Baseball in the Pythagorean Universe: 1981

We'll switch back to the East for our first report today, for a reason which I'll explain in a moment:

Mets 10, Pirates 4 (Game 1)

The Mets committed five errors, but still managed to blow the Bucs out of Three Rivers Stadium. Dave Kingman was a perfect four for four with four runs scored, two home runs, and four RBIs. Bill Madlock went yard for the home squad. Congratulations to Mets manager Bob Gibson on his first victory!

W- Leach (4-1)
S- Allen (22)
L- Jones (4-8)

HR- NYM: Kingman 2 (36)
PIT: Madlock (8)

Pirates 6, Mets 2 (Game 2)

The Mets managed twelve hits, but could only score twice. Jason Thompson homered in both official at-bats for the Bucs. This doubleheader drew over 40,000 to Three Rivers Stadium despite the quality of the two teams involved.

W- Camacho (1-1)
L- Swan (0-3)

HR- PIT: Thompson 2 (19)

Expos 10, Phillies 5

No fewer than seven home runs were hit in this game, five by the Expos. John Milner, never known for his foot speed, had both an inside-the-park and a regular home run, and scored four runs as he went four for five. The Phillies had to use two starters, as Mark Davis tried to pitch through an allergic reaction to a bee sting on his non-pitching arm and lasted only an inning and two-thirds. Manager Dallas Green went to Larry Christenson in the third, and he finished the game, which means that the Phils will need another starter for Wednesday night.

W- Sanderson (11-7)
L- Davis (1-5)

HR- MTL: Carter (17), Cromartie (9), Parrish (9), Milner 2 (5)
PHI: Moreland (8), McBride (3)

Cardinals 13, Cubs 8

The Cubs got the jump on the Redbirds for once, scoring seven in the second on five hits, including two-run homers by Bill Buckner and Mike Lum. But the Cardinals scored the next twelve runs, all without the benefit of a longball. George Hendrick and Dane Iorg each drove in four runs, and Iorg added three hits. Tommy Herr and Keith Hernandez scored three runs each for the division leaders.

W- Shirley (11-5)
S- Sutter (38)
L- Kravec (2-8)

HR- CHC: Buckner (12), Lum (3)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 79-52
Expos: 72-61- 8 GB
Phillies: 67-64- 12 GB
Pirates: 59-69- 18.5 GB
Mets: 49-79- 28.5 GB
Cubs: 45-82- 32 GB

Now to the reason I talked about earlier. Since there's only one game in the entire National League on July 6, and it involves two Eastern teams, I'm going to include it here:

Cubs 4, Cardinals 3 (10 innings)

For once, it was the Cubs who pull a stunner, coming back from a 3-0 deficit at the seventh-inning stretch to pull out the extra-inning victory. Things looked bleak when left fielder Dane Iorg smacked Ken Kravec's first pitch of the seventh over the right center field wall, and even worse later when a triple by right fielder Sixto Lezcano drove home Garry Templeton and Kenny Oberkfell. But the Cubbies got one back in the bottom of the seventh to trail 3-1 going into their last at-bat, which, of course, was against Bruce Sutter.

But Sutter didn't have it today, as he proved after an error and an infield hit put runners on first and second. Sutter had avoided throwing his famous split-finger fastball so far, but on the 1-2 to Bill Buckner, he decided that he needed a strikeout, so he opted to go to his bread and butter. Unfortunately, the bread was stale and the butter was as hard as a rock; Buckner timed the pitch and smacked it down the left field line, scoring Bobby Bonds and Ivan DeJesus to tie the game 3-3. The Cubs missed a golden chance to win it when Buckner was picked off of second later in the inning; a subsequent single by Jody Davis almost surely would have won the game. As it was, the Cubs had to settle for extra innings.

The Cardinals left the go-ahead run at third in the top of the tenth when Lee Smith induces a fly ball from Darrell Porter, In the bottom of the inning, Ken Reitz led off with a base hit, and Pat Tabler executed a picture-perfect bunt to put him in scoring position. Steve Henderson was sent up to bat for Smith and popped out to shortstop Templeton for out number one. Redbird manager Whitey Herzog then decided to intentionally load the bases to induce a double-play ball; normally, this is smart strategy, but in this game Sutter had been having trouble finding the strike zone. Nevertheless, Bonds and DeJesus were walked, and it was Sutter against Buckner. It got to a full count, with Sutter still reluctant to throw his money pitch. After two foul balls, Porter insisted on the split-finger, and Sutter let fly. It was a good one, but not good enough; Buckner lined it into right field to score Reitz, and the Cubs won.

Don't feel too sad for the Redbirds, though; they still possess a seven and a half-game lead in the National League East, while the Cubs are still the worst team in the entire National League. After the game, Herzog dismissed the notion that Sutter has been overused lately: "He's the best pitcher on the entire staff. As long as he feels good, we're gonna ride him." As for Sutter: "I felt better than I have in a while. They just beat me."

