Monday, May 19, 2014

October 04, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim

California 5, Minnesota 3

Bobby Grich homered twice, Doug DeCinces homered once, and Mike Witt pitched 8.2 innings to lead the Angels to a 5-3 win in the series opener.  Rob Wilfong’s first inning HR had given the Twins the early lead. But the game quickly turned into a nip-and-tuck affair with no team leading by more than 1 run until Brian Downing’s 8th inning sacrifice fly made the score 5-3 California.  Brian Harper’s 2-out double brought the tying run to the plate for Minnesota in the top of the 9th.  But Bryan Harvey induced a harmless fly ball off the bat of Dan Gladden to earn the save and preserve the game for Witt.

California leads the Series 1-0.






October 05, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim

Minnesota 5, California 4

Kirby Puckett went 3-5 as part of a 12-hit team attack, and Mike Smithson tossed 6 strong innings, as Minnesota knotted the series with a 5-4 victory in game 2. California managed to claw back into the game after the Twins had built a 4-0 lead.  But Tom Brunansky’s 8th inning solo HR off Andy Hassler proved to be the game winner.  Four Minnesota relievers carried the team for the final 9 outs, with Jeff Reardon getting the save.  Wally Joyner and Jack Howell homered for the Angels in a losing cause.  

Series tied 1-1.



October 07, HHH Metrodome, Minneaplis

California 8, Minnesota 7

The strong starting pitching that was present in the first two games was not the case as the series moved to Minneapolis. Neither team’s starter lasted through the 5th inning, as runs were scored in every inning of the game. Doug DeCinces and Brian Downing homered for the Angels, while Rob Wilfong and Dan Gladden did the same for the Twins. By the time the dust settled, California had managed to hold on for the win. Luis Sanchez picked up the victory with 2 innings of excellent relief, with Bryan Harvey getting the save.

California leads the Series 2-1.







October 08, HHH Metrodome, Minneaplis

California 12, Minnesota 8

California jumped all over Twins ace Frank Viola in game 4, scoring 7 times in the first two innings, with Reggie Jackson’s 3-run homer being the big blow.  But then Viola settled down, and Angels’ starter Don Sutton became progressively shakier. Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti each hit home runs, and by the end of the 5th inning it was 1-run game.  Amazingly, Reggie Jackson took the wind out of the Minnesota comeback sails with yet another HR off Viola in the top of the 7th.  The two teams traded a few more runs off the bullpen of the other, and each team ended up banging out 15 hits. The Twins refused to go quietly, placing runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out in the bottom of the 9th. But once again California’s closer Bryan Harvey managed to settle down enough to strike out the final two batters to give the Angels the game and the series win.


California wins the Series 3-1.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Astros - Dodgers LDS - Astros Hold Off Dodgers In 5

Game 1 Houston @ LA
The Astros trotted out their ace Bob Knepper in Game 1. The Dodgers countered with 5-0 Fernando Valenzuela. The Astros got off to a fast start playing their usual smallball. In the 2nd inning, Dickie Thon singled in Kevin Bass to take a 1-0 lead. They followed it up in the 5th inning as Jose Cruz lined a single up the middle scoring Bill Doran to take a 2-0 lead. However, this would be all the runs the Astros would score as the Dodgers came back in the 7th and 8th innings with 4 runs off of Bob Knepper and reliever Joe Sambito combined. In the 7th, Mike Scioscia grounded in Mike Marshall and Ken Landreaux lined a triple down the right field line scoring Scioscia to tie the game at 2. Davey Lopes then sacrificed Landreaux home to put the Dodgers up 3-2. In the 8th, the Dodgers got 1 more insurance run as Mike Marshall sacrificed Steve Garvey home to give the Dodgers a 4-2 comeback lead. Jay Howell closed out the Astros in the 9th to give the Western Division champs the first game 1-0.

Game 2 Houston @ LA
The Dodgers now had a chance to take control of the series in game 2. In the second inning, the Dodgers scored all 3 runs of the game as Dusty Baker doubled and Steve Garvey was hit by a errant Mike Scott pitch. Mike Scioscia grounded into a double play seemingly to end all hopes for the inning. Then, Ken Landreaux walked and Mike Marshall hit a 3 run homer giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. That was all the runs they needed as the Astros only managed 4 hits off of winning pitcher Oral Hershiser. It looked like a sure sweep as the Dodgers and Astros headed to Houston.

Game 3  LA @ Houston
Facing elimination the rest of the way, the Astros went with the 5-1 knuckleballing Joe Niekro. Burt Hooton hoped to close out the Astros in game 3. In the 2nd inning the struggling Astro offense caught fire. They scored 4 times with their patented smallball. Joe Niekro could only last until the early 6th, but got the win. The Dodgers managed 2 runs, but the Astros held off them off  5-2 to grab a game in the series. LA still led the series 2 games to 1.

