Royals sweep Brew Crew

Game 1 - Milwaukee  was home against Kansas City.  Game one started off to be a pretty good pitchers duel with KC up 1-0.  Steve Busby and Bill Travers were both solid through 5 innings. Then Bill Travers lost control.  He allowed 5 more runs and Eduardo Rodriguez  gave up one that inning, to give KC a 7-0 lead. Going into the bottom of the seventh inning it was still a 7-0 lead. Busby had been strong up until that point. He allowed the bases to get loaded. Up comes DH Cecil Cooper..Busby accidentally threw him a meatball, and Cooper his a grand salami deep into the stands, closing the gap 7-4. Busby was able to finish that inning without anymore damage. Doug Bird comes in to pitch the 8th, then KC adds another run in the top of the ninth to give a little insurance. Bird remains in for the ninth and is able to finish off the game and earn a save. KC ends up with 15 hits, and Willie Wilson swipes 3 bases.

Game 2 - Jim Colburn gets hit early and often for Milwaukee. KC opens up in the top of the first with 3 runs. Then they score 3 more in the second inning...and why not...they score 3 more in the 3rd inning. Milwaukee had scored 2 in the bottom of the second, so after 3 its KC 9-2. Figuring not much more damage could be done, Milwaukee stays with Colburn, and he allows 1 more run in the 4th before getting pulled. Murphy comes in, and he gives up a run in the fifth. KC up 11-2.  Milwaukee manages to add 3 more runs, and lose it 11-5. Hits were spread out as only Gorman Thomas doesn't get a hit for Milwaukee, and everyone except the subs get hits for KC. Willie Wilson swipes 2 more bases, and KC smashes 19 hits for the game, but on an odd note, they also have 3 errors.

Game 3 - Milwaukee does not want to get swept.  We are now in KC. That would not be the case.  KC manages to get 12 more hits off Milwaukee pitching led by Hal Mcrae who goes 3 or 5.  Dick Drago throws a great game needing 117 pitches to throw the complete game and an 8-3 win and complete the sweep for KC. KC improves to 8-3, while Milwaukee drops to 3-8. Willie Wilson manages to sweep another 2 bases, and gets a total of 7 for the 3 game series. Hal Mcrae goes 9 for 15 on the series, George Brett goes 6 for 13, Piniella, Otis, and Wilson, all have solid series too as KC smashes a total of 46 hits in the series.

--submitted by Joseph Allen--

Braves stun Bucs by taking 2 of 3

Game One - Ed Ott singles home Manny Sanguillen to cap off the Pirates three-run sixth; the game winner in Pittsburgh 3-2 win. Al Oliver led a balanced Bucs attack with two hits.

Game Two - The Braves score three in the third and then break the game open with three more in the eighth in Atlanta's 7-3 win. The big hit is Mike Lum's two-run pinch-double in the eighth off of Jim Rooker.  Dusty Baker had four hits for the Braves

Game Three - The Braves get off to an early lead (three in the first and a run in the second) to go on to a 7-4 wn and take two out of three in the series. Ralph Garr, Felix Millan and Dusty Baker with two hits apiece for the winners.

--submitted by Chris Gotay--

Bombers take 2 of 3 from Halos

Game 1: May vs Guidry

The first game in Yankee Stadium is a classic pitching duel. In the first eight innings, Guidry was dominant, not allowing a run across. Roy White’s RBI single in the fifth gave the Yanks a 1-0 lead in a game where runs were hard to come by for both teams. Willie Randolph led off the eighth with a solo homer to make it 2-0. When Guidry allowed a walk to the first batter in the ninth he was pulled and replaced with Lindey McDaniel despite having only given up three hits in the game. McDaniel would allow two singles to load the bases and the walked runner would score on a force play at second, but he struck out Stanton to end the game. The Angels fall just short as New York takes the first game 2-1.