W- Smith (5-8)
L- Sutter (3-7)

HR- STL: Iorg (4)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 79-53
Expos: 72-61- 7.5 GB
Phillies: 67-64- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 59-69- 18 GB
Mets: 49-79- 28 GB
Cubs: 46-82- 31 GB

Next: July 5 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League West Report for Sunday, July 5:

Astros 5, Braves 1

All the scoring was done in the first inning and a half. Terry Puhl went deep for the Astros, while Joe Niekro went all the way on the mound and contributed a run-scoring single. Chris Chambliss had the only RBI for the Braves.

W- Niekro (12-11)
L- Walk (1-5)

HR- HOU: Puhl (4)

Giants 6, Dodgers 2

Jack Clark's second-inning grand slam proved to be all the offense the Giants needed. Despite being roughed up for six runs and seven hits, Dodger rookie phenom Fernando Valenzuela pitched a complete game. The Dodgers' lead is down to three games, with the Astros coming to Chavez Ravine for a showdown series starting Tuesday night.

W- Lavelle (3-7)
L- Valenzuela (16-9)

HR- SF: Clark (22)

Padres 5, Reds 2

Center fielder Ruppert Jones went three for four for the winning Friars. Dave Collins went three for four for the visitors.

The win didn't save Frank Howard's job, though; he was fired after the game. and the Dick Williams mystery was solved at last when he was introduced Monday morning as the new skipper of the Padres. "I hope to bring a winning attitude to San Diego, and I'll stop at nothing legal to achieve that," he vowed at his introductory press conference.

W- Wise (5-8)
L- LaCoss (4-9)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 81-53
Astros: 77-55- 3 GB
Reds: 69-63- 11 GB
Giants: 68-66- 13 GB
Braves: 61-70- 18.5 GB
Padres: 61-72- 19.5 GB

Next: July 7 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League West Report for Tuesday, July 7:

Reds 8, Braves 5

The Reds scored four in the top of the first and weren't challenged after that. Dave Collins was a perfect four for four at the plate, and Dave Concepcion drove in three. Chris Chambliss and Dale Murphy went deep for the home side; Murphy's ninth-inning blast off of Tommy Hume travels an estimated 450 feet.

W- Moskau (4-2)
L- McWilliams (2-3)

HR- ATL: Murphy (16), Chambliss (12)

Dodgers 5, Astros 4

The Dodgers got eighth-inning home runs from Ron Cey and Pedro Guerrero to overcome a 3-2 deficit, then had to hold on for the win. Steve Garvey went three for four and scored twice for LA, while Cey drove in a total of three runs. Terry Puhl went two for five with three RBIs for the Stros, who are now four games behind the Dodgers for first place.

W- Howe (6-4)
S- Castillo (6)
L- Sutton (12-12)

HR: LA: Cey (14), Guererro (14)

Giants 6, Padres 4

Dick Williams' debut as Padres' skipper wasn't exactly memorable, as the Giants jumped on Steve Fireovid for four runs in the second and cruised the rest of the way. Joe Morgan went three for four with two RBIs, and Milt May also drove in two for the Giants.

W- Alexander (13-8)
S- Minton (25)
L- Fireovid (0-2)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 82-53
Astros: 77-56- 4 GB
Reds: 70-63- 11 GB
Giants: 69-66- 13 GB
Braves: 61-71- 19.5 GB
Padres: 61-73- 20.5 GB

Next: July 7 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Tuesday, July 7:

Expos 11, Cubs 6

It took a while for the bats to get started, but this one turned into a typical Wrigley Field slugfest. The Expos scored ten of their eleven runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth, then held off a furious ninth-inning rally by the Cubs. Chris Speier went four for five for the Expos and drives in three, and Tim Raines also has three RBIs. For the Cubs, Jody Davis was three for four with two RBIs.

W- Burris (10-10)
L- Kravec (2-9)

HR- MTL: Carter (18), Cromartie (10)
CHC: Cruz (8)

Mets 6, Cardinals 2

Rusty Staub got the start at first base due to Dave Kingman's hamstring pull and drove in three for the Mets. His major contribution was a two-run double in the fourth which gives the Mets a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. The only bright spot for the Cardinals was that Bruce Sutter, who had been used in at least five straight games by manager Whitey Herzog, got the day off.

W- Hausman (1-1)
L- Sorensen (9-8)

Pirates 9, Phillies 6

The Battlin' Bucs built a 7-1 lead after five, then held on for the win. Every member of the Pirate starting lineup had at least one hit, and right fielder Lee Lacy and catcher Steve Nicosia each drove in two, while National League batting leader Bill Madlock went three for four. For the Phils, Michael Jack Schmidt hit his forty-first home run of the year.

