128 Team MLB Tournament - Round One, Region One Series 7-8

Region One, Series 5-6 are here

2 spots left in Region One; lets fill the first with the winner of this series:

17. 1929 Philadelphia Athletics v. 112. 1997 Atlanta Braves

Game One

Braves (ages)

CF Lofton (30)

SS Blauser (31)

3B Jones (25)

C Lopez (26)

1B McGriff (33)

LF Klesko (26)

RF Jones (20)

2B Graffanino (25)

P Maddux (31)

Athletics

3B Dykes (32)

C Cochrane (26)

LF Simmons (27)

1B Foxx (21)

CF Haas (25)

RF Miller 34)

2B Bishop (29)

SS Boley (32)

P Grove (29)

Braves 1

A's 4

WP Grove

LP Maddux

We've seen the '31 A's lose already in this bracket; back up two years and they get another shot against the '97 Braves - Philadelphia takes game one at home

1st: 20 game winner Lefty Grove gets the ball in game 1; he gives up a one out bloop single to Jeff Blauser and after a second out, the Braves are in business with a single by Javy Lopez to put them on the corners - but Grove gets Fred McGriff to bounce a ground ball to first to end the inning.

1st: Greg Maddux went 19-4 in '97 and he gets the ball for the Bobby Cox's Braves - after an out, Mickey Cochrane doubled to right center, Al Simmons drove a ball on the left side, Chipper made a terrific diving stop to keep the ball in the infield, but the throw couldn't quite beat Simmons and the A's had men on the corners. Jimmie Foxx then hit one causing Chipper to fully extend in the other direction; the only play he has is the long throw to first - he gets Foxx but Cochrane scores and the A's are on the board.

2nd: With one out, Andruw Jones walks and Tony Graffanino punches a single to right to again give the Braves runners on the corners, but that's it.

2nd: Maddux got the first two, but Max Bishop and Joe Boley hit two soft singles that just managed to escape the infield - and then Grove helped himself with a fly ball to left that got over Klesko's head for a double, Bishop scored and it's 2-0 A's.

3rd: Blauser leads off with his second single - but that's all the Braves get from Grove.

3rd: Cochrane leads off with a single, his second of the game, and two outs later Mule Haas singles as well, but Maddux keeps the score at 2-0.

4th: With two out, Graffanino gets his second base hit of the day, but that's all.

4th: The A's are really making it tough on Maddux, just pecking away, with one out Boley gets his second hit of the day, again, a lot of soft contact for the A's, Grove moves him over with a bunt, and then Jimmy Dykes gets a two out base hit to right that scores Boley and the A's are now up 3-0.

5th: Jeff Blauser continues really good success against Lefty Grove with a 2 out single, but there remains no scoreboard damage.

5th: Simmons leads off with another softly hit single, an out later Haas grounds one that just gets under McGriff's extended glove to put them on the corners, Miller then grounds to short - they get the lead runner, but Miller's able to beat the attempt at the double play and Simmons scores the 4th A's run.

6th: McGriff singles with one out and after a second out Andruw Jones walks - but still, nothing for Atlanta.

6th: Joe Boley had a 71 OPS+ but gets his third hit of the day to open up the 6th, but that's all Maddux allows.

7th: Maddux is still hitting for himself despite the four run deficit - he leads off with a routine fly ball that Bing Miller just loses track of for a two base error and when Kenny Lofton follows with a single Atlanta has men on the corners and nobody out.  Blauser's got 3 hits - but Grove gets him to ground to Foxx, he takes the easy play at first and Maddux scores the Braves first run, the only run they'd get in the inning.

7th: Hass singles with two out, but that's all.

8th: Klesko leads off with a single and Andruw Jones gets his third walk of the day.  Grove erases him with a Graffanino fielders choice; that puts men on the corners - Keith Lockhart comes on to hit for Maddux - but Grove gets him 5-4-3 to end the threat.

8th: 37 year old Mike Bielecki takes over for Atlanta, he gives up the hardest hit ball of the day, a leadoff Max Bishop double, but nothing else  

9th: Bill Shores comes on to wrap this up for Connie Mack; he gives up singles to both Blauser and Lopez to bring Fred McGriff to the plate as the tying run with 2 out, but a harmless ground ball ends the game.  

Haas and Boley each get 3 hits for the A's, Simmons and Cochrane add two each and Lefty Grove did what he does, 8 innings of one run ball.  Four hit day for Blauser, 3 for Lopez, 2 for Graffanino - Maddux wasn't bad, gave up very little contact, but the A's hit them where the Braves ain't and came away with the 4-1 game one win.

Over to Turner Field for Game 2; 24 game winner George Earnshaw looks to knock out the Braves and he'll be met by Tom Glavine's 2.96 ERA

Game 2

Athletics

2B Dykes (32)

RF Miller (34)

LF Simmons (27)

1B Foxx (21)

C Cochrane (26)

CF Haas (25)

SS Boley (32)

3B Hale (32)

P Earnshaw (29)

Braves (ages)

CF Lofton (30)

SS Blauser (31)

3B Jones (25)

C Lopez (26)

LF Klesko (26)

RF Tucker (26)

1B McGriff (33)

2B Lemke (31)

P Glavine (31)

Athletics 2

Braves 5

WP Glavine

LP Earnshaw

Home team won game 1 - home team wins game 2; complete game win by Glavine sends the series back for a winner take all at Shibe Park. 

1st: 14 game winner Tom Glavine takes the ball for the Braves, needs to win to keep the '97 team alive. He gives up a two out single to Al Simmons, but that's it.

1st: George Earnshaw went 24-8 for the A's; he's trying to move them to the next round; after an out, Jeff Blauser, who had four hits in game one, keeps it going with a single to left; Chipper Jones then hits a slow roller to short, Joe Boley tried to get the force - but Blauser beat the tag and everyone's safe. Javy Lopez then singles to left, Blauser gets the good jump and he's around to score and the Braves are on the board. 

2nd: The Braves get it right back - Mickey Cochrane and Mule Haas (who I may have called Moose at some point, that's a pitcher of another era) bang hard back to back doubles to start off the inning and tie the score.  

2nd: Glavine walked 7 times all season, but with two out, that's what happens - but that's it.

3rd: 3 up, 3 down.

3rd: How do you get Jeff Blauser out?  He leads off with a walk, Chipper gets his second infield hit of the afternoon, he drops a dead perfect bunt that rolls right up the third base line and everyone's safe.  Earnshaw then walks Javy Lopez and Atlanta's got the bases loaded with no one out.  The result was pretty good for the A's, Atlanta gets just one run after a Klesko ground out and a Michael Tucker double play.  Still - 2-1 Braves.

