Baseball in the Pythagorean Universe: 1972

Since I'm completing all the strike seasons, I might as well do this one too. We begin with the standings in the National League East:

Pirates: 99-57 (clinched)
Cubs: 91-64- 7.5 GB
Cardinals: 74-82- 25 GB
Mets: 72-85- 27.5 GB
Expos: 66-90- 33 GB
Phillies: 62-94- 37 GB

Now, the American League East:

Orioles: 91-64 (clinched)
Tigers: 85-72- 7 GB
Yankees: 81-75- 10.5 GB
Red Sox: 80-76- 11.5 GB
Indians: 71-85- 20.5 GB
Brewers: 65-91- 26.5 GB

Next, the National League West:

Reds: 94-60 (clinched)
Dodgers: 85-70- 9.5 GB
Astros: 84-69- 10.5 GB
Giants: 79-76- 15.5 GB
Braves: 66-88- 28 GB
Padres: 55-98- 38.5 GB

Finally, the American League West:

Athletics: 97-58 (clinched)
(tie) White Sox: 81-73- 15.5 GB
(tie) Royals: 81-73- 15.5 GB
Twins: 77-77- 19.5 GB
Angels: 66-89- 31 GB
Rangers: 56-98- 40.5 GB

As you can see, all four divisions are already clinched; I played the necessary games in my main thread. I'm not sure if I ran enough sims to finish the whole season in the original project over at All Time Sports, but I'll give you what I have in this thread.

Next; We begin (or resume, if you prefer) play in the National League East.

Thoughts?
 
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Here's the National League East action for Friday, April 7:

First, we head north of the border to Park Jarry, where the Expos entertained the Cubs.

The Cubs built a comfortable 7-3 lead going to the bottom of the eighth, but Bob Bailey hit his seventeenth home run of the year on Fergie Jenkins' first pitch. After a walk to Hal Breeden and a base hit by Coco Laboy, Ken Singleton yanked a 2-0 fastball from Tom Phoebus over the left field wall for his fifteenth home run of the year, and we were tied at seven. Dan McGinn came in and gave up hits to John Boccabella and Ron Hunt, then Tim Foli untied the game with a lazy fly ball that just managed to drop in front of Billy Williams for a double. Mike Marshall slammed the door in the ninth for the 9-7 Expo win. Jim Hickman hit his eighteenth home run of the year in a losing cause for the Cubs.

W- Strohmeyer (2-2)
S- Marshall (19)
L- McGinn (0-6)

HR: CHC: Hickman (18)
MTL: Bailey (17), Singleton (15)

Our other stop is Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where the Cardinals are hosting the Phillies.

The Phils gave it a battle all night long, but ended up falling 7-5. Both first baseman Joe Torre and shortstop Mick Kelleher knocked in two runs each for St. Louis, and four different members of the Cardinals' lineup had three hits. The future for Philly fans looks bright, as top prospect Mike Schmidt hit his second home run since being called up to the big leagues.

W- Cleveland (15-15)
S- Drabowsky (3)
L- Fryman (4-11)

HR- PHI: Schmidt (2)

Let's continue with the games of Saturday, April 8:

First, let's head to Three Rivers Stadium, as the Bucs are hosting the Mets.

The Pirates scored a pair in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Mets, 4-2. They scored those two runs on three straight hits off of reliever Danny Frisella: a base hit by Gene Clines, a double by Al Oliver, and another double by Willie Stargell. The run driven in by Oliver was one of three on the day for Scoop. The great Willie Mays had a pinch-hit run-scoring single for the Mets.

W- Hernandez (6-0)
L- Frisella (5-9)
S- Giusti (23)

Next it's north of the border, Montreal to be exact, where the Expos played host to the Cubs.

The Cubs weren't very grateful visitors, running up thirteen hits. Meanwhile, Burt Hooton pitched a masterful five-hit shutout, and the Cubs rolled 4-0. The "children" led the Cubs offensively, as third baseman Carmen Fanzone and left fielder Jim Tyrone each had three hits. One of Tyrone's hits was a home run, his first of the year.

W- Hooton (12-14)
L- Moore (9-10)

HR- CHC: Tyrone (1)

Finally, it's off to St. Louis for Game 2 between the Phils and Cardinals.

The Cardinals came from behind in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to win 6-4. Jose Cruz got the game-winning hit when he scored pinch hitter Joe Torre and pinch runner Lou Brock with a double down the right-field line after the Philly bullpen had issued back-to-back walks to start the inning. Catcher Skip Jutze went three for five with two runs driven in to pace the Redbirds offensively. Willie Montanez hit his fourteenth home run of the year for the losing Phillies.

W- Cloninger (1-2)
L- Selma (2-10)
S- Palmer (1)

HR- PHI: Montanez (14)

I'll wrap this post up with the games of Sunday, April 9:

We begin in St. Louis, where the Phillies and Cardinals are finishing their series.

The Phils took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth and held it until the seventh, when the Cards erupted for four runs on only three hits. They scored two of those runs on a hit batsman and a bases[loaded walk to Jose Cruz, who got the game-winning RBI as a result. Bernie Carbo delivered the big blow with a two-run single. The Cards added another in the eighth for a 5-1 final score. Shortstop Larry Bowa drove in the Phils' only run.

W- Cloninger (2-2)
L- Carlton (27-11)

Next stop: North of the border for the clash between the Cubs and the Expos.

The good news for the home team was that three Expos pitchers combined to throw a two-hitter. The bad news was that it wasn't enough to win, as the Cubs prevailed 3-2. The Spos took a 1-0 lead into the seventh, courtesy of a Ron Fairly home run. In the top of the seventh with two out, Hickman walked. A Carl Morton pitch then glanced off the arm of Ron Santo, which brought up center fielder Rick Monday, On the 2-0 pitch, Monday guessed fastball correctly and sent said fastball into the right center field grandstand. The Expos cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh and had baserunners in both the eighth and ninth, but the Cubs' bullpen kept them off the board and preserved the victory.

W- Pappas (18-7)
L- Morton (7-14)

HR- CHC: Monday (12)
MTL: Fairly (18)

Our last stop is Pittsburgh, home of the division champion Pirates, who played host to the Mets in what would sadly be the final regular season home game for Roberto Clemente. Since this obviously was not known at the time, Pirates manager Bill Virdon stuck to his plan to rest Clemente as much as possible before the playoffs, starting Rennie Stennett in his place.

This wasn't a good day for the champs, as the Mets scored three in the top of the first and cakewalked to a 9-1 victory. Bruce Kison started the game by giving up five straight hits, which produced three Mets runs. The Mets added a two-run homer by catcher Bill Sudakis in the fifth and four more runs in the seventh. On the mound, Tom Seaver goes all the way. Clemente's last home at bat was a productive one: a pinch-hit double to center that drove in Willie Stargell with the Bucs' only run. This was Bill Mazeroski's last home game as well, but he didn't exit so happily, as he went 0 for 2 before being replaced in the fourth by Dave Cash.

W- Seaver (22-12)
L- Kison (9-8)

HR- NYM: Sudakis (2)

The standings to the moment:

Pirates: 100-58 (cinched)
Cubs: 93-65- 7 GB
Cardinals: 77-82- 23.5 GB
Mets: 73-86- 27.5 GB
Expos: 67-92- 33.5 GB
Phillies: 62-97- 38.5 GB

The standings are set, as the Cardinals have clinched third place and the Expos have clinched fifth place.

Next: More NL East games.

Thoughts?
 
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We now pick up the National League East with Monday, April 10:

Only one game to report: the Phillies entertain the Expos at the Vet.

The visitors jumped out to a 3-0 lead halfway through, then held on for a 3-2 win. The player of the game was Expos shortstop Tim Foli, who went four for four, scored a run, and drove in another. Pitcher Ernie McAnally threw seven strong innings before turning things over to closer extraordinaire Mike Marshall, and also drove in the Spos' first run with a third-inning double. Ken Reynolds, the losing pitcher for the Phils, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

W- McAnally (7-15)
L- Reynolds (2-16)
S- Marshall (20)

Now it's on to Tuesday, April 11:

We begin at Shea Stadium, where the Cardinals are going up against the Mets.

