Giants have no clue of how to hit. End of 7, McCover solo HR now 3-2 Cubs, Perry leaves game for Giants, in comes Bolin. Maddux he has only had 72 pitches. runner on first and 3rd, 1 out Alou caught stealing and then Cepeda k's. Chicago 3 SF 2 final. Hawkins with the save. Maddux wins, Perry loses.

GAME 3: O'Dell vs Prior. Error, Walk now a base hit bases loaded for Cubs. Damn sure this isnt SAT and the dice from it LOL. 3-0 Cubs, 2 errors and walked a run home, Geez, I am getting pummeled. Walk, passed ball, walk, and now a 3 run HR by Lee. 6-0 Cubs. Can I trade teams. 3 straight wifs by Prior, top of 3rd 6-0 Cubs. 7-0 Cubs, Even Prior gets the RBI single. No hitter through 5 and about a 35 K's. Haller ends no hitter with home run, Prior 10 K's through 6 ---7-1 Cubs. 12 K's for Prior now still 7-1 bottom of 7th coming up. 10-1 Cubs, O'Dell has now walked in 2 runs, 6 for the game, and he is going to gut it out cause my bull pen has already been used way to much in the first 2 games. Prior leaves with 12 K's. 11-1 final Cubs, 13 K's by my hitters, no hitting at all through first 3 games, Cubs are acting like the 27 Yankees LOL !

GAME 4: Clement vs. Bolin. 4-0 Giants, McCovey 3 run shot, followed by Alou solo HR , Back to back homers. 4-0 still, but Giants added two more errors to its already awful defense. 5-0 after 7 Cepeda home run. 5-1 after 7 Bolin went 6 IP, 2 hits, and 7 K's. 6-1 Giants, Mays solo HR. Fisher is tying his best to blow the lead, walked in a run, after Grudzi earlier 2 run shot, it is now 6-4 and bases are loaded with one out. 6-5 after 8. 11-5 Giants with 1/2 inning to go. McCovey second HR of game 2run shot, followed by solo HR by Alou, then Mays singled, and Bailey followed with a HR. 3 HR in inning. 11-6 final, Alou added a solo shot for Cubs, Bolin win, Fisher in releif was horrible, 2.2 IP 6 H, 5ER, 2 BB.

-contributed via AIM updates from Bill Vogt-

85-Mets 3, 63-Cardinals 1

I took a different approach with this write-up. St. Louis' manager, Mike Roberts and I were chatting on AIM during the game. He gave me some great updates and rather than have him do a "special" write-up or have Andy create one I figured I'd cut and past his comments during the 4 game set:

GAME 1: Doc vs Broglio. Flood leads off the game with a singleno score in the third...Altman gets hurt chasing down a fly ball. Mets push across a run in the fourth. 1-0 NYCards plate two in the top of the eighth on run scoring singles by Flood and Groat; 2-1 StL in the bottom of the 8th. Doc was dominant until the 8th. Ron Taylor sets the Mets down in order in the bottom half. On to the 9th...Mets with runners on first and second and one out in the ninth! Tense!! Foster is up Holy cow!! Foster struck out, but HoJo doubled in the tying run! Carter came around third for the game winner, but Charlie James, subbing for Atlman, gunned him down! Extra frames. Cards get one in the 13th, win it 3-2

GAME 2: is Gibson and Darling. Well, the Mets take that one 6-3. Gibby was throwing bullets, but Foster hit a three run bomb in the sixth.

GAME 3: Jeez, despite 17 Cardinal hits and three Met errors, Mets win game three 7-6 in 11 innings"I can't get Groat to execute the hit and run. It's failed every time". Man, any kind of start at all by Simmons in game three, and I would have won that one and split. Simmons had a 2.48 ERA, but was roughed up early and I lost 7-6 in 11.

GAME 4: NY is blowing me out in game four. 6-0 in the third. Sadecki getting hammered, vs El Sid. I got two back, but he came back with two. 8-2 now. Man, The Mets doing a lot of stealing, even with a 10-3 lead in the 8th. He walloped me 12-3 in the finale.

That was a good Met team. They'll be tough because Doc is a real stopper. Ironically the only game I won was when Doc started. Flood hit a ton in the series. He might be the league leader after the first round. He was on base all series, but I couldn't get a successful h&r from Groat, who in real was a great h&r guy. Flood is hitting .588, mostly singles though.