4th: Jimmie Foxx leads off with a single, but Glavine keeps it contained. 

4th: Fred McGriff opens the 4th with a double into the right field corner and then Mark Lemke follows with a walk.  Glavine bunts them over - so the Braves have two in scoring position with just the one out -- but Earnshaw buckles down and gets through it.  

5th: The A's tie it up; after Glavine gets the first two men he gives up back singles to Jimmy Dykes and Bing Miller.  Al Simmons hits a routine grounder to Blauser - but he boots it and the bases are loaded with two out for Foxx - understandably, with just a one run lead, Glavine is super careful with a a guy who hit 33 homers on the season - and he walks him.  Glavine gets Cochrane, but there's some damage done and it's 2-2.

5th: Javy Lopez singles off of Earnshaw with one out and when Klesko walks there are two on - but that's all.  We go to the sixth all knotted at 2.

6th: Sammy Hale gets a one out single, but there's no threat.

6th: Glavine looks to help himself with a one out single, but that's all for the Braves.  Still 2-2.

7th: Bing Miller reaches on a one out error - but Glavine stays strong.

7th: Atlanta takes the lead again. Chipper and Javy hit back to back singles to open the inning - after an out Michael Tucker singles to right to bring home Jones and give the Braves the 3-2 lead.

8th: 3 up.  3 down.  

8th: Insurance for Atlanta - Mark Lemke gets a one out walk and Bobby Cox (nearly inexplicably) chooses to leave in Glavine to bunt him over. Kenny Lofton's speed then keeps the inning alive; he grounds wide of first, Lofton wins the race to the bag to beat the throw to put men on the corners.  Then the big play of the game - Blauser hits a routine grounder to short that sure looked like it would end the inning - but it went right through Joe Boley's legs - Lemke scores and on the next pitch, Chipper singles home Lofton and its 5-2 Braves.

9th: Glavine sets the A's down in order; the A's didn't threaten after the fifth inning - and this series is tied.

4 hits for Chipper; 3 for Javy and the big complete game win for Glavine.  

Back to Philadelphia.  Winner take all.  The Braves will go with John Smoltz,bypassing 20 game winner Denny Naegle (4th and 5th starters essentially don't exist in the tournament; even when we move to 5 games for the next round, I don't see any scenario where they're used ever) and the A's counter with 18 game winner Rube Walberg.  

Game Three

Braves (ages)

CF Lofton (30)

SS Blauser (31)

3B Jones (25)

C Lopez (26)

1B McGriff (33)

LF Klesko (26)

RF Tucker (26)

2B Graffanino (25)

P Smoltz (30)

Athletics

3B Dykes (32)

C Cochrane (26)

LF Simmons (27)

1B Foxx (21)

CF Haas (25)

RF Miller 34)

2B Bishop (29)

SS Boley (32)

P Walberg (32)

Braves 7

Athletics 8

WP Rommel

LP Byrd

It took 11 innings - but the favored Athletics move on to claim the second to the last spot in Region 1.

1st: 18 game winning lefty Rube Walberg takes the ball for Connie Mack's A's, after two out, he gave up a 2 out double to Chipper Jones -- Jones had four hits in game two and keeps that going here. Connie Mack makes what is definitely a controversial decision, he decides to intentionally walk Javy Lopez in the first inning in order for Walberg to face the lefty Fred McGriff - and McGriff beats him for a single to left center.  Chipper scores and it's 1-0 Braves.

1st: Bobby Cox had a real decision to make here; lefty Denny Neagle was 20-5 with an ERA under 3 - but Cox instead goes with John Smoltz; Smoltz was good, 15-12, ERA just a tick over 3, not as good as Neagle - but Smoltz not only has that track record, this is his 10th year as a Brave, but he's right handed, and even though the lefty Glavine just mowed through the A's - maybe you don't want a lefty against Foxx and Simmons with everything else being equal.  Smoltz gives up a couple of first inning walks, but nothing beyond that.

2nd: Michael Tucker gets the start instead of Andruw Jones, despite the platoon advantage, Cox thinking he might need a little more bat in this one. Tucker walked to lead off the inning, but Walberg didn't allow a Braves hit.

2nd: 3 up, 3 down.

3rd: Only one Braves baserunner-  it was Javy Lopez who took a Walberg fastball to the top of his shoulder, he stayed on the field for a good minute before going to first base.  Lot of barking by the Braves dugout at Walberg after that one.

3rd: With one out, Smoltz hits Jimmy Dykes square in the thigh with a fastball and the dugouts empty - it's a baseball fight - a lot of pushing and shoving - no one is ejected and both dugouts are warned. On the next pitch Mickey Cochrane drove a ball over Tucker's head (would Jones have caught it?) for a double; Smoltz strikes out Simmons and with two out - Cox makes the same move that Mack made earlier, he walks Foxx intentionally; two on - two out - Smolts strikes Haas out and the score remains Braves 1 Athletics 0

4th Walberg gets the Braves in order.

4th: Smoltz gives up a one out walk to Bishop but nothing else.

5th: Again, the Braves go down in order.

5th: Smoltz gives up singles to Cochrane and Foxx - but that's it.  Still 1-0.

6th: Walberg gives up a two out single to McGriff, but it's harmless

6th: Smoltz has a seven pitch inning. Still 1-0 Braves.

7th: Nothin'.  

7th: Big choice made by Mack to start the 7 - he leaves Walberg in to hit for himself as the A's trail 1-0 - and he's rewarded with a leadoff walk.  Smoltz then walks Dykes and Mickey Cochrane absolutely hits a bullet to right field to load the bases with nobody out.  So, now what?  One run lead, Smoltz has been great but now the bases are loaded with no one out.  And Al Simmons and Jimmie Foxx are next.  Cox stays with Smoltz - who strikes Simmons out.  But he doesn't get Foxx - single to right which scores 2 and the A's have gone up 2-1.  That's the end of Smoltz's day; 37 year old right hander Mike Bielecki comes on - he gets the second out - but Bing Miller singles to center - Cochrane scores and the inning ends Philadelphia 3 Atlanta 1

8th: The Braves only have 6 outs to play with - they open up the inning with a Lofton single; Blauser grounds to the right side, Lofton's at second with one out. Chipper hits one hard - but dead at Bishop and there's two out.  Javy Lopez comes through - single to center; Lofton scores and now it's 3-2.  That's it for Walberg; 25 year old right hander Bill Shores comes on and ends the inning.