The Mets started out fast, sending ten men to the plate in the bottom of the first and jumping out to a 5-0 lead. They were aided in their cause by uncharacteristic errors from Lou Brock and Ted Sizemore and a two-run single from pitcher Jim McAndrew. But the Redbirds came back with two-out magic personified in the third: seven straight hits after two outs, all singles. Cleon Jones went deep in the fifth with one on to give the Mets a 7-5 lead, and a Tommie Agee two-run single in the seventh put the Mets up by four. But Joe Hague went deep off of Chuck Taylor in the eighth, and in the ninth the Cardinals scored four times to take the 10-9 victory. A double and two walks loaded the bases, then Hague hit into a fielder's choice to score Jose Cruz. Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson misplayed a grounder to force home another run, and Matty Alou singled home Hague and Ted Simmons with the winning tallies. Since the Cardinals' staff has run out of arms, rookie Al Hrabosky was called upon to close the Mets out, which he did to earn his first major league save.

W- Grzenda (2-0)
S- Hrabosky (1)
L- McGraw (8-7)

HR- STL: Hague (4)
NYM: Jones (6)

Our other stop is Wrigley Field, where the Pirates will sharpen for the playoffs against the second-place Cubs.

The day started on a sour note when Pirates manager Bill Virdon was ejected by plate umpire Ed Vargo for refusing to play Roberto Clemente in left field, where MLB's computer-generated lineup (otherwise known as WhatIfSports' default lineup) put him. Interim manager Frank Oceak reluctantly stationed The Great One there, then made a show out of moving him back to right after the first pitch. Oceak was then tossed, and bullpen coach Don Leppert ran the team for the rest of the game.

The man who really ran the Pirates today, though, is Clemente himself; he went three for three with five RBIs as the Pirates racked up seventeen hits and rolled 13-3. He doubled in the game's first run in the first, got another run home with an infield single in the third, and smacked former teammate Juan Pizarro's first pitch over the ivy in center field as the centerpiece of a six-run eighth that blew a close game wide open. Proof of the respect that the Chicago fans show Clemente is that someone actually kept his home run ball. The man who did should be glad; it would, sadly, be one of Roberto's last. Willie Stargell contributed the double that put the Buccos in front to stay in the seventh.

W- Briles (15-11)
L- Phoebus (3-4)

HR: PIT: Clemente (11)
CHC: Monday (13)

Now let's go to Wednesday, April 12:

Our first stop is the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where the Pirates continue to prepare for the playoffs against the Cubs.

This one was played in two hours exactly, and four Pirate pitchers, with spot starter Luke Walker leading the way, threw a combined nine-hitter and shut out the Cubs 2-0. Roberto Clemente provided the only runs of the game with one swing in the top of the first when he deposits Cubs starter Bill Hands' first pitch onto Waveland Avenue with one on, his twelfth home run of the year. This makes seven runs he's driven in for this series. Center fielder Rennie Stennett also had a good day, going three for four with a run scored. Hands threw a complete game but takes the loss for the Cubs.

W- L. Walker (5-6)
S- Giusti (24)
L- Hands (11-9)

HR- PIT: Clemente (12)

Our other stop is Philadelphia, where the Expos and Phillies are playing out the string.

It's the Phillies who prevailed on this night, as they scored two runs in the seventh on a base hit by Greg Luzinski to come out on top, 3-1. Third baseman Don Money drove in the tying run in the sixth.

The most interesting story of the night was rookie Mike Schmidt. Desperate to get him in the lineup, Phillies manager Paul Owens played him at second base, and there are rumors that the Phils might try to make him into either a second baseman or a shortstop over the offseason. One thing's for sure: as bad as this season has been for the Phils, a bat like Schmidt's can only help anywhere it's put in the lineup.

W- Twitchell (6-9)
S- Brandon (3)
L- T. Walker (2-3)

We finish our look at the NL East with the games of April 13. (We didn't do April 14 in the original project because all four divisions had been clinched.)

Pirates 6, Cubs 3

The Eastern Division champs lit up rookie Larry Gura for three first-inning runs and never looked back. Willie Stargell went three for four with a home run and three RBIs, while left fielder Rennie Stennett also smacked a home run. In his final regular season game, Roberto Clemente went one for two before being replaced by Vic Davalillo in the fifth. He exited to an appreciative standing ovation from the Wrigley Field bleacher bums.

W- Blass (21-8)
S- Giusti (25)
L- Gura (0-1)

HR- PIT: Stargell (34), Stennett (4)

Mets 3, Cardinals 2

Rookie Buzz Capra threw a complete game to end the year in style for the Mets. Right fielder Cleon Jones went three for four and drove in a run.

In a ceremony copied by several other clubs in later years, most notably the Pirates, the Mets gave their game-worn jerseys to the fans following the game, thus literally giving the fans "the shirts off their backs".

W- Capra (4-2)
L- Palmer (0-4)

The final National League East standings:

Pirates: 103-58 (clinched)
Cubs: 93-68- 10 GB
Cardinals: 78-83- 25 GB
Mets: 74-87- 28 GB
Expos: 68-93- 35 GB
Phillies: 63-98- 40 GB

Next: We turn our attention to the National League West.

Thoughts?
 
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I've decided to play the last day of games in each division, which is Friday, April 14. We'll start with the division we've been discussing, which is the National League East. We'll begin in Chicago, where the Cubs are hosting the Phillies:

Cubs 5, Phillies 1

The Cubs ended their year on a high note by downing the Phils in front of a sellout crowd at the Friendly Confines. Rick Monday's homer in the fourth began the scoring, and Jim Hckman provided insurance with a two-run double in the sixth. He drove in a third run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth. Glenn Beckert had the other Chicago RBI, while Larry Bowa drove in the only run for the Phils. Rick Reuschel went all the way on the mound, throwing only a hundred and two pitches while scattering nine Philadelphia hits.

W- Reuschel (11-8)
L- Reynolds (2-17)

HR- CHC: Monday (14)

Mets 6, Pirates 3

Willie Mays' pinch-hit double capped off a five-run sixth as the Mets prevailed in what turned out to be Roberto Clemente's final regular season game. His shot down the left field line scored Ken Boswell and Cleon Jones; Boswell's two-run single got the Mets on the board, while Jones' bloop base hit tied the game. Ed Kranepool's homer in the seventh established the final score. Mets starter Jon Matlack got the win with eight strong innings, with Tug McGraw pitching a scoreless ninth to earn the save. Manny Sanguillen singled in a pair for the Bucs in the first, while Dave Cash drove in the other Pittsburgh run. As for The Great One, he hit into a fielder's choice in his only at-bat before leaving the game in the third.

W- Matlack (16-10)
S- McGraw (28)
L- Kison (9-9)

HR- NYM: Kranepool ((9)

Cardinals 9, Expos 5

Reggie Cleveland did it all in this one, pitching a complete game on the mound and also hitting a home run that jumpstarted a five-run third for the Redbirds. Bernie Carbo and Ted Simmons each provide three hits and two RBIs, and Joe Torre also dove in a pair. Coco Laboy hit a pinch-hit home run for Montreal. while Tim Foli's two-run single in the first staked the Spos to a 3-0 lead. Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst almost regretted staying with Cleveland; the Expos loaded the bases in the ninth, scored a run on a bases-loaded walk, and came within inches of tying the game on a Tim McCarver grand slam. Matty Alou had to make a last-second catch on the warning track to preserve the St. Louis win.

W- Cleveland (15-15)
L- Torrez (16-13)

HR- MTL: Laboy (4)
STL: Cleveland (1)

The final National League East standings:

Pirates: 103-59 (clinched)
Cubs: 94-68- 9 GB
Cardinals: 79-83- 24 GB
Mets: 75-87- 28 GB
Expos: 68-94- 35 GB
Phillies: 63-99- 40 GB

Next: We begin our look at the National League West.

Thoughts?
 
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Now let's begin our look at the National League West with the Opening Day game of Thursday, April 5 between the Reds and the Astros at Riverfront Stadium:

Today in Cincinnati, the Reds continued their march into the postseason with a 10-3 trouncing of the Houston Astros. Ross Grimsley tossed a complete game seven-hitter, and the Reds' offense pounded Houston pitching for nineteen hits. The major hitting star was catcher Johnny Bench, who smacked two home runs and drove in five. One of the home runs was a three-run bomb in the fourth that broke the game wide open. Losing pitcher Don Wilson gave up fourteen hits in four and two-thirds innings for the Astros. On the positive side, first baseman Lee May went two for four with a homer and drove in two runs.

