Jints and Friars split

Game 1

at San Diego Stadium,

Juan Marichal pitches a strong one hitter as he shuts down the Padres 4-0.

Game 2

at San Diego Stadium,

Randy Jones and Shaw square off in a classic pitchers duel won by Shaw 2-1.  Bobby Bolin pitches three innings in relief to earn the save.

Game 3

at Candlestick,

Padres finally get into the win column after losing their first six games.  Tucker Ashford, Dave Winfield, and Oscar Gamble all go yard to support Bob Owchinko, who evens his record at 1-1. Padres win 5-2 with Rollie Fingers getting the save.

Game 4

at Candlestick,

The Surprising Tucker Ashford hits his second homerun in as many days and third of the year to help the Padres even the series at 2.  Jerry Turner also smashed one in the seats in offensive support of Eric Rasmussen. John D'Aquisto earned his first save of the year as the Friars down the Giants 4-2.

--submitted by Joey Scigliano--

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Bucs take 3 of 4 from Cubbies.

8/21 - Forbes Field
Anderson vs Veale
Pirates 3, Cubs 2

Anderson and Veale locked up in a close one where neither starter factored into the decision.  Tied 2-2 and heading to the bottom of the 9th the Cubs went to bullpen ace Don Elston, who quickly got Gene Alley and Roberto Clemente out to start the inning.  A seemingly harmless single to Stargell was followed by walks to Clendenon and Bailey, which set the stage for Mr. Clut Bill Mazeroski who singled home the winning run.

8/22
Hobbie vs Fryman
Cubs 3, Pirates 0
This game was all Glen Hobbie, who according to his manager (Gene Couture) "pitched the game of his life".  Hobbie was spectacular tossing a 1 hitter vs this stacked Buc lineup.  He fanned 9 and walked 4 as he went the distance and baffled the Bucs.  Future/Former Buc Dale Long hit a solo blast in the 9th to take a 2-0 lead and turn it into an insurmountable 3-0 lead with the way Hobbie was dealing.  Hobbie carried his no-hit bit until the top of the 8th when Maz lined a clean single to center with 1 out.

8/23 - Wrigley Field
Law vs Ceccarelli
Pirates 9, Cubs 7

Repeat after me, "No lead is EVER safe when the wind is blowing out at Wrigley".  This was the case today as the "Deacon" Vern Law had a 9-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th when the Cubbies struck for 5 runs and almost pulled it out.  Part of the blame would lie on the shoulders of the Pirates manager (wonder who that is?), who left Law in way past his effectiveness in order to rest his pen.  Finally Don Cardwell was called on to get the final out with George Altman coming to bat as the potential winning run.  Altman popped up weakly to first and the Cubbies came up 2 short in a game that the pundits had them dead and burried.  With the wind blowing out this game was homer-fest (6 total).  Pirate Slugger Donn Clendenon hit 2.  Even Vern Law got into the action going 2 for 5 with a homer and 2 RBI.

8/24
Blass vs Hillman
Pirates 3, Cubs 1
Steve Blass went 8 innings and gave up 1 run on 5 hits, while fanning 7.  Roy Face pitched a scoreless 9th as there was no reason to trot Blass back out to the mound and make the same mistake made yesterday.  Blass protected a tight 3-1 lead until the top of the 9th when the Bucs posted a 3 spot on reliever Dave Morehead.  Matty Alou, Gene Alley, Donn Clendenon and Bill Mazeroski all had 2 hit games.  Each team made 2 errors, with 1 leading to an unearned run against Cub starter Dave Hillman.

Braves take 3 of 4 from Redbirds

In a series that featured games closer than the scores might indicate, the 1993 Atlanta Braves took the first three games of their four game series against the 1970 Cardinals, only to have the Cardinals salvage the finale.

 

Greg Maddux and Bob Gibson dueled in a showcase pitching match up for the opener. Gibson was uncharacteristically wild in this one, surrendering 7 walks. The Braves jumped on him for four runs in the second inning on two walks, three singles, and a run scoring ground out. That was all they needed as Maddux was sharp, as you would expect, not walking a single batter and striking out six in the 4-2 victory.

 

Game two featured lefthanders Steve Carlton and Tom Glavine on the hill. This one was a 2-1 ballgame until the 8th when the Braves broke it open with a 5 spot against the Cardinal bullpen, three of which tallied on Deion Sanders' long home run, to coast to a 7-1 win.

 

Game three was tied at 3 at the end of regulation, as the Cardinals erased an early 3-0 deficit with 2 in the seventh and one in the eighth. Once again the Cardinal bullpen played with matches, with Chuck Taylor the prime arsonist this time. The 10th inning started with a Sid Bream pinch-hit homer. Otis Nixon then walked, Terry Pendleton singled, and after a ground out and strike out, Taylor intentionally walked Fred McGriff to get to the righty hitting Jeff Blauser. Apparently the intentional walk got Taylor into a walking mood as he then walked Blauser to force in a run, and gave up a single to Damon Berryhill to plate another before McGriff was gunned down at the plate. Greg McMichael pitched a scoreless bottom half to finish it off.

 

The Cardinals got game four behind Jerry Reuss's stellar work in his first start of the year. Reuss pitched seven scoreless innings in the contest, as his mates jumped on John Smoltz early for 2 runs in the first and one in the fourth. This time the Cardinal bullpen came through, with Tom Hilgendorf and Chuck Taylor putting up zeroes in the 8th and 9th respectively to seal the win.

 

The Braves climb to 6-2 and the Cardinals are 4-4.

--Submitted by "Bike" Mike Roberts-- 

 

 

Dial M for Manny runs

The Mariners lose the first game to Texas but take the next three. Randy Johnson has an 11-K day in a win, and A-Rod’s first homer is a slam.

Seattle improves to 6-2 and now waits to see what Oakland does.  --submitted by Michael Hopcroft--