8th: Joe Boley leads off with a single (probably double switches are beyond this simulation) and then Shores (staying in the game) bunts him over. Jimmy Dykes then singles to right - Boley scores, the A's have gotten the run back and now it's 4-2; Cochrane then ropes a single to left to put runners on the corners.  That's it for Bielecki, Brad Clontz is next for the Braves - he gets a Simmons groundout but it scores the run and we are headed to the 9th with a 5-2 Athletics lead.

9th: After an out - Shores walks Tucker and Graffanino back to back; Keith Lockhart enters as a pinch hitter - and he's hit by a Shores fastball - tensions are high, but no one believes this was intentional, obviously - but now the bases are loaded with just one out. Shores strikes out Lofton.  Two out - bases loaded, 5-2 A's -- and Shores walks Blauser, huge guts by Blauser to take a 3-2 pitch that just was a tick low.  Now it's 5-3, Shores is done, Mack goes with the 26 year old lefty, Carroll Yerkes, who only pitched 37 innings during the season -- he walks Chipper and now it's 5-4 with the bases still loaded. In the 8th - Javy singled to cut the A's lead to 3-2 -- and now he singles again -- the tying run scores.....the go ahead run scores - Blauser just siding in under Cochrane's tag and the entire city of Philadelphia is in absolute shock - the Braves have come all the way back and scored 4 in the 9th inning to take a 6-5 lead.

9th: The Braves closer is 27 year old Mark Wohlers and he enters, three outs from sending the Braves to the next round. He strikes out Haas.  He gets Miller to fly out.  Two out.  6-5 Braves.  Bottom of the 9th.  Wohlers gets a two strike count on Bishop....but he works a walk to keep the A's alive.  Boley then fists a single that just works its way into left field and now the tying run is in scoring position.  Sammy Hale had an OPS+ of 62 during the season and now he's coming up as a pinch hitter with the A's season in the balance.  Hale singles hard to right -- Bishop takes a wide turn but decides not to risk running on Michael Tucker's arm -- but now the bases are loaded.  Jimmy Dykes has reached base 3 times tonight -- and he reaches again  -- an 11 pitch at bat turns into a walk and the A's have tied the score at 6.  26 year old Mike Cather comes on and gets Cochrane to send the game into extras.

10th: 28 year old lefty Ossie Orwall enters for the A's; 30 innings pitched during the season but he's on now in the 10th.  He gets the first two and then Mack lifts him for the right handed Eddie Rommel, 12-2 on the season. Rommel gives up a walk but that's all.

10th: 26 year old Chad Fox, who only threw in 26 innings all season comes on - he gets the A's in order and we head to the 11th.

11th: Rommel gives up a one out single to Blauser - an out later here comes Javy Lopez again -- he did it in the 8th, he did it in the 9th -- and he does it again.  Lopez singles to center - Blauser goes to third and now there are runners on the corners with two out.  Fred McGriff hammers a ball to left center, Blauser scores the lead run - Lopez is waved around - Miller hits the cut off man and Boley throws home, Cochrane tags Lopez out to end the inning...but now it's 7-6 Braves.

11th: Once again - Atlanta's 3 outs away - Fox gives up a leadoff single to Miller and that's his last batter, Paul Byrd, with his 5.26 ERA enters -- and he gives up back to back walks to Bishop and Boley and the A's have loaded the bases with nobody out.  Homer Summa, with an OPS+ of 57 comes on as a pinch hitter - the Braves infield is in - Summa grounds to Blauser -- he throws home - and they get the lead runner.  Bases still loaded.  One out.  Braves lead by one.  Jimmy Dykes to the plate.  And he singles to center.  Bishop scores -- Boley coming around - Lofton throws to the plate - and Boley beats the tag.  Amazing.  Amazing.  The Braves scored 4 in the 9th to take the lead -- the A's came back to tie it up. The Braves scored in the 11th -- and then the A's got two to beat them.

Just a hell of a game.  

Mickey Cochrane had 7 hits in the series including 4 hits in this game - Jimmy Dykes reached base 5 times in this game and had 4 RBI in this one - they're going to get co MVPs.  

One series to go; 1935 Tigers v 1943 Yankees; winners to face these A's in the next round.  Both of these squads World Champions

48. 1935 Detroit Tigers v. 81. 1943 New York Yankees

 

Game 1

Yankees (age)

LF Keller (26)

C Dickey (36)

1B Etten (29)

2B Gordon (28)

RF Metheny (28)

CF Weatherly (28)

3B Johnson (24)

SS Stirnweiss (24)

P Chandler (35)

Tigers

2B Gehringer (32)

C Cochrane (32)

1B Greenberg (24)

RF Fox (26)

LF Goslin (34)

SS Rogell (30)

CF White (26)

3B Owen (29)

P Rowe (25)

Yankees 8

Tigers 1

WP Chandler

LP Rowe

The underdog Yanks go into Detroit and whip the Tigers in game 1, Spud Chandler throwing a complete game 5 hitter.  

1st: 19 game winner Schoolboy Rowe gets the start for the Tigers; both pitchers right handed, both lineups lean left, Charlie Keller and Bill Dickey lead off with base hits to put runners on the corners, a Nick Etten groundout brings Keller home and the Yanks are on the board.

1st: Spud Chandler was 20-4 with a 1.64 ERA, just lights out all year and he sends the Tigers down in order.

2nd: Again, New York opens with back to back singles - by Ron Weatherly and Billy Johnson - and again the Yanks don't get another baserunner, but they do score the second run on a Stuffy Stirnweiss groundout.  

2nd: Chandler gives up a one out double to Billy Rogell, but that's it.

3rd: The Yanks get two more baserunners, Dickey reaching on an error and an out later Joe Gordon singling to right - but they don't move forward.

3rd: The Tigers get some action going with a leadoff Mickey Owen walk and then a two out Mickey Cochrane single - but through 3 it remains 2-0 Yanks.

4th: Rowe sets the Yankees down in order.

4th: Chandler matches.  

5th: Well, things look tough for the Tigers now - Keller leads off with a single and then Bill Dickey launches a 2 run shot to dead center and now it's 4-0 Yankees.  Etten follows with a double but that't all.

5th: Detroit gets on the board - Jo Jo White leads off with a single an out later Chandler gives a free pass to Rowe and Charlie Gehringer singles home White to make it 4-1.