W- Grimsley (15-8)
L- Wilson (15-11)

HR- HOU: May (30)
CIN: Bench 2 (42)

Now for the games of April 6:

We begin in Atlanta, where the Braves are playing out the string, but the Astros are trying to take second place from the Dodgers, who have a game and a half lead after the Astros were swept in Cincinnati yesterday. They didn't get it done tonight, though, as the Braves pounded them 11-3. Darrell Evans drove in two runs with a single and Hank Aaron two with a double in the third to erase a 2-0 Houston lead. In the sixth, Evans hit a ball into the right field corner that kept squirting out of Jimmy Wynn's reach until Evans had rounded the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Dusty Baker followed with a more conventional blast in the seventh, and Aaron put a nice capper on the inning with a two-run single. Jimmy Wynn homered for the Stros in the eighth. Mike McQueen recorded his first win of the year in relief for the Braves.

W- McQueen (1-5)
L- Dierker (15-9)

HR- HOU: Wynn (25)
ATL: Evans (20), Baker (18)

The other game in the NL West is at Candlestick Park, where the defending champion Giants are entertaining the woebegone Padres.

The Giants prevailed 4-2 behind Willie McCovey's fifteenth home run of the year in the seventh. He also got the scoring started with a run-producing double in the first. Derrel Thomas homered in a losing effort for the Padres.

W- Reberger (4-4)
S- Moffitt (5)
L- Greif (5-17)

HR- SF: McCovey (15)
SD: Thomas (6)

Now it's on to Friday, April 7:

Only one game on the slate tonight: the division champion Reds take on the defending world champion Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

The Reds continued to roll toward their postseason date with the Pirates, as Gary Nolan tossed a three-hit shutout, leading the Reds to a 3-1 victory. Three singles, a stolen base, and a sacrifice fly netted the Reds two in the top of the first, and they cruised from there. Wes Parker hit his fifth home run of the year in a losing cause for the Dodgers.

W- Nolan (16-5)
L- Downing (9-10)

HR- LA: Parker (5)

Next, we look at Saturday, April 8:

We begin in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers try to cool off the Big Red Machine.

They didn't even get near it, as Jack Billingham threw a four-hit shutout and the Reds cruised, 4-0. The major hitting star was center fielder Cesar Geronimo, who went two for four with two runs scored and the other two batted in for the Reds, including his fifth home run of the year. Don Sutton takes the loss for the Dodgers.

W- Billingham (14-12)
L- Sutton (19-10)

Our next stop is Candlestick Park, where the Padres and Giants are playing out the string.

Tonight, it was home run derby on Candlestick Point, as the Giants got all of their offense through four home runs, two in the first and two in the eighth, on their way to pasting the Padres 8-0. Gary Matthews led the way with two home runs and four RBIs. Chris Speier and Dave Kingman also added blasts. Matthews' second shot landed in the right field upper deck. Not to be forgotten are Juan Marichal and Jim Willoughby, who combined on a four-hit shutout. Clay Kirby took the loss for the Padres.

W- Marichal (7-16)
L- Kirby (12-15)

HR- SF: Kingman (30), Speier (16), Matthews 2 (6)

Last, we head to Atlanta for the Astros and the Braves.

The Astros got a real workout with their bats, building up a 9-1 lead after two and then holding off the Bravos for a 12-6 win. The player of the game by any measure is Houston center fielder Cesar Cedeno, who hit two home runs, including one in the top of the first to get the Stros off and running. Tommy Helms contributed three more RBIs. Even pitcher Jerry Reuss had two hits and drove in two runs. Starting pitcher Jimmy Freeman got only two outs for Atlanta, giving up five runs on five hits.

W- Reuss (10-13)
L- Freeman (2-3)

HR- HOU: Wynn (26), Cedeno 2 (24)

Since I'm a bit short on time, we'll hold off on April 9 until next time and move ahead to Monday, April 10:

We begin in Houston, where the Astros are entertaining the Padres.

The Astros committed three errors, but jumped on Clay Kirby for two runs in the bottom of the first and coasted to a 5-1 win. The big star for the Stros was third baseman Doug Rader, whose line drive home run in the bottom of the fourth increased the Houston lead to 4-0. Both pitchers fared well; Kirby threw an eight-inning complete game, while Larry Dierker lasted eight and two-thirds for the Astros, throwing only ninety-five pitches and limiting the Friars to five hits. He left because of a stiff elbow in the ninth, which was when he also lost his shutout on a run-scoring single by Cito Gaston. George Culver got the last out.

W- Dierker (16-9)
L- Kirby (12-16)

HR- HOU: Rader (23)

Noe for our other stop: Dodger Stadium, for the Braves and Dodgers.

Denied a pennant race this year by the Reds, the Dodgers have refocused their energy on the race for second place with the Astros, and they took a step toward locking it up with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. The Braves initially took their lead on a two-run second-inning double by Felix Millan, but the Dodgers got a run back in the fourth on a Wes Parker single.

That's the way matters stood until the bottom of the ninth. With two out, Ron Schueler gave up a walk to Willie Crawford. Dodgers manager Walt Alston then summoned Bill Buckner to bat for rookie Joe Ferguson. Buckner took two called strikes, then Braves reliever Cecil Upshaw decided to waste one inside. Buckner himself wasted it to the tune of 420 feet deep in straightaway center, and the Dodgers won it to stay half a game behind the Astros.

W- Richert (4-3)
L- Upshaw (4-6)

HR: LA- Buckner (6)

Your NL West standings to the moment:

Reds: 97-60 (clinched)
Astros: 86-71- 11 GB
Dodgers: 86-72- 11.5 GB
Giants: 81-76- 16 GB
Braves: 67-90- 30 GB
Padres: 55-101- 41.5 GB

Next: More NL West games.

Thoughts?
 
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We continue our look at the National League West with the games of Sunday, April 9:

We begin in Atlanta, where the Braves are hosting the Astros in Game 1 of a doubleheader.

As part of a promotion, a computer was fed information about the teams and picked a lineup based on the information that it was fed. (The managers were still allowed to choose their starting pitchers.) The computer tallied a win for the Braves, as the handpicked lineup scored eight runs in the eighth to overcome a 5-3 deficit and rout the Stros 11-5. The Astros built a 5-0 lead in the third after Tommy Helms, in the midst of a three for four day with four RBIs for Houston, went deep off of George Stone. But the Braves scored three in the sixth on base hits by Dusty Baker and Marty Perez. Then, in the eighth, the dam broke. Astros reliever George Culver walked the bases loaded, and the Braves took the lead on a groundout by Mike Lum and base hits by Perez and Felix Millan. Then Jim Breazeale came up to bat for pitcher Cecil Upshaw and took Stros hurler Jim Ray's first pitch over the wall in right center field. Hank Aaron teed off later in the inning with one on, and the rout was complete. Extra credit goes to the Braves' bullpen, which held the Astros scoreless over the final six innings.

W- Upshaw (4-5)
L- Culver (6-3)

HR- ATL: Aaron (35), Breazeale (6)
HOU: Helms (6)

The same computer lineups were used for the second game as the first. The players were the same, and so was the score, as the Braves again beat the Astros 11-5. The Braves scored three in the first, then five more in the fifth to break things wide open. Every member of the Braves' starting lineup had at least one hit, and Hank Aaron led off the climactic fifth with a towering shot that landed ten rows back in center field. Earl Williams also homered in the eighth for Atlanta, while Tommy Helms went deep for the Astros. Ron Reed pitched a complete game for the Braves, giving up five runs but only seven hits.

The Astros have now fallen into third place in the West, a half game behind the Dodgers.

W- Reed (12-15)
L- Wilson (15-12)

HR- HOU: Helms (7)
ATL: Aaron (36), Williams (29)

Our next stop in the afternoon is Candlestick, where it was the Giants' turn for fireworks in Game 1. Using their computer-generated lineup, they piled up twelve runs on fourteen hits and blew out the Padres 12-4. Dave Kingman started the Giants off with a two-run blast in the bottom of the first, and also homered in the eighth. Jim Ray Hart added a pinch-hit dinger, and Willie McCovey also went deep for San Fran. Kingman totaled four RBIs for the game. Jerry Morales and Nate Colbert homered for the Pads.