Game 4  LA @ Houston
Here come the extra inning games. In Game 4, the Dodgers went with Bob Welch and the Astros countered with Nolan Ryan. The men from LA wanted to end this series quickly with a 2 run outburst in the 1st inning. Steve Garvey singled to bring in Ken Landreaux and a Nolan Ryan wild pitch plated Pedro Guerrero making the score 2-0. In the bottom of the first, Cesar Cedeno solo homered off of Welch tightening the Dodger lead to 2-1. In the 6th, the Astros tied the Dodgers on back to back doubles from Phil Garner and Glen Davis. Both teams scored 1 run in the 7th inning making the score 3-3. As the starting pitchers left, this tie would not end until the bottom of the 11th inning. After Larry Anderson worked his way out of the top of the 11th, the Astros went back to smallball. Pinch hitter Billy Hatcher reached first on an error. Bill Doran was then intentionally walked by Dodger pitcher Tim Belcher. Cedeno moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Jose Cruz was then intentionally walked. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Craig Biggio worked Belcher for a walk and the Astros had come all the way back from a 2-0 series deficit to tie at 2. On to LA to crown a winner in Game 5.

Game 5 Houston @ LA
What is more exciting than a deciding game in a series? This one would hold true to that excitement. The surging Astros were just 1 game away from advancing after a 0-2 series start. Houston again went with staff ace Bob Knepper and the Western Champion Dodgers put their season on the back of Jerry Ruess. The Dodgers opened this final game like gangbusters. Pedro Guerrero singled in Mike Marshall in the second inning to go on top 1-0. In the 3rd inning, Mariano Duncan hit a homer down the left field line to take a quick 2-0 lead for the home team. Through this rough patch, Bob Knepper withstood the barrage and proceeded to keep the Dodgers at bay the rest of the way. Houston scored a run in the 4th as Biggio knocked in Cedeno with a RBI single. The Dodger faithful were sensing a win as the top of the 8th came with their team up 2-1. The Astros caught a moment of lightning with 1 out as Craig Biggio grounded to third baseman Pedro Guerrero and as he booted it, Cedeno who was on third came in to tie the game 2-2 to the dismay of the Dodger fans. For 2 more innings the teams could not find a way to score. Clutch pitching by Joe Sambito for Houston and Jay Howell for the Dodgers. It would all unravel in the top of the 11th for the Dodgers. Steve Howe came in to pitch for the West Champs. After 1 out, Terry Puhl and Dickie Thon singled. Bill Doran then doubled in Puhl giving the Astros the lead 3-2. Cedeno then walked and Jose Cruz singled in Thon and Doran making the score Astros 5 Dodgers 2. Biggio singled in Cedeno to end the scoring at 6-2. Reliever Dave Smith closed out the Dodgers in the bottom of the 11th and the Houston Astros win the game and the series. 

The series was there for the Dodgers to take, but some timely hitting and pitching advance the Wild Card Astros. Houston will face either SF or NY for the League Championship series.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

CARDINALS - PHILLIES ... Cardinals take 3 of 4 from the Phils to finish at 25 - 20.

September 27 ... Cardinals 3 Phils 2 .... Lonnie Smith's 4 single of the game with 2 outs in the 9th scored Ozzie Smith with the game winner. Smith had singled and stole 2nd.  Cardinals had scored 1 run in 1st inning on 3 walks and wild pitch and another run in 2nd on Lonnie Smith's single. Phils had solo homers from Trillo and McBride.  Bair pitched to 1 batter in 9th and got the win.

September 28 ... Phils 8 Cardinals 5 ... Phils built up 8 - 0 lead as Maddox and Schmidt homered and Matthews had 2 run double. Cardinals scored 5 runs in final 2 innings forcing the Phils to use more bullpen than they wanted.  Oberkfell had 4 hitsand 2 rbis while Templeton and Keith Hernandez each had 3 hits as Cardinals actually out hit the Phils 15 - 13.

September 29 ...Cardinals 8 Phils 5 .... Cardinals raced off to 6-1 lead and added solo homers by Hendrick and Clark to give LaPoint a win.  Cardinals used 5 singles and 3 walks to score 5 runs in the 3rd inning as both Pena and Oquendo had 2 run singles.  Phils could manage only 3 hits over the last 5.2 innings. Mike Schmidt with a pair of hits and 2 rbis. Bruce Sutter got his 9th save of the season.

September 30 .... Cardinals 2 Phils 1 ..... Joaquin Andujar pitched and hit his way to victory.  Andujar pitched 8 innings allowing 1 run on 6 scattered hits and he singled in the Cardinals 2 runs with 2 outs in the 7th inning stunning the Phils.  Sutter earned his 10 save of the season with a perfect 9th inning.  Phils lone run came in 2nd on 3 singles with Bowa getting the rbi.

Cardinals finish at 25-20 and Phils end with 23-22.