'59 Braves outlast '74 Big Red Machine in 5 game thriller

Game 1: Milwaukee nursed a 3-2 lead into the 8th when the Big Red Machine blew the doors off of Lew Brudette's cruise control to the tune of 4 runs. Joe Morgan led off the top of the 8th with a clean single and stole 2nd. Johnny Bench followed with a single of his own to make it 1st and 3rd. Doggie then singled home Morgan. Geronimo followed with a two bagger to plate Bench and both Driesen and Griffey knocked in runs with ground outs. Clay Carroll pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief to post the win.

Game 2: The Braves evened the series at 1 each with a mirror image of the score (6-3) that they lost the opener. Spahn went the distance and gave up only 2 earned runs. Fred Norman also went the distance and gave up only 2 runs, but his defense let him down as 4 more unearned runs crossed the plate. With the score 4-2 the Braves scored 2 big runs in the bottom of the 6th as Spahn helped his cause by singling in Del Crandall. Bill Bruton followed by knocking in Pafko.

Game 3: The Riverfront Stadium crowd was treated to a 16 inning classic that lasted deep into the autumn night. By the time the verdict was in both starters, Bob Bhul (8 inn) and Don Gullett (3.2 inn) were long gone. Gullett hurt his elbow int eh 4th and was replaced by Carroll who gave up 5 runs in just over 4 innings of work. Cincy was up 4-2 when the Braves errupted for 3 big runs in the top of the 8th in an inning that started oh, so innocently. Aaron led off by linning out to Concepcion at short, but was followed by Mathews and Adcock who both walked. Crandall lifted a weak fly to right and Lee Maye was called on to pinch hit for Andy Pafko. Maye, who has been used almost exclusively off the bench sent a 2-1 curveball into the upper deck to put the Milwaukee up by 1. The bottom of the 9th saw the Braves put their trust in closer Don McMahon, who quickly got Concepcion and Morgan out on weaky hit balls. Seeming fully in control and not feeling any fear McMahon challenged the great Johnny Bench who had been slumping all year. Bench turned around a 1-0 fastball and sent it into the left field pavillion to tie it. The score would remain tied for 7 more innings as the game looked to never end. Then in the top of the 16th light hitting Felix Mantilla homered down the right field line off of Jack Billingham who had just come on in relief. Mantilla's ball barely scaled the right field fence and seemed to be aided by the wind. Bob Giggie started the 16th for the Braves and struck out George Foster on 4 pitches. He then walked pinch hitter Merv Rettenmund, which got him the hook. Juan Pizarro came on to force Rose to bat from the right side of the plate. Rose grounded out to 3rd and Concepcion ended the game by lining back to the box.

Game 4: Down 2-1 in the series the Reds needed this one desperately. The County Stadium crowd was treated to a good old fashioned pitcher's duel as the Reds won 2-1. No one would have known that when Clay Carroll drove in Cesar Geronimo in the 4th that all of the scoring would be done and the Reds would cruise to victory. Pedro Borbon nailed down the save in the 9th to force a deciding game 5.

Game 5: Roger Nelson went pitch for pitch with the great Warren Spahn for 7 innings and looked to be on the good side of a 3-2 win. Unfortunately Nelson's lack of pedigre and the Brave bats caught up with him in the bottom of the 8th as Milwaukee scored 4 runs to take a 6-3 lead that Spahnie would never relinquish. Joe Adcock was the hitting star as his 3 run shot put the game away. With one out Aaron doubled and then went to third as Mathews got a bloop single. Wes Covington laced a double of his own down the right field line to score Aaron and move Mathews to 3rd prior to Adcock's collasal blow. The Reds showed little sign in the 9th after Foster lead off with a single, but Spahn induced Foster to hit into a 4-6-3 DP.. Geronimo grounded weakly to second to end both the game and the series. Spahn scattered 8 hits and gave up 3 runs for the complete game victory.

'02 Bosox defeat '07 Tigers 3 games to 2 in ALDS

Game 1: The opener was litterally stolen by the Bosox. With their ace (on paper) Pedro Martinez on the mound the Red Sox looked to sock Jeremy Bonderman and the Tigers. Well, Pedro didn't even get out of the 4th inning and the ledger had him giving up 6 runs (5 earned). Boston narrowed the gap to 1 in the bottom of the 4th as they posted 3 runs to make it 4-3. Pedro's replacement, Arrojo, gave up 3 more runs in his almost 4 innings of sloppy work. Going to the top of the 8 the Tigers were up 8-4 and Bonderman looked sharp. enter the Tiger bullpen. The achilles heel of the team. The floodgates opened up in the 8th as Boston posed 5 runs to tie it. The bottom of the 9th saw Manny lead off the inning with a walk off homer as Urbina notched the win.