W- Stone (7-8)
L- Norman (9-12)

HR- SD: Colbert (40), Morales (5)
SF: Kingman 2 (32), McCovey (16), Hart (6)

Like the Braves, the Giants got a doubleheader sweep from their lineup, scoring four in the bottom of the first en route to an 8-4 win over the Padres in Game 2. The four first inning runs come on a 450-foot bomb by Dave Kingman, his third total homer of the day. Bobby Bonds and Kingman went deep back-to-back in the fifth to nail down the sweep. Ron Bryant pitched eight and two-thirds innings to get the victory, while Don McMahon notched the save. Fred Kendall was two for four with two runs scored and another driven in for the Padres.

W- Bryant (16-7)
S- McMahon (6)
L- Arlin (10-22)

HR- SF: Kingman 2 (34), Bonds (27)

We end this report at Chavez Ravine, where the Dodgers, in a dogfight for second place with the Astros, played host to the division champion Reds.

The computer that chose the Reds' lineup put Bobby Tolan in left field and Pete Rose in center; manager Sparky Anderson tried to correct the mistake, but plate umpire Bruce Froemming ruled that players must stay in the positions that the computer assigned them for at least one batter. Anderson continued to protest until Rose assured him that he was fine in center. It turned out not to matter, as it was the Reds' pitching that had the trouble, giving up three runs and the lead in the sixth on the way to a 5-3 Dodgers' win. Lee Lacy doubled home the tying run as a pinch hitter, and Bill Russell singled home the go-ahead run off of Pedro Borbon. Interestingly, Lacy tried to score on Russell's hit, but was gunned down at the plate by a perfect throw from Tolan in left. Four different Dodgers' starters had two hits to pace their offensive attack. Pitcher Wayne Simpson was the offensive star for the Reds, singling home two runs in the fourth.

W- Richert (3-3)
S- Brewer (18)
L- Simpson (8-6)

Now let's move on to Tuesday, April 11:

Our first stop is Dodger Stadium, where the Dodgers are entertaining the Braves.

There was scoring in only one inning: the sixth. The Braves got one run on a Hank Aaron home run, but the Dodgers answered with two and took a 2-1 decision. Young catcher Joe Ferguson singled home rookie third baseman Ron Cey with the decider, and Don Sutton went all the way for the Dodgers, pitching a complete game on only two days' rest to gain his twentieth victory of the year. Starting pitcher Denny McLain had to leave after only three innings because of a stiff elbow for the Braves, so reliever Ron Schueler took the loss.

W- Sutton (20-10)
L- Schueler (5-9)

HR- ATL: Aaron (37)

We continue in Cincinnati, where the division champion Reds are hosting the Giants.

The Giants jumped to an early 3-0 lead off of Ross Grimsley in the first on base hits by catcher Dave Rader and center fielder Jim Howarth. Howarth drove in two more with a double in the third, and it looked like a San Francisco laugher. But the Reds got one in the fourth and three in the sixth to jump back into the thick of things at 5-4, and Denis Menke's double drove home Johnny Bench in the seventh to tie it. In the top of the ninth, Bobby Bonds went deep off of Ed Sprague to give the Giants a 6-5 lead, but in the bottom of the ninth, Tolan singled with one out, then stole second, which brought up Bench. The count is two balls and one strike as we join Reds play-by-play man Al Michaels:

"Giants 6, Reds 5, bottom of the ninth......... John looking to knock home Tolan and tie this baby up, although a home run would be better to save the pitchers, because you don't know how long this could last. Better to hit it out and we all go home. Moffitt gets the sign, Tolan not going, one-two to John..... Fly ball to left, Henderson going back, back, back, and.......... GONE! Johnny Bench has hit Number 43 on the year, and Riverfront Stadium goes crazy! And we are going home, victorious! Final score on Bench's dinger: Reds 7, Giants 6."

W- Sprague (4-3)
L- Moffitt (5-5)

HR- CIN: Bench (43)
SF: Bonds (28)

Finally we go to the Astrodome, where the Astros rolled over the visiting Padres 6-1.

Cesar Cedeno paced the Stros, going two for three including a two-run homer in the fifth. Bob Watson also went deep for the home squad, Jimmy Wynn provided the other two Houston RBIs with a third- inning two-run double, and Roger Metzger went one for four and scored a pair. Nate Colbert knocked in the only San Diego run, as Jerry Reuss and George Culver combined to hold the Friars to one run on five hits while fanning ten. Fred Norman took the loss for San Diego, pitching on just one day's rest due to widespread illness on the Padres' pitching staff.

W- Reuss (11-13)
S- Culver (17)
L- Norman (9-13)

HR- HOU: Cedeno (23), Watson (20)

The National League West standings to the moment:

Reds: 98-61 (clinched)
Dodgers: 88-72- 10.5 GB
Astros: 87-73- 11.5 GB
Giants: 83-77- 15.5 GB
Braves: 69-91- 29.5 GB
Padres: 55-104- 43 GB

Next: More NL West games.

Thoughts?
 
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Let's continue with the National League West games for Wednesday, April 12:

Astros 12, Padres 2

The Astros overcame a 2-1 deficit with five in the fifth and four in the sixth. Lee May and Bob Watson went deep for the Stros. Watson was four for five with five RBIs and three runs scored, while May was three for five with four RBIs and two runs scored. The Astros are within half a game of the Dodgers for second place.

W- Forsch (7-8)
L- Kirby (12-16)

HR- HOU: May (31), Watson (20)

Giants 5, Reds 2

Dave Kingman hit a line drive three-run homer in the top of the first and the Giants were off and running. Rookie Hal McRae homered for the Western Division champs.

W- Stone (8-8)
S- Johnson (9)
L- Simpson (8-7)

HR- SF: Kingman (35), Hart (7)
CIN: McRae (6)

Now for the games of Thursday, April 13:

Reds 6, Giants 0

Gary Nolan went all the way for the division champions, tossing a five-hit shutout at the visiting Giants. He struck out nine for the game, and no Giant player had more than one hit. The Big Red Machine was driven by Tony Perez, who went two for five and knocked in a pair of runs in the eighth as part of a four-run inning. Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan drew bases- loaded walks to force in the other two runs. Rose ended the evening with a pair of RBIs, and shortstop Darrel Chaney drove in the other Cincy run, while Cesar Geronimo went three for four and scored twice.

W- Nolan (17-5)
L- Marichal (7-17)

Braves 5, Dodgers 0

Tom Kelley threw the division's second shutout of the night, blanking the Dodgers on just two hits. Meanwhile, Earl Williams went three for four with two home runs plus a run-scoring single. Ralph Garr drove in the other run for the Bravos. Larvell Blanks got the start at second base and went four for four. Kelley set down ten Dodgers in a row before Manny Mota's one-out walk in the fourth, and Ron Cey's leadoff single in the fifth was the first hit for the Men in Blue. The only Dodger to get to second base was Willie Davis, who singled and moved to second on a walk to first baseman Tom Paciorek in the bottom of the ninth. Tommy John took the loss for the Dodgers.

W- Kelley (6-7)
L- John (11-6)

HR- ATL: Williams 2 (31)

Padres 5, Astros 1 (15 innings)

The Astros entered their final game of the year with a chance to tie the Dodgers for second place, but Leron Lee's fifteenth-inning grand slam off of Ken Forsch laid those plans to waste. Forsch got himself in trouble through a base hit by Fred Kendall, a force play that put Derrel Thomas on, and a walk to Enzo Hernandez. Padres starter Steve Arlin doubled in the other San Diego run in the second, while the Stros scored their run in the fifth when Jimmy Wynn bounced into a fielder's choice. Future Brewers ace Mike Caldwell notched the win in relief for the Friars.

W- Caldwell (8-11)
L- Forsch (6-9)

HR- SD: Lee (13)

The NL West standings to the moment:

Reds: 99-62 (clinched)
Dodgers: 88-73- 10.5 GB
Astros: 88-74- 11.5 GB
Giants: 84-78- 15.5 GB
Braves: 70-91- 29 GB
Padres: 56-105- 43 GB

Next: We finish the National League West with the games of Friday, April 14.

Thoughts?
 
I've decided to continue with the American League East while I have a few moments. I've already done April 6 to determine the division title, so we'll continue with Friday, April 7:

Our first stop is Milwaukee, where the Brewers are entertaining the Indians.

