Mets Breeze by Padres

New York,

Game 1,

Eric Nolte and Tom Seaver battled. The Padres held a 2-0 lead until Gregg Jefferies tied the game with a 2 run homerun which extended the game extra innings when Steve Henderson doubled in Carl Everett. Mets 3...Padres 2(13 innings)






Game 2,

New York scored 3 runs in the 5th inning. Two of the runs came home on a Duda 2-run blast.  San Diego plated 2 runs in the ninth inning but not enough to overtake the home team.  Jon Matlack earned his 3rd win and Roger McDowell recorded his 7th save.  Matt Clement's record sunk to 1-5. Mets 4...Padres 3.

San Diego,

Game 3,

The Mets pounded out 13 hits including 2 by Daryl Strawberry. The Straw Man knocked in 4 runs including his 4th homerun of the season.  Padre righty, Frank Seminara was pounded for 9 runs and he deservedly received the loss. Dwight Gooden was the hero of the game as he pitched a complete game shutout while striking out 15 Padre batters.  Mets 10....Padres 0.

Game 4,

The final game of the series was much closer but the result was the same as the Mets swept the Padres in four games.  Jerry Koosman got the win to improve to 3-2. The loss was attributed to Clay Kirby who is now 1-4. Mets 3....Padres 1.

KOD16 - KCR/LAA

The Kansas City Roylas and LAA Angels met for a 4-game series. These two teams always battle as if it each game was the 7^th game of the World Series.  And this series was no exception.

September 06; Royals Stadium
Royals 7, Angels 4

After exchanging leads a few times early, the game settled on a 4-4 tie after 4 innings and remained so through 7 innings.   By the 8^th inning starters Mike Jones and Marcelino Lopez had turned the game over to their bullpens.  Doug Bird took care of the Angels in order in the top of the 8^th.  But in the bottom half, Mark Quinn greeted Jose Arredondo with a solo shot to left center to put the Royals up 5-4.  Carlos Beltran followed with a single and two outs later Kevin Seitzer put the game out of reach with a 2-run blast to left.  Dan Quisenberry pitched a perfect 9^th for the save, as Kansas City took the opening game of the series. 

 

September 07; Royals Stadium
Angels 6, Royals 5

Kansas City established an early lead in the bottom of the 3^rd inning off LAA starter Jered Weaver, scoring 4 times by stringing together a double, 3 singles and a couple of walks.  George Brett's 2-run single was the big hit.  But then Weaver settled down and the Angles began to chip away at Royals starter Paul Splittorff, scoring single runs in the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th innings to make it a 1-run game after 8 innings.    

In the top of the 9^th, with Splittorff still on the mound and KC still leading 4-3, Angels pinch hitter Rick Reichardt led off with a single, and the cat-and-mouse game began.  Shaun Figgins was called on to pinch run.  The Royals responded by sending in Dan Quisenberry to face the switch-hitting Devon White, who sacrificed Figgins to 2^nd base.  Then when Garrett Anderson was announced as a pinch hitter, the Royals responded with LHP Tim Collins.  In a surprise move, LAA took the bat out of the hands of their start slugger and handed it to light-hitting RHB Dave Chalk, hoping for only a single to tie the game.  Kansas City decided to set up the double-play and promptly walked Chalk intentionally.

With 2 runners on and 1 out, up to the dish stepped David Eckstein.  Despite having closer Joakim Soria ready in the bullpen, KC decided to let Collins face Eckstein, who proceeded to shock everyone in the stadium, himself included, with a HR down the line that barely cleared the fence.  After trailing since the 3^rd inning, suddenly the Angels were on top 6-4.

The Royals made bottom of the 9^th very interesting, with 2 singles, 3 pinch runners and 4 stolen bases.  But LAA closer Bob Lee managed to allow only 1 run to score, and finally induced a groundout from Carlos Beltran to end the game with the tying run in scoring position, and preserve a 6-5 Angels win.            

 

September 08; Angel Stadium
Angels 4, Royals 2

Despite relocating the series to Southern California, the tone and tenor of the series didn't change a bit. Game 3 starters Rickey Clark and Bill (not Billy) Butler pitched well and limited the scoring to a Carlos Beltran RBI single in the 3^rd and a Jim Edmonds RBI single in the 5^th.   But LAA jumped ahead when Dallas McPherson led off the bottom of the 7^th with a HR off Doug Bird. Wally Joyner followed with a single and Mike Napoli a double.  Both ended up scoring, first on a groundout and then a sacrifice fly.

Trailing 4-1, once again the Royals refused to go quietly in the 9^th.  Lou Piniella led off with a single, and was followed by 2 walks to load the bases with no outs.   With the home crowd on the edge of their seats, Bob Lee came in from the pen and induced a groundball to Wally Joyner, who converted it into a rally-killing 3-6-3 twin-killing, as pinch runner Willie Wilson came in to score. Next batter Tom Goodwin then grounded out to earn Lee his AL leading 8th save.   