W- Rhoden (10-5)
L- Carlton (15-7)

HR- PHI: Schmidt (41)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 79-54
Expos: 73-61- 6.5 GB
Phillies: 67-65- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 60-69- 17 GB
Mets: 50-79- 27 GB
Cubs: 46-83- 31 GB

Next: July 8 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League West Report for Wednesday, July 8:

Reds 10, Braves 1

It was total domination by the Reds from beginning to end, as Mario Soto hurled a complete game five-hitter. Ron Oester was the undisputed star in the hitting department, going three for five with four RBIs, including a home run. Catcher Joe Nolan also went three for five for Cincy. The Braves didn't help maters by committing three errors.

W- Soto (15-10)
L- Boggs (4-16)

HR- CIN: Oester (6)

Astros 6, Dodgers 2

The Stros used a four-run sixth to overcome a 2-1 deficit. The major hitting star was left fielder Jose Cruz, who went three for four, drove in two, and scored twice, including a seventh-inning home run that traveled well over four hundred feet. The Stros are now within three games of the Dodgers for first place with the third game of their series coming up tomorrow night.

W- Knepper (11-6)
L- Welch (10-8)

HR- HOU: Cruz (15)

Giants 2, Padres 1 (12 innings)

Larry Herndon drove in both Frisco runs, scoring Joe Morgan with a twelfth-inning single for the win. The Padres left the tying run at third in the bottom of the twelfth, prompting Dick Williams' first clubhouse tirade as their skipper.

W- Lavelle (4-7)
S- Minton (26)
L- Boone (1-1)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 82-54
Astros: 78-56- 3 GB
Reds: 71-63- 10 GB
Giants: 70-66- 12 GB
Braves: 61-72- 19.5 GB
Padres: 61-74- 20.5 GB

Next: July 8 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Wednesday. July 8:

Cubs 5, Expos 2

Mike Krukow and Dick Tidrow combined to four-hit the Spos. The big offensive day for the Cubs came from third baseman Ken Reitz, who went two for three with a run scored and three RBIs. Tim Raines homered for the Spos.

W- Krukow (11-11)
S- Tidrow (11)
L- Lee (5-7)

HR- MTL: Raines (7)

Cardinals 7, Mets 1

All is back to normal for the division leaders, as they used three-run innings in the fifth and eighth to put away the Mets. Right fielder Sixto Lezcano and shortstop Mike Ramsey drove in two runs each, and Lezcano has a perfect two-for-two day at the plate. Left fielder Dane Iorg scored three times. For the Mets, right fielder Ellis Valentine was a perfect four for four.

Before the game, Cards manager Whitey Herzog confirmed that closer Bruce Sutter "is a little bit tired right now", adding "We hope we don't have to use him for another day or two, but we certainly will if we have to." Thankfully, today they don't.

W- Forsch (16-5)
L- Jones (1-11)

Phillies 14, Pirates 4

The Phillies had a field day shelling three Pirate pitchers. A six-run fourth broke a 2-2 tie, and a six-run sixth turned a laugher into a complete embarrassment as Three Rivers Stadium shook with disbelieving boos at the Pirates' ineptitude, especially on the mound. All eight Philly position players had at least one hit, and Mike Schmidt and Keith Moreland each drove in four runs, while little-used second baseman Luis Aguayo drove in three. Larry Bowa went four for six as well.

Rumors are starting to surround Chuck Tanner again, this time in the form of former Mets manager Joe Torre and, as a darkhorse, University of Pittsburgh basketball radio analyst Dick Groat, who has said that he'd love to manage the Pirates and in fact was a candidate for the job before the 1970 season, when it went to Danny Murtaugh. There are also rumblings that a blockbuster three-way offseason swap could land Tanner and Dave Parker in Oakland, Billy Martin and Rickey Henderson in the Bronx, and Bob Lemon and Dave Winfield in Pittsburgh. While this last is dismissed as a longshot, stranger things have happened.

W- Ruthven (14-8)
L- Solomon (10-9)

HR- PHI: Moreland (9)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 80-54
Expos: 73-62- 7.5 GB
Phillies: 68-65- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 60-70- 18 GB
Mets: 50-80- 28 GB
Cubs: 47-83- 31 GB

Next: July 9 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League West Report for Thursday, July 9:

Reds 5, Braves 3

A two-run third-inning homer from George Foster put the Reds in front to stay. Davey Concepcion drove in two others in a two-for-five evening, and while Tom Seaver wasn't at his best, he still went the distance. Rafael Ramirez homered for the Braves, who now sit just a half-game out of last place.

Bobby Cox is the latest in a series of National League managers to be beset by firing rumors, as Ted Turner is said to be looking at everyone from Billy Martin to Hank Aaron to replace him after the season.

W- Seaver (17-4)
L- Perry (9-11)

HR- CIN: Foster (30)
ATL: Ramirez (2)

Astros 3, Dodgers 0 (USA: Jim Woods, Nellie Briles)

Nolan Ryan fired a two-hitter against the Boys in Blue, while Craig Reynolds hit an inside-the-park home run in the eighth. Gary Woods and Art Howe drove in the other Astro runs. The Stros are now within two games of the Dodgers in the NL West with exactly four weeks to play, and only one game back in the loss column.