The Brewers scored three runs in the first off of Indians starter Milt Wilcox and held on for a 6-4 win. Player of the Game honors went to Ron Theobald, the Brewers' shortstop, who enjoyed a perfect three-for-three day at the plate, scored a run, and drove in another. George Scott went two for five with a home run, his twenty-first of the year.

W- Colborn (8-7)
S- Sanders (18)
L- Wilcox (7-15)

HR- MIL: Scott (21)

Our next stop is Baltimore, where the Orioles continue to prep for the ALCS against the Yankees.

They did so in grand style tonight, handing the Bronx Bombers a 7-0 white-washing. Dave McNally and Doyle Alexander combined on a four-hitter, and rookie Al Bumbry went three for five, scored two runs, drove in two others, and stole three bases out of the leadoff spot. First baseman Don Baylor added a three-run homer in the eighth, his twelfth of the year. The game was delayed for over an hour and a half at the start by rain.

W- McNally (14-17)
L- Gardner (8-6)

HR- BAL: Baylor (12)

Here are the American League East standings to the moment:

Orioles: 92-64 (clinched)
Tigers: 85-72- 7.5 GB
Yankees: 81-76- 11.5 GB
Red Sox: 80-76- 12 GB
Indians: 71-86- 21.5 GB
Brewers: 66-91- 26.5 GB

Next: April 14 in the NL West.

Thoughts?
 
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Here are the National League West results for Friday, April 14:

Dodgers 2, Reds 1

The Dodgers clinched second place by nipping the Reds at Riverfront. Catcher Chris Cannizzaro provided all the offense the visitors needed with his two-run homer in the fourth off of Reds starter Wayne Simpson, while first baseman Wes Parker added three hits. Starter Claude Osteen pitched eight innings for the Men in Blue, giving up one run on five hits. Jim Brewer pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save. The Big Red Machine got its lone run in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to Joe Morgan. Bobby Tolan and Pete Rose each had two hits, and Johnny Bench had the other.

W- Osteen (21-11)
S- Brewer (19)
L- Simpson (8-8)

HR- LA: Cannizzaro (3)

Braves 9, Padres 2

Leron Lee's two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth gave the Friars a 2-0 lead, but the Braves scored nine times in their final four at-bats to win going away. Starter Phil Niekro knocked in the go-ahead run with his single in the sixth, which drove in Marty Perez. Dusty Baker's three-run homer in the seventh allowed the Bravos to breathe easy, and Larvell Blanks' two-run pinch-hit single in the ninth put the mustard on top. Niekro's knuckleball was really working tonight, as he fanned twelve San Diego hitters in eight innings. Steve Arlin took the loss for the home squad.

W- Niekro (17-12)
L- Arlin (10-23)

HR- SD: Lee (14)
ATL: Baker (19)

The final National League West standings:

Reds: 99-63 (clinched)
Dodgers: 89-73- 10 GB
Astros: 88-74- 11 GB
Giants: 84-78- 15 GB
Braves: 71-91- 28 GB
Padres: 56-106- 43 GB

Next: We continue with the American League East.

Thoughts?
 
Here are the American League East games for Friday, April 14:

Yankees 2, Orioles 0

Johnny Callison's two-run double in the first drove in the game's only runs. Steve Kline pitched a six-hit shutout for the Yanks while walking just one batter in a hundred and three pitches. Boog Powell had three of the six Baltimore hits, while Thurman Munson had two hits and scored one of the two Yankee runs. Losing pitcher Jim Palmer scattered eight hits in eight innings for the division champs.

A loss by the Red Sox in Detroit will give the Yankees a game and a half lead for third place with four games to play.

W- Kline (17-9)
L- Palmer (21-11)

Tigers 8, Red Sox 7 (11 innings)

The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the eleventh to overcome a 7-6 deficit. Mickey Stanley doubled in Norm Cash with the tying run, and Ed Brinkman's base hit drove in Bill Freehan with the winning run. Cash was four for six with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Freehan also drove in a pair and was one of three Tigers with three hits on the night. Red Sox first baseman Danny Cater was four for six with a homer and four RBI, while third baseman Rico Petrocelli scored four runs. A two-base error on left fielder Tommy Harper brought Cash home with the tying run on the bottom of the ninth, but Harper's RBI single scored Petrocelli to give the Red Sox a 7-6 lead going to the last of the eleventh.

The teams had nineteen hits apiece,, but Cater's was the only home run.

W- Hillier (2-2)
L- Lee (7-5)

HR- BOS: Cater (9)

Now for the West. We begin with the Angels hosting the Rangers in Anaheim:

Angels 4, Rangers 3

Left fielder Ken Berry's sacrifice fly capped the Angels' two-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Right fielder Leroy Stanton went three for four and drove in a pair to pace the California offense. For the Rangers, catcher Dick Billings drove in two runs with a first-inning double, and the other run scored on Nolan Ryan's wild pitch in the sixth. Shortstop Leo Cardenas had three hits and scored a run for the Halos. Ryan pitched a complete game five-hitter for his twentieth win of the season, striking out eight while walking six in 131 pitches.

W- Ryan (20-16)
L- Pina (2-8)

Athletics 3, Twins 2 (11 innings)

First baseman Mike Epstein's walkoff homer in the bottom of the eleventh clinched victory for the division champs. Third baseman Sal Bando's single in the bottom of the eighth scored Bert Campaneris to tie the game at two. Let fielder Cesar Tovar and center fielder fielder Bobby Darwin drove in the Minnesota runs, while Campaneris had the other RBI for Oakland.

W- Locker (7-1)
L- Strickland (3-2)

HR- OAK: Epstein (27)

Royals 1, White Sox 0 (10 innings)

The Royals moved into second place, as second baseman Paul Schaal's base hit in the bottom of the tenth drove in center fielder Richie Scheinblum with the winning run. Starter Roger Nelson and winning pitcher Ted Abernathy combined on a four-hit shutout, while Chisox starter Tom Bradley and reliever Steve Kealey held the Royals to five hits in a losing cause. No individual player on either team had more than one hit.

W- Abarnathy (4-4)
L- Kealey (3-3)

Here are the American League East standings to the moment:

Orioles: 92-65 (clinched)
Tigers: 86-72- 6.5 GB
Yankees: 82-76- 10.5 GB
Red Sox: 80-77- 12 GB
Indians: 71-86- 20.5 GB
Brewers: 66-91- 26 GB

Now, the West:

Athletics: 98-58 (clinched)
Royals: 82-73- 15.5 GB
White Sox: 81-74- 16.5 GB
Twins: 77-78- 20.5 GB
Angels: 67-89- 31 GB
Rangers: 56-99- 41.5 GB

Next: More American League East games.

Thoughts?
 
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I've decided to do the AL West first instead of the East, so let's begin there with the games of Thursday, April 6:

We start at the bottom in Arlington, where the Rangers are playing host to the Royals.

The Royals used a seven-run fifth to break open a 4-4 tie and went on to defeat the hapless Rangers 11-7. The major blow in the inning was a bases-clearing double by Royals shortstop Freddie Patek. Rangers right fielder Ted Ford drove in four runs, including three on a home run that traveled an estimated four hundred and thirty feet, his fifteenth of the year.

W- Drago (13-17)
L- Hand (10-15)

Our next stop is Minnesota, where the Angels are taking on the Twins.

The Halos captured a 10-3 laugher. The big hitting star was first baseman Bob Oliver, who went two for five, drove in four runs, and scored three times. His biggest blow was his twentieth home run of the year, a grand slam which brought the Angels back from a 3-0 deficit. Leroy Stanton also homered for the Angels, his thirteenth of the year. American League batting leader Rod Carew sat because of a slight groin pull; his status is day-to-day.

W- May (13-11)
L-LaRoche (5-8)

HR: CAL- Oliver (20), Stanton (13)

The game of the night took place in Chicago, where the White Sox are taking on the A's and trying to keep pace with the Royals for second place.

They got the job done on this night, using Rick Reichardt's cycle and Wilbur Wood's complete game to beat the A's 6-1. The home run is Reichardt's ninth, and Bill Melton broke open a 1-0 lead in the third with his eighth dinger of the year. Wood needs only one hundred pitches to complete the win. Sal Bando hit his sixteenth home run of the year for the A's.

W-Wood (25-17)
L- Odom (15-7)

HR- OAK: Bando (16)
CWS: Reichardt (9), Melton (8)

Now we go to the games of Friday, April 7:

Only one game on the slate tonight: Game 2 between the Royals and Rangers.