60-Chisox 3, 07-Tigers 1

"Roy Seivers has rejunevated his career at the expense of the Tigers pitching. 6 homeruns, including two grandslams powered the Pale Hose to a 3-1 series victory over the Tigers. EarlyWynn, Bob Shaw and Billy Pierce shut down the Tigers powerful hitting attack and Shaw threw a game two shutout. The White Sox defense was constantly evident as it seemed that every time the Tigers got something going, Aparicio or Fox would start a crushing double play. The Tigers had a two run head going into the ninth inning of game three when the South Siders broke loose for nine runs off a succession of Tiger relievers starting with Todd Jones. After Game Three, Tiger manager, Tom "Crash" Davis was heard to be muttering something about the Purple Gang and how much a gang land hit might cost. Major League Baseball has decided that it was the ravings of a lunatic and will not investigate. Although Sievers hit a homer off Kenny Rogers in his first at bat in Game 4, Zach Miner earned the Tiger win in relief on the strength of a Marcus Thames seventh inning homer, with relief help from Jones. Davis was seen in the Tiger clubhouse afterwards drinking a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat and moaning about the lack of arms on the Tiger pitching staff."

-contributed by Tom "Crash" Davis-

02-Red Sox 3, 93-Yankees 1

Game 1 saw Johnny Damon hit a walk off homer in extra innings to give the fans at Fenway something to celebrate.

Game 2 saw the (evil) empire strike back as Jim Abbott pitched well enough to win and Steve Farr notched his first save of the year. The Sawx made 4 errors, including 2 by Nomar. Pedro got lit up for 6 runs in 6 innings and was generally ineffective. Dion James went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI's to pace the Bombers.

Game 3 was the home opener up in the Bronx. Manager Ed Mikhli surprised the home faitful by starting Bob Wickman who gave up 7 runs in 7 innings. Red Sox's starter Tim Wakefield was barely effective himself, but he did notch 6 k's with his dancing kuckler. Many was 4 for 4 with a homer and 4 ribbies. Donnie Baseball was 3 for 5 himself, but the Sox doubled up the Bombers 16-8.

Game 4 saw John Burkett do his best imitation of what Boston fans expected Pedro to look like as he went 8 innings and yielded only 1 run to the powerful Yankee lineup. Johnny Damon hit his 3rd homer of the season, while going 3 for 5. Boston won 4-1 as Allan Embree came on to pitch the 9th and notch his first save out of the pen.

75-Royals 3, 06-Angles 1

Game 1: John Lackey goes 6 2/3, giving up 1 run on 5 hits to get the win. The top 5 hitters in the Anaheim lineup each had an rbi. Anaheim 5 KC 2. W- Lackey, L-Busby, SV- F. Rodriguez

Game 2: Anaheim leads 3-0 going into the 9th as Ervin Santana and Scott Shields have only given up 2 hits to the punchless Royals. After George Brett K's to lead off the 9th, Brendan Donnelly is brought on in relief. John Mayberry & Tony Solaita greet him with back-to-back homers. Hal McRae then delivers a pinch-hit single followed by a Jim Wohlford single. Al Cowans squeezes home McRae and reaches first on the play at the plate. F-Rod then unleashes a wild pitch to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with the score ties and 1 out. Frank White then lays down a perfect bunt down the 1st base lane that scores Wohlford with the game winner.KC 4 Anaheim 3. W- Fitzmorris, L- Donnelly, SV- Mingori

Game 3: Anaheim takes an early lead with a 3-run 4th, started by a Vlad Guerrero HR. With KC down 6-4 in the bottom of the 8th, the scrappy Royals score 2 runs aided by the 5th of 6 Anaheim errors in the game and a double steal of 3rd and 2nd by Wohlford and Rojas in a busted hit & run. In the bottom of 10, Al Cowens doubled with 1 out and after an IBB to Rojas, a Patek sac bunt is bobbled by Maicer Izturis to load the bases. Hal McRae delivers again with a pinch-hit game winning single.KC 7 Anaheim 6. W- Mingori, L- F. Rodriguez

Game 4: In the KC 1st Mayberry & Solaita go back-to-back again. Solo blats by Napoli and Vlad Guerrero get Anaheim back in it, but Doug Bird's 2 innings of perfect relief shuts the door.KC 4 Anaheim 3. W- Pattin, L- Weaver, SV- Bird

-contributed by Allan Silverwood-

'79-Phillies 3, 76-Pirates 1

The Philadelphia Phillies hitters hammered Pirates pitching to the tune of .319 batting average and 6 homeruns in the 4 game series. They scored 28 runs also. Mike Schmidt was the hitting star as he went 9 for 16 with 4 homeruns and 9 RBI's. Schmidt looks like he will win KOD2 MVP honors. The Phillies pitching limited the Pirates to just 14 runs in 4 games. Carlton, Lerch, and Espinosa all recorded victories for the Phillies staff. The Pirates were lucky to escape with a victory in game 4 as Kent Tekulve almost blew a 8-5 lead and the Buccos held on for an 8-7 victory. The usually reliable Bucs staff posted a 6.43 ERA. One note in the series was that Greg Luzinski beat out an infield hit. I will have to write to Dave about that one. Thanks to Gary for hosting.

-contributed by Frank Aluzzi-