There's one bit of bad news, though: Phil Garner fouled a pitch off of his foot in batting practice and broke two toes, ending his season.

W- Ryan (14-5)
S- Sambito (13)
L- Reuss (12-7)

HR- HOU: Reynolds (6)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 82-55
Astros: 79-56- 2 GB
Reds: 72-63- 9 GB
Giants: 70-66- 11.5 GB
Braves: 61-73- 19.5 GB
Padres: 61-74- 20 GB

Next: July 9 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Thursday, July 9:

Mets 5, Cardinals 3

The Metropolitans got a two-run homer from Dave Kingman in the top of the first and didn't look back. Dane Iorg's pinch-hit shot off of Neil Allen to start the bottom of the ninth wasn't enough to bring the Redbirds back. Bruce Sutter was excused by Whitey Herzog to continue resting his arm; the Cardinals anticipate using him in tomorrow's doubleheader with the Expos.

W- Zachry (8-15)
S- Allen (23)
L- Martinez (5-7)

HR- NYM: Kingman (37)
STL: Iorg (5)

Expos 4, Cubs 2

Larry Parrish's three-run homer paced the Expos, and Bill Gullickson tossed a four-hitter. Jody Davis homered for the Cubs. The Expos are now six and a half games behind the Cardinals, which makes their four-game showdown series which begins tomorrow at Busch Stadium only slightly less of a do-or-die proposition.

There are rumors that Gene Mauch could return to Montreal for the '82 season if the Expos give the Twins the right package of minor leaguers, but so far the Expos have no comment.

W- Gullickson (11-10)
L- Kravec (2-10)

HR- MTL: Parrish (10), Scott (1)
CHC: Davis (5)

Phillies 6, Pirates 2

Mike Schmidt didn't homer, but he did drive in three runs on two-for-four hitting. Catcher Bob Boone, getting the start because of Keith Moreland's bad back, drove in two more. Mike Easler had both RBIs for the Bucs.

In Pirate news, the Yankees are said to be "very interested" in discussing a Dave Parker-for-Dave Winfield swap over the winter if they should fall short in the postseason. Manager Bob Lemon, however, would not be included. "He's our manager for years to come," says Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in a New York Post interview published today.

W- Noles (3-2)
S- Reed (9)
L- Bibby (7-6)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 80-55
Expos: 74-62- 6.5 GB
Phillies: 69-65- 10.5 GB
Pirates: 60-71- 18 GB
Mets: 51-80- 27 GB
Cubs: 47-84- 31 GB

Next: July 10 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
I'm not redoing the draft, although you or anyone else who cares to can take a crack at it once we know where the teams finish. I'd like to see how it could be different.
 
Here's the National League West Report for Friday, July 10:

Astros 4, Braves 3

Joe Pittman, the Astros' starting second baseman now that Phil Garner is lost for the year with his broken toes, tripled in the winning runs in the bottom of the seventh. Vern Ruhle's sore back only held up through five innings, but Joe Sambito and Dave Smith finished the job in relief.

W- Sambito (6-5)
S- Smith (9)
L- P. Niekro (8-8)

Padres 4, Reds 2

The Friars got Dick Williams his first win as skipper by beating the Reds. Gene Richards set the pace with a two-run third-inning home run. Ace Juan Eichelberger gutted out seven and a third tough innings for the win. The Reds wasted a three-for-four evening from Ken Griffey. The win moves the Padres into fifth place by half a game over the Braves.

W- Eichelberger (9-8)
S- Littlefield (3)
L- Pastore (6-10)

HR- SD: Richards (4)

Giants 9, Dodgers 8

A wild one at Chavez Ravine.

The Giants scored five in the first off of Rick Sutcliffe, but the decision was made to leave him in. The Dodgers came back to lead 7-5 after six on Kenny Landreaux's two-run double, but the Giants tied it in the eighth and went ahead on Darrell Evans' two-run ninth inning blast off of Dave Stewart. The Dodgers only scored one in the bottom of the ninth.

Evans went four for five with thee runs scored and three RBIs, while Jeffrey Leonard was three for four. Landreaux went three for five and drove in four for Los Angeles, whose lead is down to one game due to this loss and the Astros' victory earlier tonight.

W- Tufts (1-0)
S- Minton (27)
L- Stewart (5-5)

HR- SF: Evans (15)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 82-56
Astros: 80-56- 1 GB
Reds: 72-64- 9 GB
Giants: 71-66- 10.5 GB
Padres: 62-74- 19 GB
Braves: 61-74- 19.5 GB

Next: July 10 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Friday, July 10:

Cardinals 14, Expos 3 (Game 1)

The Cardinals made this game into an offensive showcase, scoring four in the second and six in the sixth on the way to a laugher. Tommy Herr went four for five with three RBIs and three runs scored, while George Hendrick went three for five and drove in four more. Keith Hernandez had a three-for-four day with a home run and three RBIs. Andre Dawson and Gary Carter went back-to-back in the third for the seemingly overmatched Expos.