6th: Billy Johnson singles to lead off but that's all.

6th: Hank Greenberg just crushes a double off the left field wall to open the inning - but that's it.

7th: The Yankees were just too tough today all the way around; Dickey's now a triple from a cycle after a leadoff double; two outs later he's driven home by a Bud Metheny double -- Rowe walks Ron Weatherly and then Billy Johnson gets his third hit of the day - a 2 run scoring double - it's now 7-1 Yankees and that ends Rowe's day.  24 year old lefty Joe Sullivan comes on; Stuffy Stirnweiss ropes a double to left center and the Yankee lead sure looks insurmountable at 8-1.

7th: 3 up, 3 down - what are you gonna do about Spud Chandler?

8th: Sullivan gives up back to back walks to Dickey and Etten but New York doesn't add to the lead

8th: 3 up.  3 down.

9th: Billy Johnson singles for his 4th hit, but that's all.

9th: Spud Chandler retired the last  9 Tigers of the game for the easy 8-1 win.

So - for the Yankees you start with Dickey, 3 hits including a homer and double, Billy Johnson had four hits.  Keller added two and Chandler threw a 5 hitter.  

And now we head to Yankee Stadium where 15 game winner Tiny Bonham will try to close this one out for the Bombers.  Detroit counters with 21 game winner Tommy Bridges.  Again, a couple of right handers, the expectation would be pretty similar looking lineups for both teams.

Game 2

Tigers

2B Gehringer (32)

C Cochrane (32)

1B Greenberg (24)

RF Fox (26)

LF Goslin (34)

SS Rogell (30)

CF Walker (27)

3B Owen (29)

P Bridges (28)

Yankees (age)

LF Keller (26)

C Dickey (36)

1B Etten (29)

2B Gordon (28)

RF Metheny (28)

CF Weatherly (28)

3B Johnson (24)

SS Stirnweiss (24)

P Bonham (29)

Tigers 9

Yankees 8

WP Lawson

LP Byrne

The Tigers stay alive with a 12 inning victory.  

1st:  Tiny Bonham takes a 2.27 ERA into this one; a victory lands New York the final spot in Region One.  The Tigers get singles by Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Pete Fox - but a Mickey Cochrane double play takes the real threat away and Detroit is kept off the board.

1st: The Tigers leader in wins is Tommy Bridges and he gets the ball, needing to keep Detroit alive. With two out, Nick Etten singles to center and then Joe Gordon drives a double to left center that rolls to the wall and brings Etten all the way around to score and New York once again has an early lead,  

2nd: Billy Rogell singles to lead off the second - Cochrane isn't just catching for these Tigers - he's the manager; he calls a hit and run; Gee Walker strikes out, but Rogell is safe on a steal of second - and when Mickey Owen singles to center, Rogell scores and Detroit's aggressiveness has tied the score

2nd: Bridges sets the Yanks down in order.

3rd: Bonham matches Bridges.

3rd: 3 up, 3 down

4th: Rogell gets his second hit, a one out single, but that's it.

4th: Another perfect inning for Bridges

5th: Gehringer gets a one out single but induces Cochrane's second double play of the game and its still tied.

5th: Roy Weatherly leads off with a base hit but that's all Bridges allows.

6th: Greenberg leads off with a single and then after an out Goose Goslin doubles off the wall in right and Greenberg just keeps running, all the way around from first to score the go ahead run for the Tigers.  After the second out, Gee Walker, the only change Cochrane made to the lineup, doubles Goslin home and its 3-1 Detroit.

6th: The wheels fall off for Bridges.  Keller walks, Dickey singles, Etten singles and the bases are loaded with nobody out in front of a rabid Yankee Stadium.  Bridges gets Gordon to pop out.  One away.  Bud Metheny bloops a single right over Greenberg's head into right - Keller scores and it's 3-2 with the bases still loaded - Bridges then walks Weatherly that ties the score and Detroit goes to their pen. 31 year old lefty Chief Hogsett enters for Detroit, he gives up a walk to Billy Johnson and a sac fly to Stuffy Stirnweiss.  New York has scored 4, taken a 5-3 lead and knocked Bridges from the game.

7th: The Yankees go right to their closer, Johnny Murphy (again, the one real weakness of the simulation for a short series format is I'm unable to use starters out of the pen; you wont ever see 4th and 5th starters at all in the tournament and won't see starters 1-3 come out of the pen).  Murphy sets Detroit down in order and the Yankees lead remains 5-3. 

7th: New York really looked like they ended the series here; 34 year old right hander Vic Sorrel came on for Detroit - he got back to back strikeouts to start the inning but then Etten singles for his third base hit of the day, Gordon follows with a base hit - Metheny hit a seeming inning ender to Greenberg, but his throw to the bag was low, Sorrel couldn't hang on, and now the Yankees had the bases loaded with two out for Roy Weatherly.  So - Weatherly was the Yankees 4th OF during the season, but Joe McCarthy decided to go with his left handed bat instead of Johnny Lindell, despite Lindell's having made the All Star team.  Weatherly rewards him in spades with a bases clearing double -- it's now 8-3 Yankees and we're headed to the 8th, New York just 6 outs away from advancing.

8th: New York gets 2 back.  Greenberg leads off with a walk and Fox follows with a single. Murphy gets the next two but then makes a motion to his elbow - Murphy has to leave with injury and  McCarthy makes the decision to go with his left hander, Marius Russo; remember how a second ago I said you won't see starters come out of the pen?  This is an exception; Russo was like half a fifth starter during the year, the only lefty in the rotation - he comes on needing an out, he gets it...but he doesn't, Stuffy Stirnweiss boots a ground ball, Greenberg scores and it's 8-4 and then Mickey Owen with his 77 OPS+ gets his second hit of the game and it's 8-5.

8th: Detroit's 5th starter/swingman was lefty Joe Sullivan and he's pitching now - he gets the Yankees in order and we head to the 9th, New York up 8-5.  

9th: With one out, Russo gives up a base hit to Cochrane and then walks Greenberg to bring the tying run to the plate. Pete Fox hit 15 homers during the regular season -- and with the Tigers season on the line --he hits a 3 run homer to center to tie the score.  The Yankee crowd is stunned silence; 39 year old Jim Turner takes the mound - gives up a double to Goose Goslin, but that's it, we head to the bottom of the 9th all tied at 8.