The Royals took care of business right off the bat, scoring four in the top of the first and cruising to an 8-2 win. They amassed fourteen hits; catcher Carl Taylor and left fielder Lou Piniella led the way with three each. John Mayberry hits his twenty-sixth home run of the year for the Royals, and Paul Splittorff threw a complete game four-hitter.

The Royals now lead the White Sox by half a game for second place.

W- Splittorff (13-12)
L- Broberg (5-13)

HR- KC: Mayberry (26)

Now it's on to Saturday, April 8:

We begin in Chicago, where the White Sox are looking to get back into a second place tie with the Royals. To make it more of a challenge for the Sox, at least four key players, including slugger Dick Allen, are battling the flu, forcing manager Chuck Tanner to almost empty his bench.

But the White Sox found a way; pitchers Stan Bahnsen and Steve Kealey combined on a five-hit shutout as the Pale Hose stiffed the A's, 4-0. Another Allen, third baseman Hank, enjoyed a perfect two for two day at the plate, including his first home run of 1972. Second baseman Jorge Orta added two hits of his own, and Bahnsen only allowed five hits over eight innings.

W- Bahnsen (22-16)
L- Blue (6-11)

HR- CWS: H. Allen (1)

Next, we stop in Arlington, where the Rangers are hosting the Royals.

The hosts came up with an offensive attack that made manager Ted Williams proud, chalking up fifteen hits on the way to a 7-2 triumph. Center fielder Dave Nelson and shortstop Toby Harrah each had three hits, and left fielder Dick Billings drove in three runs, two on sacrifice flies. Amos Otis hit his twelfth home run of the year for the Royals.

W- Bosman (9-10)
S- Panther (1)
L- Nelson (11-7)

HR- KC: Otis (12)

Finally, it's off to Minneapolis, where the Angels and Twins battled snow flurries all day long at the Met.

The Twins are right at home in those conditions, and they prevailed, 5-2. Bert Blyleven pitched eight innings for the win, and Wayne Granger picked up the save. The major hitting star for the Twinkies was left fielder Cesar Tovar, who went three for five with an RBI. American League batting leader Rod Carew played despite his groin injury, but went 0 for 4, though he did have an RBI.

W- Blyleven (18-17)
S- Granger (20)
L- Clark (4-10)

Now it's on to Sunday April 9:

We start in Chicago once more, as the White Sox and A's finish their series.

The White Sox jumped off to a quick 2-0 lead against A's starter Dave Hamilton, and made it 3-0 on Orta's ground-rule double in the second. The A's chipped away, however, on a Gene Tenace home run in the fourth and again in the ninth against Pale Hose closer Terry Forster. With one out, Bando smoked one down the left field line, and after a Bert Campaneris groundout, pinch hitter Joe Rudi, bothered by a bad knee, singled to center to score Bando and bring the A's within 3-2. Second baseman Ted Kubiak then hit a line smash that seemed destined for the left field corner, but defensive replacement Bill Melton took two steps and speared it, preserving the victory.

W- Bradley (16-14)
S- Forster (30)
L- Hamilton (6-7)

Our next stop is Arlington for the Royals-Rangers finale.

It's a fairly simple game at first; the Royals jumped on top with two in the first and two more in the fourth, then the Rangers answered back with one in the fourth and one in the sixth. It was 4-2 Kansas City going to the bottom of the ninth, and then all hoorah broke loose. Billings led off with a single against Tom Burgmeier, then Toby Harrah doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Al Fitzmorris comes in to shut the door for Kansas City, but instead catcher Bill Fahey tied the game on his first swing with a single to right. Fitzmorris finally got an out, but pinch hitter Don Mincher walked. Light-hitting Dave Nelson then lifted a high fly ball to right field that everyone was sure would come down, and it did: right over the wall for a game-winning home run! The Rangers thus celebrated an unbelievable come-from-behind win. The Royals, meanwhile, trail the White Sox by half a game for second place with three games to play.

W- Lindblad (6-8)
L- Fitzmorris (2-6)

HR- KC: Schaal (7)
TEX: Nelson (3)

We finish in Minneapolis, where the Twins are finishing their business with the Angels.

They did so in spectacular fashion, scoring two in the bottom of the ninth off of Nolan Ryan to win 4-3. They were shaky on defense early, committing three errors in the first five innings, but they still led 2-0 after five thanks to Jim Perry, who pitched eight gutsy frames before leaving with tightness in his shoulder partially caused by the thirty-five degree temperatures. His one bad inning was the fifth, when the Halos loaded the bases on two hits and a walk and unloaded them on catcher Jeff Torborg's bases-clearing double.

The Twins, though, took advantage of a gassed Ryan in the ninth. Rich Reese led off with a base hit, but Ryan got the next two outs...... and didn't throw a strike for the rest of the game. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and then Bobby Darwin came up to bat for pitcher Dave LaRoche. Darwin whacked Ryan's first pitch into left center field. Charlie Manuel scored easily, and Glenn Borgmann slid around the tag waiting for him at home plate and gave the Twins a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

W- LaRoche (6-8)
L- Ryan (20-17)

The American League West standings to the moment:

Athletics: 98-61 (clinched)
White Sox: 84-74- 13.5 GB
Royals: 84-75- 14 GB
Twins: 79-79- 18.5 GB
Angels: 68-90- 29.5 GB
Rangers: 58-101- 40 GB

Next: More American League West games.

Thoughts?
 
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We continue with the American League West action for Monday, April 10:

Only one game to report on: The White Sox came to Minneapolis to open a series with the Twins leading the Royals by half a game for second place. Not only that, but twenty-five game winner Wilbur Wood was scheduled to pitch the opener for the Pale Hose. The Twins, however, weren't impressed; they roughed Wood up for six runs in the first four innings and cruised 6-3.

As was the case with yesterday's NL West clashes, the lineups for this game were chosen by a special computer program designed by MLB just for this purpose. Both Cesar Tovar and Steve Braun had three hits for the winners, and Rod Carew, batting in the fifth spot for the first time n a long time, went two for four with an RBI. Carlos May had three hits for the losing Sox, including his thirteenth home run of the year..

The Sox and Royals are now tied for second. Each team has three games to play.

W- Blyleven (19-17)
S- Granger (21)
L- Wood (25-18)

HR- CWS: May (13)

We continue on Tuesday, April 11:

We begin in Game 2 between the White Sox and Twins in Minnesota.

The Sox came up with a dominant pitching performance from Stan Bahnsen, who threw a complete game three-hitter, and first baseman Tony Muser went three for four to pace the Pale Hose' 4-1 victory. The Sox fell behind 1-0 when Harmon Killebrew went deep in the second, but came back to take a 2-1 lead in the seventh on a Dick Woodson wild pitch and a Hank Allen sacrifice fly. Muser and Jackie Hernandez provided run-scoring hits in the ninth to preserve the win. They now await the result from Kansas City between the Royals and the Angels to see who will occupy second place at the end of the day.

W- Bahnsen (23-16)
L- Woodson (14-15)

HR- MIN: Killebrew (27)

Our next stop is Kansas City, where the Royals are hosting the Angels.

It was a pretty straightforward contest through seven, with the Royals leading 2-1. Then in the eighth everything broke loose, as the Angels roughed up the Royals pitching staff for six runs on seven hits and a total of eleven men came to the plate. Five different Angels, including pitcher Clyde Wright, got run-scoring hits. The Royals came back with a run in the bottom of the eighth, but still trailed 7-3.

Angels reliever Lloyd Allen figured to have an easy ninth, but gave up two walks and a single to load the bases. Richie Scheinblum then took a ball four that appeared to be right down the middle, and Allen voiced his displeasure so loudly that he was ejected. An ice-cold Eddie Fisher came in and threw two pitches: a curveball that Amos Otis hit on a hop over the right center field wall to cut the Angels' lead to 7-6, and a fastball that Cookie Rojas slapped into right field for a base hit. Scheinblum scored standing up, and Otis beat Leroy Stanton's throw home. It's taken three pitches for the Royals to score five runs and stun the Angels, and you can hear the Royals faithful all the way in Anaheim. Their team is still tied for second with the White Sox, and only two days remain in the season.

W- Dal Canton (7-6)
L- Fisher (4-6)

Our final stop is the Oakland Coliseum, where the division champion A's are hosting the last-place Rangers.