Game 2: Ryan vs Stottlemeyre

In game two the Angels sent ace Nolan Ryan to face New York starter Mel Stottlemyre. Mel had her virtually unhittable in his first two starts. This game would prove no exception as he allowed only two hits in a complete game. Ryan matched him out for out until the sixth, when Graig Nettles hit his sixth home run to plate three runs. For the rest of the game Stottlemyre faced the minimum and ended the game with a complete-game shutout and reduced his ERA to a microscopic 0.35.

Game 3: Peterson vs Tanana

Every pitcher seems to get at least one bad outing, and it was the turn of the Yanks’ Fritz Peterson. After allowing a run in the third things fell apart completely in the Angels fifth. In that inning the Angels recorded a double and four singles and four runs scored. Mike Tidrow came in, struck out Don Baylor to end the nightmare inning, and gave up only two hits the rest of the night. Despite a solo shot by Thurman Munson and an opportunity in the eighth with a runner on third (a threat which ended when Nettles popped up to the shortstop) California held serve. The end was a 5-1 home win for the Angels that saw Peterson’s ERA balloon to 5.14. Frank Tanana secured the win despite being ejected in the sixth for arguing balls and strikes after walking Willie Randolph; in his five shutout innings he gave up only one hit.

The Yanks face Texas next, while California goes up against the Detroit Tigers.

Michael Hopcroft

NYY manager

Rangers take 2 of 3 from O's

Game 1 - Memorial Stadium
Jim Bibby vs Mike Cuellar
Rangers 6, Orioles 1

Despite 7 walks in 7 innings big Jim Bibby managed to give up 1 run to the O's offense to notch his second win of the season.  Mike Cuellar (2-1, 3.75) took his first loss.  Texas scored 5 runs in the first 3 innings.  Frank Howard (2-5) had 3 RBI's on the day.  Tom Grieve and Juan Beniquez each had 3 hits for the victors.  Eddie Murray (2-3) had half of Baltimore's 4 hits.

Game 2 - Memorial Stadium
Steve Hargan vs Dave McNally
Rangers 6, Orioles 2

Very similar scenario to game 1.  Texas for the 2nd day in a row beat up on another crafty Oriole lefty.  Texas banged out 13 hits with former Angel great Jim Fregosi (4-5) leading the way.  Fregosi scored 2 runs and knocked in 2 to go along with a solo homer.  Steve Hargan (1-1, 3.60) fanned 7 in 8 stellar innings of work to post the win.

Game 3 - Arlington Stadium
Jim Palmer vs Dick Bosman
Orioles 3, Rangers 2

Needing a huge performance out of HOFer Jim Palmer to avoid the broom the O's got everything that they required.  Palmer went the distance to edge the scrappy team from Arlington by 1 run.  For most of the afternoon Palmer found himself locked in an unexpected duel wih Dick Bosman.  Then in the top of the 6th the O's broke a scoreless tie with 3 big runs.  Perennial gold glover Brooks Robinson cracked a 2 run double with 1 out and Ellie Hendricks followed that with an RBI single.  Baltimore was poised to add more, but Bosman found enough inner strength to fan Lee May and Paul Blair to cut his losses.  Texas chipped away with solo runs in each of the next 2 innings to put pressure on Palmer who got stronger over the final 2 frames to shut the door on Texas' comeback.

Amazin's take 2 of 3 from Friars

Game 1 at Shea Stadium,
Rusty Staub had a big day as he went 4 for 4 with 2 homeruns and 3 RBI.  Gary Gentry was on his game as he allowed only one run on two hits with 7 overpowering innings. Randy Jones pitched well and went the distance but Staub was his undoing on this day. Mets 5...Padres 1.

Game 2 at Shea Stadium,

Willie McCovey and Dave Winfield smacked homeruns in support of Clay Kirby as San Diego white washes New York.  Kirby thew 8 innings of 4 hit ball and got relief support in the ninth from veteran Rollie Fingers.  Tom Seaver picked up his first loss and now stands at 2-1. Padres 4....Mets 1.