9th: Dickey leads of with a single and the Yanks have the clinching run on first - Sullivan then walks Etten and look at this, the clinching run is in scoring position and there's nobody out. Sullivan strikes out Gordon and there's one away. Metheny pops up and there's two away -- and then Weatherly hits a routine grounder to third, Owen steps on the bag and we are heading to extras.

10th: Bill Zuber was also in the mix as the fifth starter for the Yankees, he comes on here and gives up a leadoff base hit to Owen but there's nothing beyond that.

10th: 26 year old lefty Clyde Hatter (with an ERA over 7.50) enters for the Tigers, he gives up a two out pinch double to Tuck Stainback - New York again has the clinching run in scoring position --- but Charlie Keller grounds out and we head to the 11th

11th: Tommy Byrne is a lefty with an ERA over 6 and a half - and he gets the call for New York - he gives up a one out single to Greenberg and after the second out walks Goslin.  Rogell singles hard to left -- Greenberg rounds third - Charlie Keller fires home and there is an enormous collision at the plate...and Bill Dickey holds on to end the inning.

11th: Hatter is still on for the Tigers; he gets the first two - and then Cochrane brings in Roxie Lawson, who only threw 40 innings but with a 1.58 ERA might be the best arm in the Tiger pen, Lawson gets Gordon to ground to second and we're going to the 12th.

12th: With one out, Mickey Owen gets another hit - you know how a few innings ago I said you won't see starters coming out of the pen in the simulation because it doesn't know the circumstances - an exception is when you run out of pitchers.  New York's third starter is Butch Wensloff, he would be scheduled to go in game 3 if New York can't pull this one out -- but McCarthy isn't waiting, he brings Wensloff on now, he gets the second out  - but then gives up back to back walks to Gehringer and Cochrane.  Bases loaded.  2 out.  8-8. Detroit needs a win to force Game 3 -- and Greenberg walks.  9-8 Tigers.  

12th: Detroit's 3rd starter is Elden Auker, he would get the ball tomorrow if there is a tomorrow - except now he will not because he gets the ball for the 12th.  He gives up a leadoff single to Metheny, after an out, Billy Rogell kicks a ground ball and now the Yankees have the tying run in scoring position - but Auker gets back to back ground balls and its done.

Whew.  14 pitchers later - Detroit has forced game 3.

Pete Fox had the big blow - the 3 run homer in the 9th to tie the score; he added two singles.  Marv Owen singled 4 times, Rogell and Greenberg had 3 hits each.  For New York - Weatherly had the three run double and added 4th RBI, Nick Etten reached base 4 times.  

So -- back to Detroit.  The Tigers will be throwing General Crowder, a 36 year old right hander with a 4.26 ERA.  New York also sends a right hander, 27 year old Hank Borowy, a 14 game winner.

Game 3

Yankees (age)

LF Keller (26)

2B Gordon (28)

C Dickey (36)

1B Etten (29)

RF Metheny (28)

CF Weatherly (28)

3B Johnson (24)

SS Crosetti (32)

P Borowy (27)

Tigers

RF Fox (26)

2B Gehringer (32)

1B Greenberg (24)

C Cochrane (32)

LF Goslin (34)

SS Rogell (30)

3B Owen (29)

CF White (26)

P Crowder (36)

Change going forward - not going to give the results first. Starting with the next region, there will be some season long stats in the lineups.

So - first time we've done it this way, you don't know who won (me too; it takes a little doing, but I've been able to avoid the results also, we'll be working through this together going forward) 

Winner take all - let's see how it went.

1st: 36 year old RH General Crowder gets the ball for the Tigers; clearly the Tigers 4th best starter but pressed into duty with the huge bullpen game in Game 2.  He sets the Yanks down in order.

1st: 27 year old RH Hank Borowy is the Yanks 4th starter; with a 2.82 ERA he had a stronger year than Crowder. He sets the Tigers down in order.

2nd: Crowder hits Nick Etten in the knee to lead off the inning - Etten doesn't rub it, but he's moving gingerly as he takes a very short lead off of first.  He's the only Yankee baserunner.

2nd: Goose Goslin and Billy Rogell get one out singles -- but Borowy gets Mickey Owen 6-4-3 to end the frame.

3rd: New York gets their first hit, a two out Charlie Keller single, but that's it.

3rd: Jo Jo White is back in the lineup for the Tigers; he leads off with a single, but that's all for the Tigers and we head to the 4th - still scoreless in the deciding game.

4th: Bill Dickey leads off with a single to right center - but that's all Crowder allows.

4th: Tremendous inning for Borowy; a dozen pitches and we're onto the 5th.  

5th: Billy Johnson and Frankie Crosetti (getting his first start of the series) lead off with singles; Hank Borowy had one triple on the season -- and he gets another one in this spot; clearing the bases and giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.  Cochrane doesn't wait another second, he goes to get a lefty, Joe Sullivan, to pitch to Keller - he hits a sinking liner to center that White misplays into a two base error and it's 3-0 Yankees. 

5th: Borowy follows up that enormous triple with a 1-2-3 inning.  We go to the 6th, the Yankees are up 3-0.

6th: Easy inning for Sullivan.

6th: Sullivan stays in the game to hit for himself - which is kinda wild - but it works, he squibs a ball that just splits short and third into left field for a leadoff single, Detroit's first hit since the 3rd - but it doesn't go further than that.  The Tigers have only placed one runner in scoring position through six innings - just a tremendous effort in this winner take all game from Borowy, who wouldn't have pitched at all in the series had Wensloff not been needed in game 2.  

7th: Sullivan walks Borowy (Borowy!) Gordon and Dickey to load the bases with 2 out - Etten hasn't seemed right since taking that fastball off the knee and he weakly grounds out to end the inning.

7th: Cochrane walks - but that's it - Borowy continued his dominance and there are just 6 outs to go.

8th: 31 year old lefty Chief Hogsett is Detroit's new pitcher, he gives up an opening single to Metheny, a bunt moves him over - and then Billy Johnson singles to right - that sure looks like an insurance run, it's Yankees 4-0.  Vic Sorrell comes on for the Tigers and gets out of the inning.

8th: Borowy gets the first two - Sorrell didn't have an at bat all season...but he hits for himself here and he somehow slaps a single to left.  Maybe that rattles Borowy or maybe the fatigue has gotten to him as he hits Fox with the next pitch and now Detroit has two on with two out.  But Charlie Gehringer flies harmlessly to left and we head to the 9th.  

9th: Charlie Keller leads off with a walk and Joe Gordon, presumably, ends the game with a double off the wall that brings him home. 5-0 Yankees.  Clyde Hatter, bad during the regular season comes on for Detroit - and he gets the Tigers out of it.