The day started with a bang when A's owner Charlie Finley announced that MLB's computerized lineups were making a "farce" of the game, and that the A's would not participate in the promotion, even at the expense of forfeiting the rest of their games. Manager Dick Williams, no fan of the idea but realizing that the A's still have to get ready for the upcoming ALCS, threatened to quit if Finley went ahead with his plan to forfeit the game, and star outfielder Reggie Jackson said that he'd declare himself a free agent and ask to negotiate with the White Sox, who were the A's closest pursuers throughout the season. Those threats, plus the promise of a heavy fine from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, made Finley reconsider late this afternoon.

The game itself was a fine pitcher's duel between Bill Gogolewski for the Rangers and Catfish Hunter for the A's. Catcher Dick Billings went deep in the Texas seventh to break the scoreless tie. Horacio Pina was entrusted with that lead in the bottom of the ninth, but his first pitch his Joe Rudi in the arm. After a Jackson base hit, Pina induced a double play from Dave Duncan, but Rudi hobbled home with the tying run, bad knee and all. Right fielder George Hendrick drilled one into left field for a double. Williams then executed what he called in his book "the one order of Charlie Finley's that I felt compelled to carry out": he sent Ted Kubiak to the plate to bat for Dick Green, who had earlier batted for Tim Cullen. (None of the three A's second basemen were hitters, so Finley wanted them to be pinch hit for every single time they came up in the batting order.) This time it worked, as Kubiak grounded a 1-0 curve into left center field. Ted Ford threw home, but Hendrick bowled over Billings and scored the winning run in a 2-1 Oakland victory.

W- Knowles (6-1)
L- Pina (2-9)

HR- TEX: Billings (6)

Now for the games of Wednesday, April 12:

Twins 7, White Sox 3

The Twins grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first off of Sox starter Dave Lemonds and didn't look back. Bobby Darwin went three for four with four RBIs for the Twins, while Rod Carew went two for three and scored twice.

W- Kaat (11-2)
L- Lemonds (4-8)

A's 2, Rangers 1

The "pinch-hit for the second basemen" gambit works again, as Ted Kubiak knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth for the AL West champs. A's reliever Darold Knowles won his second consecutive game in relief, and the team won its hundredth game of the season.

W- Knowles (7-1)
S- Fingers (22)
L- Panther (5-10)

Royals 4, Angels 1

The Royals were paced offensively by catcher Ed Kirkpatrick, who went two for four with two RBIs, including a fourth-inning home run. Two future Royals stars called up for the last eight games finally got a chance to start: third baseman George Brett was one for four, while second baseman Frank White went two for four and scored a run.

The Royals now lead the White Sox by a game for second place going into the last day of the season; the worst they can do is a tie.

W- R. Nelson (12-7)
L- R. May (14-12)

HR- KC: Kirkpatrick (10)

Your American League West standings to the moment:

Athletics: 100-61 (clinched)
Royals: 86-75- 14 GB
White Sox: 85-76- 15 GB
Twins: 81-80- 19 GB
Angels: 68-93- 32 GB
Rangers: 58-103- 42 GB

Next: The final day of the season in the American League West.

Thoughts?
 
Now let's finish up the American League West by looking at Thursday, April 13:

In Oakland, the A's started out fast with four runs in the first. The only run-scoring hit was a single by catcher Dave Duncan; the other three runs came on a bases-loaded walk and two fielders' choices. Then the AL West champs let the Rangers back in the ballgame. Doubles by first baseman Don Mincher and center fielder Dave Nelson scored three runs and tied the game at four. However, the home squad regained their bearings in the eighth and blasted the division cellar-dwellers for five runs. Bert Campaneris and Gene Tenace each contributed two-run doubles, while George Hendrick smacked a run-scoring single. Darold Knowles earned his third consecutive win in relief; he won all three games of this series for the A's.

W- Knowles (8-1)
L- Shellenback (2-5)

We continue in Minnesota, where the White Sox need to win out to stay alive in their battle with the Royals for second place. Their hopes, however, fell short, as the Twins take a 5-3 decision. The big hit came in the bottom of the third with the score tied 1-1. Cesar Tovar stroked a leadoff double. After one out, Harmon Killebrew drew a walk, and after two out, Rick Renick did the same. Steve Brye then golfed Tom Bradley's first pitch into left center field, where it rolled and skipped in the wet grass. By the time the Sox outfielders' merry chase was over, the bases had been cleared, and the Twins wouldn't trail again. They added another run in the sixth for good measure. When Twins closer Wayne Granger induced Dick Allen to hit into a double play in the ninth, the White Sox comeback had officially fallen short.

Third baseman Ed Spiezio had two RBIs for the Sox, and Allen drove in another run as he finally returned from a bout with the flu that cost him fifteen pounds.

W- Corbin (9-9)
S- Granger (21)
L- Bradley (16-15)

Our final stop is Kansas City, where the Angels are facing the Royals.

The Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two and a half, but the Royals tied it up in the bottom of the third on base hits by Amos Otis and Richie Scheinblum plus a Lou Piniella sacrifice fly. The Angels regained the lead in the sixth, but the Royals came back with two on a bases-loaded walk to pinch-hitter Steve Hovley and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Paul Schaal.

Scheinblum and catcher Carl Taylor each had two hits for the Royals, while Leroy Stanton went two for four with two RBIs and a run scored for the Halos. Shortstop Leo Cardenas collected three hits for California, while Clyde Wright threw a complete game in a losing effort.

W-Splittorff (14-12)
S- Fitzmorris (4)
L- Wright (18-12)

Here are the final standings in the American League West:

Athletics: 101-61 (clinched)
Royals: 87-75- 14 GB
White Sox: 85-77- 16 GB
Twins: 82-80- 19 GB
Angels: 68-94- 33 GB
Rangers: 58-104- 43 GB

Next: We continue with the American League East.

Thoughts?
 
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We left the American League East on Saturday, April 8, so let's pick it up there:

We begin at Yankee Stadium, where the Yanks defeated the Orioles 4-1. Mike Kekich pitches six and two-thirds innings for the win, and Sparky Lyle recorded the save. Left fielder Roy White went three for four to pace the Yankees' offense, including a home run into the right center field seats that traveled approximately 434 feet.

W- Kekich (11-13)
L- Palmer (21-12)
S- Lyle (36)

HR- NYY: White (11)

Our next stop is Milwaukee, where rain and snow played havoc all day. But with the forecast the same for tomorrow, the decision was made to play. The Brewers ended up scoring in the bottom of the tenth to defeat the Tribe, 2-1. Home runs provide both runs up that point; Buddy Bell hammered the second pitch of the game nine rows deep for his tenth of the year, and Larry Briggs answers for the Brewers in the second, his twenty-second. In the bottom of the tenth, Briggs started the inning with a single, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on a double by Mike Ferraro.

W- Stephenson (4-5)
L- Farmer (2-6)

HR- CLE: Bell (10)
MIL: Briggs (22)

We finish in Boston, where the Red Sox scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-5 decision from the Tigers. They'd built a 3-1 lead after five, but Tigers catcher Bill Freehan tied it in the seventh with a monster (no pun intended) shot over the left field wall. The Tigers took a 5-3 lead in the eighth on a two-run pinch-hit single by Duke Sims ,but the Sox came back with one in the bottom of the inning, then loaded the bases. Tommy Harper lined one down the right field line and into the corner. Dwight Evans, Doug Griffin, and Duane Josephson all scored as Fenway lost its collective mind.

With one out in the top of the ninth, though, Evans muffed a Freehan fly ball. A walk to Willie Horton put two on, but Ken Tatum got both Mickey Stanley and Ed Brinkman to fly out, ending the game. Rico Petrocelli was named Player of the Game because of his perfect four for four day at the plate, with two runs scored and two more batted in.

W- Newhauser (5-2)
S- Tatum (5)
L- Scherman (7-4)

Now for the games of Sunday, April 9:

We begin where we left off on Saturday: in Boston with the Tigers taking on the Red Sox.

Tigers manager Billy Martin and Sox skipper Eddie Kasko both decided to play their bench players. The Tigers' bench proved to be better, scoring four in the top of the first and cruising to a 7-2 victory. Mickey Lolich tossed a complete game six-hitter, and the Tigers got two RBIs each from Willie Horton and Ed Brinkman. But ask any Boston fan and they'll say that the reason they lost this game was third baseman Phil Gagliano. He committed two errors in the first inning. First he booted a ground ball that allowed Gates Brown to reach base, then he was too quick to charge a Willie Horton ground ball, and his off-balance throw eluded second baseman John Kennedy and went into center field, allowing Brown to score. Hits from Tom Haller and Brinkman capped off the inning, and the Sox never recovered.

