NLDS: Braves tame Cubbies in 4

NLDS ’84 Chicago Cubs (25-13) vs ’91 Atlanta Braves (21-17)

Game 1 at Chicago (Glavine vs Sutcliffe)

After defeating ’93 Philadelphia in the Wild Card Play-In game, the ’91 Atlanta Braves had the difficult task of trying to defeat the team with the best record in the KOD27 season, the ’84 Chicago Cubs.  Atlanta’s Tom Glavine faced off against Chicago’s Rick Sutcliffe in game 1 and immediately things went bad for the Braves when Glavine had to leave the game in the first inning with an injury.  John Smoltz, who would have started game 2 came on and did an admiral job as he blanked the Cubbies for 6.1 innings.  Not to be outdone Sutcliffe was tossing a gem of his own as he went 6 innings of shutout ball before giving up a run in the 7^th inning on a Terry Pendleton RBI single.  However, in the bottom of the 8^th Chicago sent 7 batters to the plate and scored 4 runs on a Ron Cey 2 RBI double and Keith Moreland 2 run HR to close out the scoring.  Chicago 4  Atlanta 1  (Chicago leads series 1-0)

Game 2 at Chicago (Avery vs Eckersley)

With John Smoltz pitching in game 1 Steve Avery had to move up a day and face the ever tough Dennis Eckersley.  Atlanta again struck first scoring twice in the 4^th inning on a HR by Sid Bream but the lead lasted only to the bottom of the inning when Jody Davis and Larry Bowa got RBI.  In the 5^th Otis Nixon gave the Braves the lead again with a SAC fly but the bottom of the 6^th saw the Cubs take the lead for the first time on a Ron Cey 2 run HR.  Chicago added another run in the 7^th on a Gary Woods PH HR stretching Chicago’s lead to 5-3 entering the 9^th.  Chicago got the first 2 batters out of the inning but Lee Smith walked Bream to extend the inning.  Atlanta took advantage as PH Keith Mitchell launched a ball into the LF stands to tie the game at 5.  The Cubs went down in the bottom of the inning sending the game to extra innings.  The Braves got out of a 1 out 2 runner jam in the 10^th and then in the 11^th Sid Bream hit his 2^nd HR of the game for a 6-5 Atlanta lead and then closed the door on the Cubs in the bottom of the inning.

Atlanta 6   Chicago 5  (Series tied 1-1)

Game 3 at Atlanta (Trout vs Leibrandt)

Charlie Leibrandt had won the Wild Card game and now he too was pitching before he was scheduled facing off against Steve Trout.  Like the first 2 games the teams failed to sore in the first 3 innings and like the first 2 games Atlanta scored first, and often.  Sending 8 men to the plate Atlanta took a 4-0 lead on a 2 run Terry Pendleton single, and RBI single by David Justice and a SAC fly by Ron Gant.  Chicago scored a run in the top of the 6^th on a Ron Cey ground out but that was all the Cubs could muster as Atlanta wins game 3.

Atlanta 4  Chicago 1  (Atlanta leads series 2-1)

Game 4 at Atlanta  (Sanderson vs Glavine)

After tossing only 2/3 of an inning in game 1 Tom Glavine gets the start again to try and close the series out.  Pitching for Chicago is Scott Sanderson.  This time Chicago scores first with a run in the top of the first on a Leon Durham RBI double and again in the second on a Ryan Sandberg RBI ground out for a 2-0 lead.  Atlanta got one back in the bottom of the 3^rd when light hitting bench catcher Francisco Cabrera had a solo HR.  Atlanta took the lead in the 5^th on a two out single driving in 2 runs for an Atlanta 3-2 lead.  Note: Kent Mercker came in to pitch in the 4^th when Glavine had to be removed because of a blister.  When Mercker was due up in the 5^th inning the 9^th position was empty and Otis Nixon was at bat.  After some thinking on Kurt and my part the only fair thing to do was have a RP pinch hit for Nixon and stay in the leadoff spot and at the top of the 6^th put Lonnie Smith in the 9^th position.  In the 7^th Ron Cey once again made his presence felt with an RBI single to tie the game at 3.  Both teams failed to score in the 8^th and Chicago failed in the top of the 9^th.  The Cubs were now trying to send the game into extra innings Warren Brusstar got the first man out before Francisco Cabrera got his 3^rd hit of the game bringing up Lonnie Smith who had come into the game when the game failed to enter Mercker in the 9^th hole.  Smith got in a 0-2 hole but he caught the 3^rd pitch on the sweet part of the bat and sent it over the left center field fence for an Atlanta 5-3 walk-off series winning victory.