So - this is it - Yankees 5-0 as we go to the bottom of the 9th.

9th: 3 up. 3 down.  5 hit complete game shutout for Borowy and the Yankees move on.

Final:

Yankees 5

Tigers 0

WP Borowy

LP Crowder

There's just no question about the series MVP - Hank Borowy completely shut the Tigers down in Detroit in a winner take all game and had the big 2 run triple.  

That wraps up round one for Region 1.  When we come back around (which will be awhile) here's the Round 2 matchups.  Best of 5 Series.  

65. 1984 Detroit Tigers v. 128. 1979 Baltimore Orioles

33. 1943 St Louis Cardinals v. 97. 1977 New York Yankees

16. 1975 Cincinnati Reds v 49. 1941 New York Yankees

17. 1929 Philadelphia A's v. 81. 1943 New York Yankees

Next time - we head to Region 2, led by the second overall seed (top remaining seed) the 1927 New York Yankees.  

  

128 Team MLB Tournament - Round One, Region One Series 5-6

Series 3-4 are here

We kick off the bottom half of Region One with a couple of World Series Champions

16. 1975 Cincinnati Reds v. 113. 1934 St Louis Cardinals

Game One

Cards 3

Reds 4

WP Gullett

LP Dean

The Big Red Machine opens up with a home win over the Gas House Gang; Don Gullett beating Dizzy Dean.

1st: Gullett gave up a one out single to Spud Davis, but otherwise it was a quiet top of the first.

1st: 30 game winner Dizzy Dean takes the hill against an all time great offense; after an out, Joe Morgan walked and stole second; another out later George Foster singled to left center to plate Morgan and give the Reds the lead.

2nd: After an out, Jake Rathrock hit an absolute bomb, a solo shot to left that tied the game. 

2nd: Dean set down the Reds in order.

3rd: 3 up, 3 down.

3rd: Gullett was a pretty good hitter for a pitcher; had 14 hits on the season including a couple extra base hits - but you wouldn't expect he'd lead off the inning with a double off of Dizzy Dean. He wound up at third but that's it, as Dean survived the gauntlet of Rose/Morgan/Bench.

4th: Gullett gets them in order.

4th: Dean matches Gullett.

5th: Rothrock, whose homer tied the game for the Cards in the second, leads off here with a double to left; an error puts Ernie Orsatti on base and the Cards are on the corners with no one out.  Leo Durocher grounds to third - Rose doesn't have a play at the plate, Rothrock's going to score, he gets the runner at second, but Durocher beats the attempt at the double play.  After a second out Frankie Frisch singles, but Gullet's able to limit the damage to the one run.  

5th: With all the thunder in the Reds lineup - it's Davey Concepcion hitting a leadoff triple to start the 5th, then scoring on a safety squeeze from Cesar Geronimo - Pepper Martin charged from third and threw home - but Concepcion was under the tag to tie the score.  

6th: Ripper Collins hit 35 homers on the season and he leads off the 6th with a solo shot to right - it's 3-2 Cards.  

6th: After an out, Dan Driessen worked a walk; Ken Griffey singled to right on a hit and run and the Reds had them on the corners.  Dean was very careful with Concepcion after that previous inning's triple, and he walked him.  Bases loaded the Reds with just one out.  Dean struck out Geronimo.  A much talked about Sparky Anderson decision was to sit Tony Perez in favor of the left handed Driessen against Dean - but in this spot, Sparky called on his veteran to pinch hit for Gullett - and Perez came through with a 2 run single to right field to give the Reds the 4-3 lead.  

7th: Clay Carroll got the call for the Reds in the 7th; he gave up a 2 out walk, but that was it.

7th: 40 year old Jesse Haines took the mound for the Cards; 3 up.  3 down.  

8th: An error allowed the Cards to get a runner in scoring position - but Collins/Medwick/Martin couldn't capitalize. 

8th: Griffey got a one out single, but that's all Haines allowed and we head to the 9th.

9th: Rawly Eastwick got the call to nail down the save; he did.  3 Cards up.  3 Cards down and this one belongs to the Reds. 

The Reds heroes in this one didn't start the game - it was Perez with the big 2 run pinch hit that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead and then Carroll and Eastwick throwing 3 hitless innings to wrap it up. Homers by Rothrock and Collins kept the Cards in this one.

So-we're off to Sportsman's Park for Game 2; Paul Dean will look to do what his older brother could not and keep the Cards alive; the Reds are going to counter with Gary Nolan.  

Game 2

Reds 6

Cards 7

WP Vance

LP Eastwick

Can I interest you in a dramatic 9th inning comeback to keep the Gas House Gang alive and force a winner take all game 3 in Cincinnati?

1st: 19 game winner Paul Dean in the must win start for the Cards; Pete Rose opens with a single and after a Joe Morgan groundout, Johnny Bench walks and the Reds have two on and one out - but that's it, Dean strikes out George Foster and gets a harmless fly ball from Tony Perez.

1st: 15 game winner Gary Nolan going for the Reds; both pitchers today right handed; Nolan sets down the Cards in order.

2nd: 3 Reds up, 3 Reds down

2nd: The Cards score first; Ducky Medwick leads off with a fly ball to right center that just finds a hole and scoots between Geronimo and Griffey; Medwick gets all the way to third base with a triple, and an out later Pepper Martin rocks one off the center field wall to double him home.  

3rd: Rose gets a one out single but nothing else for the Reds.

3rd: Nolan sets the Cards down in order.

4th: Dean matches Nolan.

4th: Ripper Collins is easily the Cards best hitter; he homered in game one and leads off the 4th with a homer to dead center that puts St Louis up 2-0.  A Medwick walk and two outs later, Ernie Orsatti hit a 2 strike double to right center, Medwick was going on the pitch, scored all the way from first, and St Louis has a 3-0 lead.

5th: It's tough to keep this Reds lineup down; Ken Griffey opens up with a base hit; moves to third on a Concepcion single to right. Cesar Geronimo hit a sac fly to center that scored Griffey and also advanced Concepcion to second. That was critical as an out later, Rose singled Concepcion home and the Reds had cut the deficit to 3-2.

5th: The Cards get a two out single but nothing else

6th: The Reds threaten again; with one out Perez got a base hit, and after a second out Concepcion's single put men on the corners.  But Dean struck Geronimo out to end the threat.

6th: Nolan sets the Cards down in order and we head to the 7th, 3-2 Cards.