Game 3 at Jack Murphy Stadium,
Steve Arlin was on his game as the Padres got out to a 2-0 lead after six innings. However, New York got the offense going in the top of the seventh inning as they erupted for 5 runs. Cleon Jones contributed to the onslaught with a triple to oust Arlin.  Jon Matlack earned his second victory with 6 innings of 2 run ball. Tug McGraw came in seventh and pitched 2.1 innings of relief to earn his second save to give the Mets the series win.  Mets 5...Padres 4

--submitted by Joey Scigliano--

Jints take 2 of 3 from hapless Cubbies

Game 1 in Wrigley Field saw Juan Marichal go 7.2 innings and the Giants win 10-3, even though both teams had 12 hits

Game 2 was a Cubs win Cubs win 8-4 as Burt Hooton throws 7 strong innings and Bruce Sutter pitch the final 2 to hold off the Giants

Game 3 played in Candlestick saw the home team edge the Cubs 4-3. Jim Barr picked up the win, save going to Randy Moffitt, loss taken by Chicago's ace Fergie Jenkins. Giants record now stands at 6-5, Cubs fall farther in to the basement with 3 wins against 8 setbacks.

--submitted by Gene Couture--

Expos steal 2 from Dodgers

Game 1 - Mon 4, LAD 3 (11inn)

Carl Morton spotted LA 3 runs as the Dodgers scored solo runs in each of the first 3 innings. An RBI double by Larry Parrish and an RBI ground out by Tim Foli in the bottom of the 5th cut the deficit to 1. A 1 out pinch hit homer by Tony Perez squared it up at 3-3. The game headed into extras with nobody scoring in the tenth. Mike Marshall would throw 3 perfect innings of relief for the 'Spos who needed a run quick or risk sending their rubber armed reliever out for another frame. The problem was almost solved with 1 crack of the bat when "the hawk" Andre Dawson hit a bullet down the LF line that Dusty Baker misjudged. With the ball rattling around the warning track Dawson headed for third and had no intention of stopping. Dawson's third base coach thought otherwise and held up the red octagon. Kid Carter stepped to the plate and hit a deep fly ball that easily scored Dawson and awarded Marshall the much deserved win

Game 2 - LAD 6, Mon 2

Montreal jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, but did little right the rest of the way. Little Al Downing kept the Expos hitters off stride all day as the Dodger offense victimized Mike Torrez for 6 runs in 5 forgettable innings of work. Don Carrithers ate up innings in long relief and gave up just 2 hits, but nobody really cares about that kind of stuff when the team doesn't win. Dodger fans surely care when Billy Bucks goes 3 for 4 and executes 2 perfect H&R plays to setup big innings. Shortstop Bill Russell was 2-4 with 3 RBI's as the Dodgers thoroughly outclassed the men from the great white north.

Game 3 - Mon 2, LAD 1

The day belonged to the respective aces of each staff. Both Steve Rogers and Andy Messersmith brought their Cy Young efforts to Chavez Ravine on a beautiful 85 degree Southern California day. Messersmith was dominant from the outset. Rogers was working his way in and out of jams until Davey Lopes hit a solo blast to dead center in the bottom of the 5th to break up the scoreless deadlock. The Expos would scratch for a run to tie the game up in the top of the 6th. Warren Cromartie singled with 1 out and Messersmith uncharacteristically walked the next two hitters to load the bases. Montreal went to the bench and brought up former Dodger, lefty Ron Fairly, who sliced a one hopper that Ron Cey made a great play on. Cey's only play was to first, which allowed Cromartie to easily score from third. Fast forward to the top of the 9th where "Doggie" Perez led off with a clean single to left. Pinch hitter Tim Foli bunted Perez to second. Backup catcher Barry Foote singled back through the originator to put runners on the corners with 1 out. Ron Hunt came to the plate to pinch hit for Rogers and Ellis Valentine was sent in to pinch run for Perez at third. The stage was now set for Hunt to execute the squeeze play, which he did to perfection to make it 2-1 Expos. The bottom of the 9th was anticlimactic as the hometown heroes went three up and three down as reliever Mike Marshall once again earned his keep.

Sent from my iPhone typed completely left handed !