W- Martin (12-5)
L- Rogers (14-11)

HR- MTL: Dawson (30), Carter (18)
STL: Hernandez (11)

Expos 5, Cardinals 2 (Game 2)

The Expos temporarily put the brakes on the Cardinal runaway by unsnapping a 2-2 tie with a three-run seventh. Warren Cromartie went two for four with two RBIs, while Larry Parrish went three for five and drove in another. Tim Raines stole three bases to fuel the Expo attack.

In other news, Bruce Sutter wasn't with the Cardinals for either game, and rumors persist that he may have suffered a serious elbow injury. The Cardinals declined comment.

W- Sanderson (13-7)
S- Sosa (4)
L- Shirley (11-6)

Phillies 6, Mets 4

The Fightins got some help from a couple of unlikely sources in the victory. One is pinch hitter Greg Gross, whose RBI single drove in the winning run in the eighth. The other was ace Steve Carlton, who volunteered for bullpen duty when Sparky Lyle was excused for personal reasons and threw a scoreless ninth for the save. "I'm not exactly used to finishing games for others, but it's fun to do once in a while," Lefty explained afterward.

Keith Moreland went three for five with a home run and three RBIs to pace the Phils offensively, while Hubie Brooks went two for four and drove in three for the Mets. Mike Schmidt was no factor; Mets pitchers walked him four times.

W- McGraw (5-4)
S- Carlton (1)
L- Falcone (6-7)

HR- PHI: Moreland (10)

Pirates 6, Cubs 3

Dave Parker's increasingly rare home run power was the difference in this game when his three-run pinch-hit shot broke a 2-2 tie. Hector Cruz homered for the Cubs.

Before the game, Willie Stargell acknowledged that he's thinking seriously about retiring. "It's possible, if I can't contribute more than I have been for the rest of this year. But we'll have to wait and see what happens for sure."

W- Scurry (5-6)
S- V. Cruz (4)
L- Kravec (2-11)

HR: CHC: H. Cruz (9)
PIT: Parker (11)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 81-56
Expos: 75-63- 6.5 GB
Phillies: 70-65- 10 GB
Pirates: 61-71- 17.5 GB
Mets: 51-81- 27.5 GB
Cubs: 47-85- 31.5 GB

Next: July 11 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League West Report for Saturday, July 11:

Reds 8, Padres 2

Davey Concepcion went three for four, drove in three and scored twice; his two-run double in the fifth put the Reds ahead for good. Third baseman Ray Knight drove in two more. Meanwhile, Padres manager Dick Williams yanked pitcher Tim Lollar in the middle of the sixth inning after Lollar failed to knock down pitcher Bruce Berenyi as instructed. "If he wants (baloney) like that done, let him go out there and pitch," Lollar said later in his own defense. Williams refused comment in a very profane fashion.

W- Berenyi (12-7)
L- Mura (8-16)

Braves 8, Astros 6

The Braves figured to have an easy time when they were up 8-2 after seven and a half, but the Astros put a four-spot up in the eighth and had the tying run on base in the ninth before Rick Camp could close it out. Bob Horner went four for five with four RBIs to pace the Braves, and Dale Murphy was three for four. Backup catcher Luis Pujols drove in two for the Stros.

The victory by the Braves combined with the San Diego loss puts them back in fifth place by half a game over the Padres.

W- Mahler (12-10)
S- Camp (25)
L- J. Niekro (12-12)

HR- ATL: Horner (21)

Dodgers 7, Giants 2

The Dodgers increased their lead in the West to two games by blowing away their northern rivals. Third baseman Ron Cey drove in two, and second baseman Steve Sax and center fielder Kenny Landreaux each had two hits. Fernandomania kept running wild, as Senor Valenzuela only gave up two runs on four hits in eight innings despite a summer flu bug that caused his start to be pushed back to tonight.

W- Valenzuela (17-9)
L- Ripley (5-8)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 83-56
Astros: 80-57- 2 GB
Reds: 73-64- 9 GB
Giants: 71-67- 11.5 GB
Braves: 62-74- 19.5 GB
Padres: 62-75- 20 GB

Next: July 11 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Saturday, July 11:

Mets 7, Phillies 0 (Game 1)

On a day where temperatures reached a hundred and two degrees with corresponding humidity, five Mets pitchers combine to put the Philly bats on ice, throwing a two-hit shutout. A historic moment occurred in the seventh, when precocious nineteen year-old Darryl Strawberry hit his first major league home run off of Ron Reed. Mookie Wilson and Doug Flynn combined to drive in the other Mets' runs. Greg Gross and Manny Trillo had the Phils' only hits.