Atlanta 5  Chicago 3  (Atlanta wins series 3-1)

--submitted by Erik Nelson--

NLDS - Bitter Dodger/Giants rivalry goes 5 with Tinsel-town barely holding on for the win

Dodger Stadium
GAME 1
Blue vs Singer
Dodgers 3, Giants 2

The "Singer Throwing Machine" needed a little help from his friend Jim Brewer to get the final out in this nail biting series opener.  LA jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a 2 run / 2 out RBI single by Maury Wills in the bottom of the 2nd.  Both teams exchanged solo runs in the 4th with Chili Davis doubling home a run and Tom Haller hitting a solo shot.  It remained 3-1 until the top of the 9th when the Giants threatened to steal this one away from Singer, who was cruising along.  Kutcher led off the 9th with a single that turned into a triple when centerfielder Willie Davis made an ill advised dive that wound up rolling to the wall.  On Robby Thompson's grounder to third Kutcher scored to make it a one run game.  After Spilman singled and Davis doubled the Jints had runners at 2nd and 3rd with just one out and Bob Brenly at the plate.  Singer fanned Brenly for out #2, but was replaced by Jim Brewer who was ready to go in the pen.  On a 1-0 pitch Candy Maldonado lined a bullet to Sudakis at 3rd for the final out.
LA leads series 1-0

GAME 2

LaCoss vs Osteen
Giants 7, Dodgers 3

Cy Young hopeful Claude Osteen (8-2, 2.35) did not have his best stuff today and the Giants rang up the cash register on his behalf.  With LA up 2-0 after the first 2 inning it was Osteen's counterpart, Mike LaCoss, who looked to be on the ropes.  LaCoss settled down nicely to give up just 2 earned runs (3 total) in 7 innings before yielding to the pen.  Osteen, who looked to be the safe bet up 3-2 after 4 had a blow up inning in the top of the 5th where he was tagged for 4 unanswered runs.  RBI Doubles by Wil Clark and Bob Melvin sandwiched an RBI single by Chili Davis.  Jeff Leonard's 2 out knock yielded the final run of the inning.  The Jints would add 2 more solo runs to finish off LA 7-3.  Melvin (3-5, 2R, RBI) had 3 of SF's 10 hits.  Clark and Thompson chipped in 2 apiece.
Series tied 1-1

Candlestick Park
GAME 3
Sutton vs Krukow
Giants 5, Dodgers 1

In a cool 2 hours and 24 minutes the Jints dispatched the Dodgers 5-1 behind a 4 hit 1 run performance from the right arm of the "Polish Prince" Mike Krukow.  The Baysiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never looked back.  Krukow was in total command throughout the day.  Robby Thompson (3-4) scored a run and knocked in one as well.  The "other" 2/3 of the Giants top of the order:  Kutcher (2-4) and Spilman (2-4) created havoc for LA's embattled starter Don Sutton.
Giants lead series 2-1

GAME 4
Bunning vs Garrelts
Dodgers 4, Giants 1

With ace Bill Singer not yet at full rest LA's manager had a huge dilemma on his hands.  Start Singer with the hope of forcing a game 5 without a game 5 starter or go back into the past and try to catch lighting in a bottle with future HOF'er Jim Bunning, who was in the twilight of his great career.  Option #2 was the choice and to say that Bunning pitched like it was 1964 was no understatement.  Without a dominant fastball the future senator from Kentucky mustered up all the guile he could find with 7 shutout innings of ball.  LA got greedy and trotted Bunning out for the 8th, but after loading the bases he was replaced by the fireman of SoCal Jim Brewer.  Chili Davis stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and his team down 4-0 with a chance to ruin all that Bunning had done to this point.  Davis hit a blast off Brewer that 3-Dog tracked down near the track to plate Kutcher and make it 4-1.  Bob Brenly struck out on 4 pitches and Maldonado lifted a weak fly to center for the 3rd out.  LA dodged (all puns) a bullet.  Brewer allowed just one hit in the 9th to save the game for Bunning and force a game 5.  With all the focus on pitching Andy Kosco's (2-4) 2 run shot and 3 RBI day flew under the radar as did the 3-4 day by Wes Parker who chipped in with 2 doubles.
Series tied 2-2