Game 2: Reeling from Boston's comeback in game 1 Detroit was never in the second game. Derek Lowe gave up 2 hits and no runs until he left in favor of Allan Embree with 2 outs in the 8th. Detroit scored a run to break the shutout on a Sheffield solo shot as the Bosox took a 2 game to none lead to Motown.

Game 3: Comerica was a sellout for the lone home game their wild card Tigers were going to play. This was a must win game. Tim Wakefield started for the Sawx who were looking to close it out. Staked to a 7-1 lead and cruising all looked to be over for the Motown 9, but Wakefield lost it in the 6th and both he and Embree gave up 6 runs as the Tigers tied it. With momentum on their side Detroit scored 2 in the bottom of the 7th as Casey Fossum hit Sheffield with a pitch too far inside and Maglio Ordonez crushed a 2-1 meatball deep into the Detroit night to send the series back to Boston standing at 2-1 in favor of the hometeam.

Game 4: Looking to close it out the Bosox trotted Pedro back out on the hill in hopes that he would redeem himself for his pittiful performance in the opener. 4 runs in 5 innings is not considered redemption in anyone's book. Pedro threw 144 pitches and was gone as he flirted with trouble all game and finally found it in the 6th. Boston chipped away at Bonderman and got within one but Ledezma came out of the pen to close it out and force a deciding game 5.

Game 5: While Pedro was last seen calling the Tigers his daddy, Derek Lowe again showed why he is ready to assume the mantle of "closer". Giving up 1 run in 6 1/3 innings of pitching is what closers do and Lowe was up for the task. Haney and Wakefield got the Sawx to the 9th where Urbina closed it out. Shea Hillebrand homered in the 4th to make it 3-1 and Trot Nixon banged out 3 hits. Urbina gave up 2 hits to Detroit in the 9th, but when the pressure was on he struck out Sheffield with runners in scoring position and the game on the line.

ALDS and NLDS Results

1985-Mets 3, 1963-Cardinals 1

Game 1: 85 New York NL Slips Past 63 St. Louis 2-1 in 11
Game 2: 63 St. Louis Nips 85 New York NL 2-1
Game 3: 85 New York NL Slips Past 63 St. Louis 2-1
Game 4: 85 New York NL Beats 63 St. Louis 5-2

1959-Braves 3, 1974-Reds 2

Game 1: 74 Cincinnati Tops 59 Milwaukee 6-3
Game 2: 59 Milwaukee Upends 74 Cincinnati 6-3
Game 3: 59 Milwaukee Edges 74 Cincinnati 6-5 in 16
Game 4: 74 Cincinnati Edges 59 Milwaukee 2-1
Game 5: 59 Milwaukee Beats 74 Cincinnati 6-3

2002-Red Sox 3, 2007-Tigers 2

Game 1: 02 Boston Edges 07 Detroit 10-9
Game 2: 02 Boston Beats 07 Detroit 5-1
Game 3: 07 Detroit Tops 02 Boston 9-7
Game 4: 07 Detroit Edges 02 Boston 6-5
Game 5: 02 Boston Tops 07 Detroit 4-2

1988-Twins 3, 1975-Royals 1

Game 1: 88 Minnesota Edges 75 Kansas City 3-1
Game 2: 88 Minnesota Edges 75 Kansas City 6-5
Game 3: 75 Kansas City Edges 88 Minnesota 5-4 in 12
Game 4: 88 Minnesota Tops 75 Kansas City 11-5

Royals knock off Pale Hose in 10 to qualify for post season

KC and Chicago met at Comiskey for a 1 game AL play-in. Marty Pattin gets the start (only his 2nd of the season) for KC vs. Bob Shaw for Chicago. KC gets on top in the first with an rbi groundout from John Mayberry. In the 3rd Aparicio and Fox single, then Brett boots a grounder, which ties the game at 1-1. In the 5th, after Shaw walked his 5th & 6th batters of the game, Bob Stinson singled home Hal McRae for a 2-1 KC lead. Roy Sievers answered for Chicago with his 14th homer of the season to tie it at 2 in the 6th. With Early Wynn now on the mound for Chicago., Rojas and Patek single to start the 8th, 1 out later Hal McRae singles in Rojas to take the lead back at 3-2. Pattin is removed from the game in the bottom of 8 and Chicago answers again. Fox singled, Torgeson walked as a PH for Sievers, Minoso flied out to the wall in left. Fox caught McRae off guard and took 3rd base on the fly out. Frank Robinson then had a pinch-hit 4-3 ground out to score Fox. In the 10th, Patek tripled with 1-out (more on Patek later). Solaita then drew a PH walk, and Wohlford popped out to 1B. Jim Wohlford then squeezed home Patek for a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of 10, after 2 outs, Robinson singles and Rivera walks. Mark Littell then K's Ted Kluszewski to end the exciting playoff and send the unhappy Chi-Sox fans home. Freddie Patek entered the game hitting .171 with only 3 XBH's all season. His 4 for 5 day with a double & triple, earned him player of the game honors. --contributed by Allan Silverwood--