W- Harris (4-9)
L- Proly (8-2)

HR: NYM: Strawberry (1)

Mets 6, Phillies 1 (Game 2)

The Mets continued their domination from the afternoon. Dave Kingman and Ellis Valentine socked homers for the Mets. The Phillies were held to five hits for the whole game, thus frittering away both of today's chances of making up ground on the Cardinals.

W- Leach (5-1)
L- Davis (1-6)

HR- NYM: Kingman (38), Valentine (9)

Cardinals 9, Expos 2 (NBC: Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek)

The Cardinals just kept rolling toward the Eastern Division title. Whitey Herzog shook up the lineup because of Tommy Herr's sore calf, bumping him to second because he can't run very well. This put normal two-hole hitter Kenny Oberkfell in the eighth slot, and he responded with five RBIs, four of which came on a fourth-inning grand slam. Left fielder Tito Landrum scored twice and drove in two more runs. The only note of concern is Andy Rincon's continued tendency toward cramps; he only lasted three and two-thirds innings in the sweltering heat. Bob Shirley got the win in relief. Bruce Sutter was back in the bullpen and seen throwing well in the ninth, but wasn't needed.

W- Shirley (12-6)
L- Burris (10-11)

HR- STL: Oberkfell (3)

Pirates 6, Cubs 1

The Buccos used a five-run fifth to put away the Cubbies. Tony Pena and Johnny Ray each clouted two-run doubles in the inning, while Mike "The Hit Man" Easler smacked a solo home run. The Bucco pitching staff had a no-hitter going through five and two-thirds innings; Luis Tiant leaves after three and two-thirds because of a blister. He should make his next start.

W- Scurry (6-6)
L- Griffin (3-8)

HR- PIT: Easler (10)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 82-56
Expos: 75-64- 7.5 GB
Phillies: 70-67- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 62-71- 17.5 GB
Mets: 53-81- 27 GB
Cubs: 47-86- 32.5 GB

Next: July 12 in the West.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League West Report for Sunday, July 12:

Astros 6, Braves 5 (10 innings)

The Braves blew a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh on a double by light-hitting first baseman Harry Spilman, but Chris Chambliss tied it up with a double on an 0-2 pitch in the top of the ninth with two out off of Dave Smith. In the bottom of the tenth, Al Hrabosky came on and couldn't find the plate (as has been common this season), walking pinch hitter Cesar Cedeno and third baseman Art Howe. He gpt Alan Ashby to ground into a double play, then Braves skipper Bobby Cox pulled a Chuck Tanner and moved him to right field while Larry Bradford faced Craig Reynolds. We'll never know if Cox's strategy could have worked or not; Rafael Ramirez booted an easy grounder, scoring a limping Cedeno with the winning run.

Ashby was three for five, including a home run, and drove in three for the home club, while Bob Horner was two for four and drove in three for the visitors.

W- LaCorte (6-3)
L- Hrabosky (3-3)

HR- HOU: Ashby (7)

Padres 2, Reds 0

Chris Welsh and John Littlefield combined on an eight-hitter, with Gene Richards and Broderick Perkins providing the RBIs. The Padres only had four hits themselves, but two of them were timely enough to give them the win: Perkins' double in the fifth and Richards' single in the ninth.

W- Welsh (8-8)
S- Littlefield (4)
L- LaCoss (4-10)

Dodgers 3, Giants 2

The Giants had a 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the ninth. With two out, closer Greg Minton gave up a single to Kenny Landreaux, who then stole second, and another single to Dusty Baker which scored Landreaux with the tying run. Baker stole second off of new pitcher Fred Breining. Steve Garvey then singled; Milt May prepared to block the plate, and was anticipating the collision so much that he didn't see Baker go right by him with the winning run. Dusty was the day's hitting star, going two for four and driving in two runs for the victorious Dodgers.

W- Stewart (6-5)
L- Minton (4-6)

The standings to the moment:

Dodgers: 84-56
Astros: 81-57- 2 GB
Reds: 73-65- 10 GB
Giants: 71-68- 12.5 GB
Padres: 63-75- 20 GB
Braves: 62-75- 20.5 GB

Next: July 12 in the East.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League East Report for Sunday, July 12:

Pirates 6, Cubs 4 (Game 1)

The Bucs took the lead courtesy of a Bill Robinson two-run homer in the third. Bill also drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Another Bill, Madlock to be precise, tightened his stranglehold on the batting race with a four-for-four day during which he scored twice and drove in two more runs. Reliever Rod Scurry gained his third win of the series in relief of starter Odell Jones. The Cubs' favorite Bill, Buckner by name, hit a home run and drove in three in a losing cause.

W- Scurry (7-6)
S- Tekulve (4)
L- McGlothen (1-6)

HR- PIT: B. Robinson (4)
CHC: Buckner (13)

Cubs 9, Pirates 3 (Game 2)

This doubleheader drew 35,000 to Three Rivers, but most of them wish they hadn't stayed for the second game after the Cubs scored two in the second and four in the third on their way to an easy victory. Every member of the Cub lineup except for right fielder Leon Durham had an RBI, and Bobby Bonds went deep. About the only real excitement for Pirate fans was seeing Willie Stargell get a rare (for these days, anyway) double as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth.