7th: A Rose walk was surrounded by two outs - and Johnny Bench tied the score with a double off the wall in right center.  

7th: Nolan gets the Cards in order again.  3-3 headed to the 8th.

8th: Jesse Haines came on for St Louis and it did not go well.  Tony Perez drew a four pitch walk and the fifth pitch Haines threw was a rocket double that hit the very top of the center field wall - Perez scored all the way from first base and the Reds had the 4-3 lead.  That was enough for Billy Southworth, he went to his bullpen lefty, Jim Mooney, who had an ERA over 5 in the regular season. Mooney got an out - but then gave up a ground ruled double to Concepcion that made the game 5-3 - Sparky made the move to hit Dan Driessen for Nolan, and he singled home Concepcion to make it 6-3 Cincinnati.  That brought Southworth out to the mound once again - 43 year old Dazzy Vance got the call and he got out of the inning.

8th: Clay Carroll had two hitless innings in game one; he comes on now, gives up a hit, but nothing else and we head to the 9th inning with the Reds up 6-3.

9th: Vance stays on; gives up a walk but nothing else and its onto the bottom of the 9th.

9th: Rawly Eastwick came on to close, as he had in game one - needing only to protect a 3 run lead to advance the Reds to the next round.  Jack Rothrock opened up with an 11 pitch at bat, fouling off pitch after pitch until working a walk.  Pepper Martin followed with a 9 pitch at bat - also working a walk.  Ernie Orsatti had 14 doubles in the regular season - but he then hit his second of the game, scoring both runners to suddenly slice the deficit to 6-5, still with no out - and now the tying run was in scoring position. Sparky came out to the mound - but chose to leave Eastwick in to face Leo Durocher - who slaps a single to left center to score Orsatti and tie the game.  That was all for Eastwick - Will McEnaney, the Cards bullpen lefty, came on - got an out - but then the Gas House Gang Cards did what they did - Frankie Frisch dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line, the Reds didn't have  play, Frish beat it out and now there were two on, one out - and Bill DeLancey slapped a base hit to left center that scored Durocher with the winning run.  Absolute bedlam at Sportsman's Park - a 4 run 9th inning comeback to stave off elimination and we're going back to Cincinnati for game 3.

Cards heroes - Collins had his second homer of the series, Orsatti had 2 doubled and 3 RBI and how about Dazzy Vance, stopping the bleeding and allowing the Cards to hold the deficit at 3 runs.  The Reds got a 3 hit game from Rose.

Back to Riverfront we go - The Cards will go with a lefty, Bill Walker, in the winner take all matchup; Cincinnati turns to Jack Billingham.  

Game 3

Cards 3

Reds 5

WP Carroll 

LP Walker

3 tight games - all won by the home team - and the favored Reds live to see another day.

1st: Jack Billingham was nominally the Reds ace - but he had the highest ERA in the rotation (4.11) to Sparky's rolling the dice a little bit - it looked maybe like error just two batters in, Frankie Frisch led off with a single to right, Bill Delancey followed with a walk - and the Ripper Collins hit a ball to the track that just hung up enough for Ken Griffey to gather it in.  Frisch took third on the play and the Cards had runners on the corners - but that was it, Billingham escaped unscathed.

1st: Southworth went with the left hander in his rotation, Bill Walker, who was 12-4 on the season; he gave up a one out walk to Joe Morgan but nothing else.

2nd: Jack Rothrock led off the second with a single, but was erased on a double play and the Cards went down in order.

2nd: Walker set the Cards down in order.

3rd: Walker helped himself with a leadoff single, but nothing beyond that.

3rd: With one out, Cesar Geronimo walked-Billingham bunted him over - and with two out Pete Rose slapped a base hit to right and the Reds led 1-0. 

4th: Billingham set them down in order.

4th With one out, George Foster smashed one into the second deck in right field to put the Reds up 2-0.

5th: The Cards hitting star continued to be Walker, he got a two out single, but the Cards didn't threaten.

5th: 3 up, 3 down

6th: Delancey led off with a walk and then Ripper Collins hit his third homer of the series; a 2 run shot that died the score.  Sparky was not messing around - he got the hook right then and brought in Clay Carroll; he retired the next 3.

6th: The Reds got the runs right back.  Morgan led off with a walk and then stole second; an out later Southworth made a fateful decision - intentionally walk Perez to get to Griffey.  It made some sense given the platoon advantage of Walker facing the left handed Griffey - but Ken Sr beat him with a single to right that scored Morgan and Concepcion followed with a slow ground ball that just squeezed through the hole into left to score Perez and it was 4-2 Reds headed to the 7th.

7th: The Cards struck immediately; Ernie Orsatti led off with a walk and then Leo Durocher drove him home with a double that rattled around the right field corner. Orsatti scored and it's 4-3 with the tying run at second and no one out. 23 year old Will McEnaney came on for the Reds. After an out - Frankie Frisch singled to right field - Durocher got the green light and came all the way around - Griffey threw home - Bench blocked the plate (legal, it's 1975 rules) Durocher slammed hard into him -- and Bench held on.  That was it for the Cards, McEnaney got out of the threat.

7th: The Reds got it right back. Jim Mooney had an ERA approaching 5 and a half, but he got the call for St Louis, he gave up a one out single to Rose, and then a walk to Morgan - after a second out, Perez blooped a single to left center, Rose came around to score and it was 5-3 Reds; 43 year old Dazzy Vance ended the threat and we headed to the 8th.

8th: McEnaney gave up a two out single to Rothrock, but nothing else.  

8th: Vance gave up a lead off walk to Griffey and a base hit to Concepcion, an out later Dan Driessen entered as a pinch hitter and Vance kept the Cards alive with a 6-4-3 double play.

9th: Closers need a short memory; Rawly Eastwick came on in game 2 with a 3 run lead and couldn't hold it - but Sparky gave him the ball again - 3 up.  3 down.  And this one belongs to the Reds.

The player of the series - Griffey; 2 hits in each of the 3 games including the big base hit in the 6th to give the Reds the lead - and then the big play where he threw out Durocher at the plate.

The Reds move on to the next round - they'll take on the winner of this next series:

49. 1941 New York Yankees v. 80. 1911 New York Giants

This series should have a bit of a losers bracket feel - we've seen both the '39 Yankees and the '08 Giants fall already in this region - tack on a couple of years and both teams are back.  I'm going to add the lineups going forward in the recaps.