 

September 09; Angel Stadium

Angels 1, Royals 0  (12 innings)

Yet another nail-biter to finish the series.   Angels' starter Dean Chance went 8.1 innings allowing only 5 scattered singles, no walks and striking out 7.  Royals' starter Kevin Appier was nearly as good, going 8.0 innings and allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.  Neither team was able to score, as the game went into extra innings.  Kansas City threatened in the in the top of the 10^th when Clint Hurdle singled and Kevin Seitzer reached on an error.  A sacrifice bunt later, the LAA strategy of bringing the infield in paid off when Angel Berroa grounded to SS, freezing the runners, and Troy Percival came on to strikeout Carlos Beltran.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 12^th inning when Devon led off with a single and was sacrificed to 2^nd.  Following an intentional walk, Rance Mulliniks joined the ranks of unlikely Angels hero by doubling off of Royals ace Tom Terrific Gordon, easily plating Devon White with the winning run.     

--submitted by Douglas Zaner--

Friars and Desert Snakes do battle!

San Diego,

Game 1,

Johnny Grubb and Benito Santiago smacked homeruns to lead the Padres past the Snakes in the opening game. Eric Nolte got his first start and surrendered 4 runs through 6 innings and helped keep the Padres in the game.  Kahlil Greene and Will Venable each had 3 hits as reliever Webb go the win in relief to improve to 3-0. The loss went to Hellickson(0-5). Padres 7 ....Diamondbacks 4.

Game 2,

Arizona shortstop Alex Cintron drove in a pair of runs to help the D-Backs even the series.  Daniel Hudson pitched 7 innings for his first win. The loss was hung on Matt Clement (1-4). Clement's ERA on the season stands at a staggering 7.22. Diamondbacks 4....Padres 3.

Arizona,

Game 3,

Johnny Grubb hit his second homerun of the series and Nate Colbert hit his fourth dinger as the Padres clobbered the D-Backs in the desert.  Frank Seminara pitched a strong game shutting down the snakes on 3 hits through seven innings.  Butch Metzger pitched the final two innings to preserve the win.  Brandon Webb got the loss(2-1)....Padres 8....Diamondbacks 1.

Game 4,

Padre starter Mark Thurmond got pounded in the first two innings. Thurmond coughed up six runs and was relieved. That would be all the snakes would need in this game as they scored seven runs on ten safeties.  Travis Lee hit a grandslam in the second inning. The beneficiary of the offensive onslaught was Scott Kazmir(2-1). Diamondbacks 7...Padres 4.
--submitted by Joey Scigliano--

Friars Swat Big Red Machine

San Diego,
Game 1,
Lefty Bob Shirley evened his record at 2-2 with an 8 inning 3-run allowed performance to pitch the Padres past the Big Red Machine.  Johnny Grubb crushed a 2-run homerun off Wayne Simpson to lead the San Diego hitting charge. Nate Colbert tripled twice for the Friars.  Padres 4.....Reds 3.

San Diego,
Game 2,
Kevin Kouzmanoff hit his first homerun of the season in the third inning and Khalil Greene smacked his 3rd in the fifth inning as the Padres took the second game of the series.  Clay Kirby earned his first win of the the year for San Diego as the Padre offense plated five runs in the 5th inning to push them past Cincinnati. Padres 6....Reds 5.

Cincinnati,
Game 3,
Another close one as the Reds and Padres battled in Cincinnati. San Diego scored single runs in the 7th and 8th innings to knot the game at 4 apiece. However, the game was won by the Reds in the bottom of the 9th when Adam Dunn led off the inning with a tape measure homerun to right field off reliever Butch Metzger.  Reds 5....Padres 4.

KOD16 Series Showdown Between AL Division Leaders

The American League division leaders Balimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels met for a 3-game series.

August 29; Anaheim, CA

Baltimore 10, Anaheim 9

The Orioles opened a 10-4 lead after 4.5 innings thanks to HRs by Bobby Grich, Cal Ripken Jr and Gus Triandos off of Angels starter Frank Tanana.  But Anaheim answered with HRs of their own by Devon White, Mike Trout and Carney Lansford off of Orioles starter Billy O'Dell (1-0) to pull within 1 run after 7 innings.  With the game turned over to the bullpens, 4 Baltimore relieves managed to protect the lead, with Greg Olson getting the final out to earn the save.  Ripken and Triandos each finished with 4 RBIs.  Three Angels collected 3 hits each, and 9 Anaheim batters had at at least 1 hit..  Despite being out-hit 15-8, the Orioles managed to accumulate more of what really counted - runs.

August 30; Anaheim, CA 

Anaheim 3, Baltimore 1

Angels starter Dean Chance (3-0) got his team back on track, pitching 7.2 innings and allowing only an Eddie Murray solo HR in the 8th inning.  Anaheim chipped away at Baltimore starter Chuck Estrada, scoring single runs in the 3rd, 5th and 7th innings. Garrett Anderson knocked in 2 of the Halos' 3 runs.  Bob Lee pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the save.  