W- Howell (3-0)
L- Long (1-3)

HR- CHC: Bonds (10)

Cardinals 8, Expos 7

In what many considered their last realistic chance to stay in contention, the Expos built a 7-3 lead after four and a half, only to see the Redbirds fight back with two in the sixth and three in the seventh to take the lead. The go-ahead blow came on a two-run triple by George Hendrick, who went three for five and drove in four runs. Bruce Sutter was his old dominating self, allowing only one baserunner in two innings. Tim Raines and Chris Speier each drove in two for the Spos.

The Cards now lead the East by eight and a half games, with a magic number of fifteen. This means that the Expos have dropped a total of nine and a half games since these sims began in a collapse that we haven't seen the likes of in the Pythagorean universe, at least so far.

W- Shirley (13-6)
S- Sutter (38)
L- Sosa (3-5)

Phillies 4, Mets 3

The Phils built a 4-1 lead, then let the Mets back in the game by giving up two in the ninth. Tug McGraw finally ended it by getting Hubie Brooks to ground into a game-ending double play. Garry Maddox was the only Philly regular with two hits, while Frankie Taveras went three for four with a run batted in for the Mets. Dick Ruthven got the start and win in order to allow Steve Carlton an extra day of rest after his relief appearance on Friday night.

W- Ruthven (15-8)
S- McGraw (13)
L- Hausman (1-2)

The standings to the moment:

Cardinals: 83-56
Expos: 75-65- 8.5 GB
Phillies: 71-67- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 63-72- 18 GB
Mets: 53-82- 28 GB
Cubs: 48-87- 33 GB

Next: We're back down to one post a day, as some interdivisional matchups return on July 13. If you're following along on the schedule, all games are going to be three days earlier than are listed, since we don't need the All-Star break.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for July 13, 1981:

Cardinals 8, Pirates 2

This one saw total domination by the soon-to-be Eastern Division champs; they scored seven runs in the first two innings to knock out Pirate starter Rick Rhoden. Meanwhile, Cardinal ace Bob Forsch cruised through a four-hitter in one hundred pitches even. Kenny Oberkfell continued to swing his hot bat, going four for five and scoring twice, while Dane Iorg and Darrell Porter each drove in two runs. Pinch hitter Willie Stargell was greeted with a standing ovation when he came up in the eighth in case it was his last-ever appearance in St. Louis; he flew out to right center.

W- Forsch (17-5)
L- Rhoden (10-6)

Reds 5, Astros 4 (ABC: Al Michaels, Bob Uecker)

A pair of four-run innings defined this game; the Reds scored four in the fourth to break open a 1-0 lead, but the Astros scored four in the sixth to make it a one-run game again. Tommy Hume notched his first save in what seemed like forever to protect the victory.

The moment of the night came when Johnny Bench, fresh off the disabled list with both a pulled hamstring and a twisted ankle, swung the bat only once during his pinch-hit at-bat...... and hit one into the farthest reaches of dead center field. Estimated distance: 460 feet. Big John put all of his leg strength into the swing, and the resulting slow, painful home run trot was part of ABC's opening for baseball until their final game in 1989. Bob Knepper threw a complete game for the Stros but took the loss, while Art Howe went three for four and drove in a pair.

W- Moskau (5-2)
S- Hume (16)
L- Knepper (11-7)

HR- CIN: Bench (12)

Braves 6, Cubs 1

A four-run third propelled the Braves to a win. The runs came on a Rufino Linares two-run single and a two-run homer by Bob Horner. Tommy Boggs finally got his fifth win of the year, and his chances of suffering the ignominy of a twenty-loss season have dropped to almost nil.

W- Boggs (5-16)
L- Krukow (11-12)

HR- ATL: Horner (22)

Expos 6, Dodgers 2

The Spos broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run third. Third baseman Larry Parrish went three for four and scored twice. while Warren Cromartie was two for five and drove in two. Steve Garvey drove in both Dodger runs.

W- Gullickson (12-10)
L- Welch (10-9)

Padres 5, Mets 4

The Padres scored a run in the eighth to tie the game on Barry Evans' pinch-hit single and won it in the ninth on a double by Ruppert Jones. The Mets got home runs from Dave Kingman and Rusty Staub, but the story of the day is the abysmal defensive performance of shortstop Frankie Taveras, who committer no less than four, count 'em, four errors. Several times, both New York and San Diego television show an embarrassed and dejected Taveras being consoled by his teammates. After the game, Mets manager Bob Gibson springs to Frankie's defense: "We've all had days we'd rather forget, myself included. Frankie's going to be just fine. He's still my guy at short."