Dodger Stadium
Game 5
Blue vs Singer
Dodgers 2, Giants 1

Game 5's, like game 7's come with a boat load of hype and very little drama.  In a see-saw series like this vs two franchises that are bitter rivals across 4 cities and 3,000 miles nothing short of a one run affair would do.  Both managers went chalk and sent their game 1 starters back out to the bump.  The Jints went with lefty Vida Blue, who certainly wasn't vintage Blue of the early 70's when he wore green and yellow and toiled across the bay.  LA went with the man who was aptly nicknamed "The Singer throwing Machine", who was at the height of his powers having been tagged "the next Koufax".  While Singer would never reach those lofty heights, who would?, he strung together a number of dominant years at the end of the 60's and into the 70's.  On full rest both men were sharp and the the men with the lumber knew it just wasn't going to be their day.  After Teddy Sizemore led off the home half of the 2nd with a single surprising slugger Bill Sudakis blasted a 1-2 Blue offering 343 feet into the pavilion in left center for his 10th clout of the season, which handed Singer a 2-0 lead.  Five consecutive innings worth of bagels on the board kept LA's 2-0 lead in tact until the top of the 8th when San Fran scratched together 3 consecutive knocks to make it 2-1.  After Spilman hit a shot to the track everyone in Chavez Ravine was able to breathe a

collective sigh of relief.  When Davis walked to load the bases with one out everyone looked toward Singer and thought, "it's your game to win or lose big boy".  Singer fanned Brenly, which seemed to be a common theme throughout the series for the Jints catcher.  Maldonado followed with a pop up to shallow left to end the threat.  Singer left the mound a tired, but certainly not a beaten man.  The Top of the 9th saw Pete Mikkelsen make his first appearance in the series.  The be-speckled righthanded sinkerballer looked sharp setting the Giants down one, two, three to clinch the series in a finale that lived up to all expectations for those who love drama and being on the edge of their seat.
Dodgers win series 3-2.

Editor's note:  Great season for the Jints and manager Fred Falzone who made some gutsy calls that were against the so called "book".  Fred's hunches paid off time and time again and had SF on the brink of upsetting their hated divisional rival.  A bounce this way or that way and a different outcome could easily have occurred.  This was Fred's first season behind the bench in the Bay area replacing the ever so popular Larry Reeves at the helm.  Fred managed the Giants to a 22-16 regular season record and the #3 seed in the NL.  Great job buddy !

ALDS: 83 Toronto vs 16 Boston

Blue Jays have all the answers in this best of 5 series.  Win games 1 and 2 in walkoff fashion and then wrap it up in Boston in game 3.

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

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​submitted by Pete Daly--​

ALDS: 'Stros Roll over Chisox in 4

Houston Continues to Roll

After a winning the play in game at the ’25 A’s, and then coming back towards the future to Cleveland to squeak out a 1-0 win over the 2013 Indians in the Wild Card game, the Way Back Machine deposited the Astros in Comisky Park, circa 1977.

Game #1

HOU  5   9 3

CWS  9 12 0

WP – Kravec  LP – Fields

HR – Zisk, Soderholm

Lance McCullers got the Game 1 start vs. lefty Ken Kravec.  The scoring started in the bottom of the 2^nd when Richie Zisk walked and Jim Spencer singled him to 3^rd.  Soderholm then walked to load the bases with no one out.  Ralph Garr followed with a sac fly to left center to score Zisk.  McCullers bore down and struck out Jim Essian and Alan Bannister to get out of trouble with just the one run scoring.

In the 4^th Altuve hit a one out single and with two out Marwin Gonzalez doubled to send Altuve to 3^rd.  Colby Rasmus then followed with a single to bring them both in and put Houston up 2-1.  In the home half, Zisk doubled, went to 3^rd on a wild pitch and scored as Garr netted his 2^nd RBI with a single up the middle.

Houston went out in front again in the 5^th when George Springer scored Chris Carter from second with a single to center. In the bottom of the 6^th Josh Fields relieved McCullers.  Garr doubled and Essian drove him home with a double of his own to make the score 3-3 heading to the 7^th.

Houston went in order and Fields came out for his 2^nd inning of relief.  Chet Lemon grounded to Altuve who threw the ball into the stands allowing Lemon to take 2^nd.  Fields struck out Oscar Gamble and then turned the ball over to Chad Qualls.  Qualls struck out Zisk and looked like he might escape, but Spencer singled to left and then Soderholm launched a 2 run shot to left to give the Sox a 6-3 lead.

In the 8^th, Zisk added a 3 Run homer to extend the lead to 9-3.  In the 9^th, Houston scored 2 runs on a Chris Carter double before Villar grounded out to end the game.