August 31; Baltimore, MD

Anaheim 4, Baltimore 3

The final series game was a back and forth affair.  Dalas McPherson gave Anaheim a  1-0 lead with a double in the top of the 2nd off Baltimore starter Wally Bunker.  But the Orioles answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th off Angels starter Marcelino Lopez thanks to 3 straight singles and a costly Buck Rodgers passed ball.  Anaheim tied the game in the top of the 5th on a Devon White single.  But Baltimore answered again in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a Bobby Grich triple and a Roy Sievers single to take a 3-2 lead.

The Angels tied the game once again in te 8th when Tim Salmon opened the inning with a triple off Jim Palmer and scored when the next batter Adam Kennedy doubled.  Two batters later Kennedy was gunned down at the plate by Orioles right fielder Bob Nieman to keep the game knotted at 3.

The game remained tied after 9 innings, and both teams began thinning out their benches of eligible players. The tie was broken with 1 out in the top of the 11th by a Mike Trout solo HR off Jerry Walker. Once again Bob Lee preserved the win for Jose Arredondo (3-0) and earned his AL league-leading 6th save.    

--submitted by Douglas Zaner--

Zisk and Jones both go 4 for 4!
It's pretty rare when two hitters in the same game go 4 for 4.  Richie Zisk and Garrett Jones each had 4 hits to lead a 16 hit pirate attack as the Bucs downed the Expos 8-1 in the first game of a 3 game series.  Garrett Jones hit his 4th homerun as one of his hits.  The Pirates jumped all over Carl Morton in the first inning as 9 hitters came to the plate and the bucs scored 4 runs.  John Candelaria criused through 8 innings only allowing 1 run while striking out 7.  Matt Capps closed it out pitching a scoreless ninth.

Wakefield's knuckleball has Expos hitters guessing!
Tim Wakefield tossed 8 innings only allowing 1 run as the Pirates took game 2 with a score of 4-1.  The Pirates only got 4 hits with one of them being a Neil Walker homerun.  The Bucs were beneficiaries of Dan Warthen's 7 walks in 5 innings as he allowed all 4 runs.  Mike Gonzalez gave bucs fan a scare in the 9th putting 2 baserunners on but closed it out for his first save.

Pirates complete the sweep winning 6-4.
Steve Rogers allowed 4 runs in the first 3 innings and Dock Ellis came on in relief for Jose Deleon who looked shaky to pickup the win.  Dock was a little high during the game but does his best pitching when on lsd.  Jared Hughes picked up the save and Craig Wilson socked his second homerun of the season.  

M's take 2 of 3 from A's

  

Seattle 3 Oakland 0 
This game could be summed up on the 1st four Seattle batters. Moses singled to open the game. Suzuki flew out Page. Valle singled to move Moses to 3rd. Alvin Davis then homered. From that point on it was all pitching. Game MVP Joel Pineiro went 7 1/3 allowing 2 hits walking 1 with 7 Ks. Romo came on for the hold going 1 inning and Vande Berg on 2/3 of an inning striking out both for the save. Nash went the distance for Oakland taking the loss.

Seattle 6 Oakland 3

Once again Seattle strikes in the 1st. Back to back singles by Amaral and Briley, a groundout by Suzuki advanced the runners and Amaral scored on a flyout by Valle.In the 2nd Archer ran into trouble walking Tartabull and Davis, a sacrifice bunt by Cruz advanced them and Tartabull scored on an Amaral single. In the 6th Seattle blew it open back to back singles Suzuki and Valle and Suzuki scored on a grounder by Brantley when the throw home was late. a double by Tartabull scored both and he scored on a Castillo single. Down 6-0 Oakland got on board with a Cespedes single scoring on a Page double. In the 7th Jackson walked and scored on a Spiezzo triple who scored on a wild pitch. Stoddard got the win went 7 2/3 innings for Seattle, Vande Berg 1/3 and Raphael Soriano Game MVP got the save. Archer took the loss went 7 inning relieved by Pierce

Oakland 6 Seattle 2
Started as a pitchers deul through 4 innings. Seattle opened the scoring on a double by Cruz that scored Valle. With 2 outs in the 5th Oakland came alive Charles singled stole 2nd, Green singled scoring him, Henderson singled moving Green to third, Henderson stole 2nd and they both scored on a McGwire single. Seattle got one back as Castillo doubled and scored on a Suzuki single. In the 7th Game MVP Dick Green homered for Oakland, and Oakland put it out of reach in the 8th as McGwire and Jackson opened with singles, McGwire scored on a Page single and Jackson on a Charles ground out.
Oakland's Blanton went 6 innings for the win with Lacy going 1 2/3 innings, Cook 1/3 and Bailey 1 inning. Hanson took the loss going 7 inning before Schooler went the final 2.
 

The visiting team won all the games, and the Seattle pitchers kept the Oakland A's long ball hitters in check by allowing only a single home run by Green in the three game series. Seattle won the series 2 games to 1.
--submitted Robert Chisholm--