W- Lucas (11-7)
L- Marshall (3-3)

HR- NYM: Kingman (38), Staub (8)

Phillies 4, Giants 3

Pate Rose and Mike Schmidt drove in two runs each for the Fightins. Darrell Evans' sixth-inning home run brought the Giants to within one, but that was as close as they got.

Meanwhile, Giants manager Frank Robinson is rumored to be getting back into playing shape so he can play at least briefly next season and become the only man in history to be a player-manager in both the American and National Leagues. Both Robinson and the Giants organization have declined comment.

W- Carlton (16-7)
L- Griffin (9-10)

HR- SF: Evans (16)

The standings in the East to the moment:

Cardinals: 84-56
Expos: 76-65- 8.5 GB
Phillies: 72-67- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 63-73- 19 GB
Mets: 53-83- 29 GB
Cubs: 48-88- 34 GB

In the West:

Dodgers: 84-57
Astros: 81-58- 2 GB
Reds: 74-65- 9 GB
Giants: 71-69- 12.5 GB
Padres: 64-75- 19 GB
Braves: 63-75- 19.5 GB

Nest: We look at July 14.

Thoughts?
 
Here's the National League Report for Tuesday, July 14:

National League Report for July 14, 1981:

Cubs 7, Braves 3

The Cubs broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth and never trailed again. Leon Durham and Bobby Bonds went deep for the Cubbies, while Bob Horner did the same for Atlanta. It's been a good week so far for Cubs winning pitcher Ken Kravec; then again, anything's better than last week, when he dropped four decisions. Durham ended up three for four, scoring twice, while Bonds went two for three, drove in two, and also scored twice.

W- Kravec (3-11)
S- Smith (4)
L- Perry (9-12)

HR- ATL: Horner (23)
CHC: Durham (13), Bonds (11)

Expos 6, Dodgers 5 (10 innings)

The Dodgers shelled Montreal pitching for seventeen hits and still came up short after leaving twelve men on base, including the bases loaded in the ninth after they'd already come back to tie against Stan Bahnsen. Andre Dawson put an end to things by driving Dave Stewart's first pitch of the bottom of the tenth over the center field wall. The leading hitter for the Dodgers was first baseman Steve Garvey, who went four for five and drove in two.

W- Lee (6-7)
L- Stewart (6-6)

HR- MTL: Dawson (31)

Phillies 9, Giants 4

The Phils stayed alive in the East by hammering the Giants. Their big star was Mike Schmidt, who smashes his forty-second home run of the season. The offense was distributed over the whole lineup, including relief pitcher Ron Reed, who batted for himself in the seventh and singled home two. Phillies voice Harry Kalas led the crowd in Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes" after the game, but catching the Cardinals is a bit like the song's ant trying to move a redwood instead of a rubber tree plant.

W- Christenson (5-9)
L- Holland (8-7)

HR- PHI: Schmidt (42)

Padres 9, Mets 6 (10 innings)

The Padres tied it with two in the eighth and won it with three in the tenth. The big blow was a two-run pinch-hit single by Tim Flannery. Luis Salazar went three for five for the Pads, while Joe Lefebvre was two for four with a home run and scored three times. Rusty Staub went three for five with three RBIs for the Mets, including a home run.

W- Lucas (12-7)
S- Urrea (3)
L- Falcone (6-7)

HR- SD: Lefebvre (10)
NYM: Staub (8)

Reds 7, Astros 4 (NBC: Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek)

This special prime time Game of the Week became a personal showcase for Mario Soto, who threw a complete game. The hitting star for Cincy was first baseman Dan Driessen, who's been impressive since he stepped in for Johnny Bench not too long ago. Tonight, he drove in three runs to spark the Reds' victory. Alan Ashby and Joe Pittman homered for the losing Astros, who remain two games behind the Dodgers in the West, but have blown two golden opportunities to cut into that deficit the last two nights.

W- Soto (16-10)
L- Ryan (14-6)

HR- HOU: Ashby (8), Pittman (1)

Note: This game was shown in place of the All-Star Game, which has already happened in this universe.

Cardinals 11, Pirates 3

Another night, another drubbing. The Cardinals simply would not be stopped, tallying four in the fourth to break open a 2-2 tie and seemingly scoring at will from there. Dane Iorg drove in three to lead the way for the Redbirds, and Keith Hernandez knocked in two more. Several others drove in a run each. Lee Lacy's two-run second-inning single provided a brief lead for the Buccos.

W- Martinez (6-7)
L- Solomon (10-10)

The standings in the East to the moment:

Cardinals: 85-56
Expos: 77-65- 8.5 GB
Phillies: 73-67- 11.5 GB
Pirates: 63-74- 20 GB
Mets: 53-84- 30 GB
Cubs: 49-88- 34 GB

In the West:

Dodgers: 84-58
Astros: 81-59- 2 GB
Reds: 75-65- 8 GB
Giants: 71-70- 12.5 GB
Padres: 65-75- 18 GB
Braves: 63-76- 19.5 GB

Next: We look at July 15.

Thoughts?
 
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