Game #2

HOU 9 12 3

CWS 8 12 1

WP – Feldman   LP – Barrios  Sv – Gregerson

HR – Springer, Villar, Rasmus, Zisk, Essian

Chicago picked up where they left off in Game 1, with Zisk clonking a solo HR to lead of the 2^nd and   In the top of the 3^rd Rasmus and Gattis singled before Castro drove Rasmus in with a double down the right field line and Springer pulled a 3 run HR to left, giving the Stros a 4-3 lead.  In the bottom half of the 3^rd, Lemon reached on an error, moved to 3^rd on a Zisk single and scored on a Spencer single to tie the score at 4-4.

Essian knocking out a 2 run shot later in the inning.

In the 5^th, Castro walked and with one out Villar pulled a ball to right field stands to put Houston back up 6-4.  And in the 6^th, Valbuena double and scored on Colby Rasmus’ 2 run shot to right making the score 8-4.  In the 7^th Houston added an insurance run on a Villar single and Preston Tucker double. 

In the bottom of the 7^th, Lemon reached on a single and Tony Sipp came in to relieve Feldman and face Gamble.  Gamble walked and then Zisk also walked to load the bases with no one out.  With the lefty on the hill, Chi Sox manager Thomas brought in Lance Johnson to PH for Spencer and he lined a single to left to score Lemon.  Sipp got Soderholm to pop out but Ralph Garr droved in another one with a single up the middle.  Will Harris came in to slow things down and induced Essian to ground to short.  But Correa bobbled the ball, allowing another run to score and the inning to continue.  Harris got Bannister to strike out, but the Sox were back in this one, 9-7.   Luke Gregerson came in for the 9^th and made it interesting allowing a run on a Bannister single before closing it out.  9-8 Astros.

Game #3

CWS 2 2 0

HOU 6 7 0

WP – Fields   LP – Kucek  Sv – Harris

HR – Villar, Correa

The teams headed to Houston for Game 3 with Dave Frost going up against Dallas Keuchel.  Houston got on the board first when Villar drove in Jake Marisnick with a 2 out single.  The White Sox came back in the 5^th against Keuchel.  Dallas gave up a single to Soderholm and then loaded the bases with two one out walks to Brian Downing and Bannister.  That brought Ralph Garr to the plate who bounced one to the pitcher.  Keuchel too long to make his throw to the plate and everyone was safe, and the game was tied.  Chet Lemon drove Downing in with a long fly to left and the White Sox had the lead halfway through. 

Frost left after 6 innings allowing only 1 run on 3 hits and turned the ball over to Jack Kucek.  A walk, a double and a walk loaded the bases and Springer tied the game with a sac fly.  Then Jonathan Villar knocked a 3 run HR to take the lead, 5-2.  Carlos Correa added a solo HR leading of the 8^th and that was the ball game.  Astros win 6-2 and lead the series 2-1. 

Game #4

CWS   4   7 1

HOU 11 16 1

WP – McHugh  LP- Stone

HR – Lemon, Gamble 2, Essian, Springer, Rasmus

With their backs to the wall the White Sox sent Steve Stone to the mound to face Collin McHugh.  McHugh was still riding high off his win in the play in game vs the A’s.   While McHugh was still patting him self on the back, Chet Lemon and Oscar Gamble went back to back with solo HR’s in the top of the first.  Collin settled down and in the bottom of the 3^rd the Astros tied it up on a Castro double and a Villar sac fly. 

Essian led of the 5^th inning with a solo HR to put the Sox back up on top.  In the bottom of the 5^th Houston erupted for 5 runs, the big hit being a bases loaded double by Jose Altuve that scored 3.  Springer padded the lead with a solo HR in the bottom of the 6^th.  Rasmus hit a solo shot in the 7^th and the Astros added two more runs in the 8^th.  Oscar Gamble led of the 9^th with his 2^nd HR of the day, but that was it for the White Sox as the Astros took the game 11-4 and the series 3-1.

--submitted by Tom Landers--

NLDS: Braves kick Phillies butt 3 to nothing. Congrats Erik good luck in the next round.

Charlie Leibrandt (4-2, 2.35) tosses a tidy 2 hit shutout to stymie the '93 Phightin's.  David Justice (2-3) along with Otis Nixon (3-4) paced an 11 hit Brave attack.

ALWC: Stros take LDS 1-0 over Tribe

In a tight one, a solo homer by Preston Tucker off Ubaldo Jimenez was all Houston needed (and got) in a 1-0 win. Cleveland could only muster four meaningless singles and a leadoff double that went nowhere off Keuchel and the pen.

--Joe Pryweller--