'07 Tigers hold off '49 Tribe (4-3) to clinch post season slot

Detroit hosted Cleveland in a play in game for the wild card position in the East. Mike Garcia took the mound against Tiger rookie Yorman Bazardo. The Tigers were looking for a little Floyd Geibel action from Mr. Bazardo. However, the weather would not cooperate and a rain delay forced Bazardo out of the game in the third inning. The Tigers scored quickly with 3 runs in the bottom of the first on singles by Ordonez, Guillen and a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez.. The score remained 3-0 until the 5th when leadoff erors by Guillen (his second of the game) and Inge opened the gates for two Indian runs. The Tigers got one back in the bottom of the fifth and the score remained 4-2 until the ninth. With runners on first and third, Craig Monroe who had entered the game as a defensive replacement misplayed a Larry Doby single. Ken Keltner scored and runners were on second and third with one out. Lou Boudreau lined out and after a walk to Joe Gordon, Mickey Vernon grounded out to end the game and send the Tigers to Fenway to play the Red Sox. Chad Durbin got the win and Wilfredo Ledezma the save. Mike Garcia took the loss.

Wild and Whacky Reg Season finish

Going into the final 4 game set all 4 division titles were still up for grabs. In fact, only Boston and St. Louis had a post season appearance clinched. Lets look at how each played out:

NL East: St. Louis had a 2 game lead over the NY Mets, but failed to take care of business and lost 3 of 4 to the '59 Braves. The Mets returned the favor and backed in by losing 3 of 4 to the '79 Phillies who were just playing out the string. It should be intersting to see which of these two teams can gain some momentum in the post season. LA, who finished in 3rd in the West had a better record than the Mets and the same record as the Cards and is on the outside looking in.

NL West: The '82 Dodgers were sitting pretty 2 games up on Milwaukee and 3 games up on Cincy. All they need was to split their series vs the '04 Cubs who needed a sweep to get back into the NL East race. LA dropped 3 of 4, while Milwaukee was winning 3 of 4 from STL and Cincy swept the Pirates, who had their bags packed for weeks. That left Milwaukee and Cincy tied for the division (MKE had the tie breaker) and LA on the outside looking in. LA's mgr George B must feel snakebit as the Dodgers have had 2 straight late season collapses for him. In KOD 1 his '81 squad was fatigued beyond belief and dropped 10 of their final 11. In KOD2 they had a rough final series, but didn't really collapse. Cincy and Milwaukee played lights out down the stretch.

AL East: Boston came into the final series up by 2 games over '07 Det, but feeling unsure about themselves after getting swept by Minnesota. The Sawx took 3 of 4 from KC to clinch the division and in the process damaged KC's playoff chances. DET dropped 3 of 4 to the moribound '06 Angels and wound up having to play a play in playoff game vs '49 CLE who swept the pittiful 1980 A's.

AL West: Going into the final stanza there was a 3 way tie for the division lead, with 2 of the 3 teams playing each other h2h ('88-MIN vs '60-CHW). With KC already dropping 3 of 4 to Boston, the winner of the h2h series would take the division outright. The Twins, as they have all season rose to the top and took 3 of 4 from the Pale Hose to win the west. By virtue of losing 3 the South Siders were forced into a 1 game playoff vs the Royals. Chicago won the coin flip to host the all important game.

'74-CIN takes 3 of 4 from '63-SF

The Reds and Giants had two slug fests at Candlestick...teams combined for 16 homeruns in the two games at the Stick!! Also, Felipe Alou is on steroids, human growthh ormones, gorilla growth hormones, X-man hormones,etc... He has more HRs than Mays, McCovey, or Cepeda, and more than Bench and Tony Perez combined!!!! He knocked out 4 in this series! Call George Mitchell !! The Giants have been on a slide lately (lost 7 of 8) and Cincy rebounded nicely to win 3 of 4 for their new manager. -contributed by Bob Kalec and the league office-