W- Lolich (23-14)
L- Pattin (17-14)

Our next stop is Yankee Stadium, where the Yanks are hosting the division champion Orioles.

The disinterested Birds went out and trudged their way through a 9-5 loss where the hitting star for the Yanks was pitcher Mel Stottlemyre. Stottlemyre went three for four with three RBIs, thus showing why some believe that the incoming designated hitter rule isn't needed. The Yanks reversed a 2-1 Baltimore lead with a five-run fourth that included Stottlemyre's first run-scoring hit and was led off by a Bobby Murcer home run, his thirty-fourth of the year. Boog Powell homered for the Orioles, his twenty-second of the year.

One more win in their final two games, or one more Red Sox loss in their final three, will clinch third place for the Bronx Bombers.

W- Stottlemyre (15-18)
L- Dobson (17-19)

HR- BAL: Powell (22)
NYY: Murcer (34)

Our final stop is Milwaukee, where the Indians and Brewers slogged through the cold and mud. It was a listless affair, with the Indians scoring a pair of fifth-inning runs to take a 2-0 decision. The one bright spot was Cleveland pitcher Gaylord Perry. who scuffballed (or not) his way to a three-hit shutout before slightly more than two thousand fans, most of them in their green and gold Packers winter gear. Buddy Bell and Chris Chambliss provided the RBIs for the Tribe.

W- Perry (25-16)
L- Brett (7-13)

The American League East standings to the moment:

Orioles: 92-67 (clinched)
Tigers: 87-73- 5.5 GB
Yankees: 84-76- 8.5 GB
Red Sox: 81-78- 11 GB
Indians: 72-87- 20 GB
Brewers: 67-92- 25 GB

Next: More American League East games.

Thoughts?
 
Now let's continue the American League East with the lone game of Monday, April 10, as the Orioles are hosting the Brewers in front of a sellout crowd:

For their trouble, the fans got a magnificent pitching performance from Mike Cuellar; he combined with Eddie Watt and Roric Harrison to throw a seven-hit 2-0 shutout at the Brew Crew. On offense, Don Buford provided all the runs the O's needed with a moon shot into the third deck in right center field leading off the fifth. Bobby Grich, starting at shortstop per MLB's computer, added the other RBI for Baltimore. The fans rise as one for the final pitch, and when pinch hitter Brock Davis is beaten to the bag by first baseman Boog Powell for the final putout, Memorial Stadium erupted for the AL East champions, letting them know that they're proud of their team and are behind them all the way as they look for their fourth straight American League pennant.

W- Cuellar (19-12
S- Harrison (5)
L- Parsons (12-14)

HR- BAL: Buford (23)

Now let's move on to Tuesday, April 11:

Our first stop is Cleveland, where the Red Sox are taking on the Indians and trying to stay alive in the race for third.

The Indians broke open a 1-0 game with five runs in the seventh and shut out the Sox 6-0. The big blow in the inning was a three-run bomb by catcher Ray Fosse off of losing pitcher Sonny Siebert. Second baseman Jack Brohamer and shortstop Frank Duffy had provided earlier RBIs in the inning for the Tribe. Dick Tidrow and Ray Lamb combined on the three-hitter, and the Red Sox and their fans are left contemplate a fourth-place finish.

W- Tidrow (15-15)
L- Siebert (12-15)

HR- CLE: Fosse (11)

Our other stop is Tiger Stadium, where the Tigers are entertaining the Yankees:

Bobby Murcer's three home runs lifted the Pinstripes to a 9-2 thrashing of the Motor City Kitties. Tigers starter Woodie Fryman was in trouble from the start, giving up a walk to Roy White, who started in center field because of MLB's computerized lineup promotion. After one out, Fryman went 1-2 on Murcer, who got all of Woodie's fastball and tattooed it into the left center field grandstand. The Tigers fought back to tie the game 2-2 after five, but Chuck Seelbach gave up a bloop to Thurman Munson leading off the sixth, which led to Murcer hiting a towering flyball into the Tigers' bullpen to give the Yankees the lead back. White joined the homer parade in the seventh with a line shot to left that left the yard in no time, and the Yankees tacked on two more to lead 7-2. The topper was in the ninth off of John Hiller. Munson was at second after a double. Murcer guessed curve on the first pitch and proceeded to deposit said curve over the wall in dead center field 440 feet away. The partisan Tiger crowd cheered that shot, and Murcer sheepishly tipped his hat as he rounded third.

W- Peterson (18-16)
L- Seelbach (9-9)

HR- NYY: Murcer 3 (37), White (12)

Now let's go to Wednesday, April 12:

We remain in Detroit for our first game, as the Tigers once again host the Yankees:

Tigers 7, Yankees 3

The Tigers overcame an early 2-0 deficit on the strength of a three-run sixth inning rally. The big hit in the inning was supplied by third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez, who singled home first baseman Norm Cash and center fielder Jim Northrup with the go-ahead runs to break a 2-2 deadlock. Northrup had tied the game earlier in the inning with a run-scoring double. Willie Horton added a solo home run in the seventh, and Al Kaline closed out the scoring with a two-run homer in the eighth. Felipe Alou hit a two-run homer for the Yankees in the third to open the scoring.

Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game for the Tigers to earn the win. Fred Beene took the loss for the Yankees.

W- Lolich (24-14)
L- Beene (1-4)

HR- NYY: Alou (7)
DET: Horton (12), Kaline (12)

Indians 7, Red Sox 2

First baseman Chris Chambliss and pinch hitter Roy Foster each blasted three-run homers to lead the Cleveland offense.

W- Dunning (7-4)
L- McGlothen (8-8)

HR- BOS: Fisk (23)
CLE: Chambliss (7), Foster (5)

Orioles 7, Brewers 1

The Orioles blasted four home runs, including three in the second inning. Brooks Robinson's was an inside-the-park job, while Dave McNally's upper-deck shot in the fourth was the last one hit by an American League pitcher prior to the introduction of the designated hitter the following year.

W- McNally (15-17)
L- Parsons (12-15)

HR- BAL: Powell (23), Robinson (9), Oates (5), McNally (3)

Let's finish with our final two games, which took place on Thursday, April 13:

Our first stop tonight is Baltimore, where the Orioles are entertaining the Brewers.

All the runs in the game are scored by the third inning, and it was the Orioles who came out on top with a 4-1 decision. The big hit came in the third, as Robinson's double drove in Powell and Johnny Oates. The game was over in an hour and fifty-eight minutes, mostly due to Pat Dobson's dominating performance; after giving up a run-scoring single to Mike Ferraro in the second, he didn't give up another hit, and retired the last twelve batters he faced. Jim Slaton took the loss for the Brewers.

W- Dobson (18-19)
L- Slaton (1-7)

Our other stop is Tiger Stadium, where the Indians are entertaining the Red Sox.

The Tigers scratched out (no pun intended) a 5-4 win. The Sox started off fine when center fielder Tommy Harper takes Milt Wilcox deep on the fourth pitch of the game, but from there it was all downhill. Red Sox starter John Curtis was wild from the start; he hit Tom McCraw to put the tying run (which would later score) on base in the third, and he gave up a second run in the same inning when he walked Graig Nettles with the bases loaded. Second baseman Jack Brohamer drove home two more runs in the fourth, and the Indians held on from there.

The Sox got solo home runs from Luis Aparicio in the eighth and Carlton Fisk in the ninth, and the Indians gave up a single and a walk to put the tying run in scoring position. But Vince Colbert came out of the Cleveland bullpen and struck Aparicio out looking to end the game.

W- Wilcox (8-14)
S- Colbert (1)
L- Curtis (11-9)

HR- BOS: Fisk (24), Harper (15), Aparicio (4)

The final American League East standings:

Orioles: 95-67 (clinched)
Tigers: 88-74- 7 GB
Yankees: 85-77- 10 GB
Red Sox: 81-81- 14 GB
Indians: 75-87- 20 GB
Brewers: 67-95- 28 GB

That's all, folks. Thanks for reading!

Thoughts?
 
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