Game 1

Giants (Ages)

SS Fletcher (26)

C Meyers (30)

2B Doyle (24)

CF Snodgrass (23)

RF Murray (27)

1B Merkle (22)

3B Devlin (31)

LF Devore (23)

P Mathewson (30)

Yankees (Ages)

LF Keller (24)

C Dickey (34)

CF DiMaggio (26)

RF Henrich (28)

2B Gordon (26)

SS Rizzuto (23)

3B Rolfe (32)

1B Sturm (25)

P Russo (26)

Final Score:  

Giants 12

Yankees 1

WP Mathewson 

LP Russo

The first blowout we've seen in any tournament game; the Giants go into Yankee Stadium and pound out a dozen runs on 18 hits and take game one.

1st: The Lefty Marius Russo got the call for the Yanks; he was 14-10 on the season, he gave up a leadoff single to Art Fletcher, but that's the extent of the damage.

1st: 26 game winner Christy Mathewson took his 1.99 ERA into this one; he sends the Yanks back to the dugout in order.

2nd: With one out, Red Murray doubled over DiMaggio's head; an out later Art Devlin slapped a single to left to put the Giants up 1-0.  

2nd: 3 up...3 down

3rd: Chief Meyers gets a two out single, but that's all for the Giants.

3rd: The Yanks tie it up; Red Rolfe hits a fly ball that Red Murray loses in the sun - it falls for a two base error. Johnny Sturm singles to put runners on the corners - Mathewson gets Russo to ground into the 6-4-3 double play, but the tying run scores.

4th: After an out, Fred Snodgrass singles just under Phil Rizzuto's glove and then steals second; Red Murray walks; Fred Merkle grounds out to the right side - moving both runners over the give the Giants two men in scoring position - but it went no further than that.

4th: 3 up, 3 down.

5th: Josh Devore led off with a double down the left field line, Mathewson bunted him over, Art Fletcher than tripled into the right field corner to score Devore. Meyers followed with a single to drive home the Fletcher. Larry Doyle then singled to put them on the corners with just one out - but Russo stopped the bleeding.

5th: 3 up. 3 down

6th: 2 more for the Giants - Murray leads off with a walk and scores all the way from first on a Fred Merkle double - Devlin singles right through the box and that brings Merkle around and it's 5-1 Giants.

6th: Buddy Rosar enters to pinch hit for Russo - he singles, but that's it for the Yankees.

7th: The Giants put the game out of reach; 26 year old Norm Branch comes on for the Yankees, he gives up a leadoff double to Doyle and then a run scoring single to Snodgrass - after an out, Merkle doubles off the wall in right, Snodgrass comes all the way around and it's 7-1. After the second out, Steve Peek took the ball for the Yankees and gave up back to back walks to Devore and Mathewson to load the bases.  Art Fletcher clears the bases with this second triple of the game - and Meyers follows with a single to make it 11-1 Giants.

7th: An error and a Rizzuto single gave the Yankees two on with one out, but the Yankees couldn't score

8th: 3 up, 3 down.

8th: Mathewson sets them down in order.

9th: Tony Bonham becomes the 4th Yankee pitcher, the Giants finish off the scoring with two out singles by Mathewson/Fletcher/Meyers for their 12th run. 

9th: The Yanks get their fifth hit of the game, but Mathewson finishes what he started and the Giants have the blowout win.

4 hits, including 2 triples, 4 RBI for Fletcher.  4 hits and 3 RBI for Meyers. Merkle had two doubles and 2 RBI - every single Giant got a hit. Complete game 5 hitter for Mathewson, all the hits were singles.  DiMaggio went 0-4.

We head to the Polo Grounds for Game 2 - the Giants have 24 game winner Rube Marquard ready to go; the Yanks counter with 33 year old Spud Chandler, both right handed.

(this is fun stuff, the readership will understandably be super low, I do not care at all about that; if, for whatever reason, this is your jam, it's mine too)

Game 2

Yankees (Ages)

LF Keller (24)

C Dickey (34)

CF DiMaggio (26)

RF Henrich (28)

2B Gordon (26)

SS Rizzuto (23)

3B Rolfe (32)

1B Sturm (25)

P Chandler (33)

Giants (Ages)

SS Fletcher (26)

C Meyers (30)

2B Doyle (24)

LF Devore (23)

CF Snodgrass (23)

RF Murray (27)

1B Merkle (22)

3B Devlin (31)

P Marquard (24)

Final Score

Yankees 4

Giants 3

WP Breuer

LP  Crandall

The road team wins again; the Yankees scoring two in the 9th to keep their hopes alive.

1st: Marquard won 24; he sets the Yanks down in order.

1st: Chandler was 10-4, he gives up an Art Fletcher single and later a Larry Doyle walk, but the Giants do not score.

2nd: Marquard gets them in order again.

2nd: The Giants get on the board; after an out, Red Murray slaps a single to left - and the Fred Merkle drove him home with a double to right.

3rd: The Yanks go down in order again

3rd: Nothing for the Giants

4th: With one out, Bill Dickey and Joe DiMaggio single back to back and the Yanks are in business - but Marquard strikes out Tommy Henrich and gets an easy groundout from Joe Gordon.

4th: Josh Devore gets a one out single, but that's all Chandler allows.  

5th: Phil Rizzuto opens up the inning with a triple into the right field corner and when Red Rolfe walks the Yankees have men on the corners with nobody out.  Marquard strikes out Johnny Sturm and then gets Chander 5-4-3 to end the inning.  We head to the 6th with the Giants still up 1-0.

6th: The Yankees tie the score - Charlie Keller and Bill Dickey open up with back to back singles - that brings up the great DiMaggio, who scuffled in the 1939 loss at the top of the region and has been quiet so far here - but he singles to center to score Keller.  Marquard limits the damage to that one run.

6th: 3 up, 3 down. 

7th: Marquard settles down and gets the Yanks in order.

7th: Red Murray gets a one out walk but that's it - such a clutch outing from Spud Chandler, going into the Polo Grounds after the Giants scored 12 runs in game one and shutting down McGraw's group.

8th: The Yankees take the lead.  Keller singles, Dickey walks and is Joe DiMaggio heating up? He gets his third hit of the game, a single that brings home the go ahead run.  McGraw leaves Marquard in the game and he keeps the Yankees from scoring further.

8th: 26 year old right hander Norm Branch comes on for the Yanks; after an out he gives up a base hit to pinch hitter Beals Becker. Art Fletcher grounds to short - Rizzuto makes a really nice play ranging to his left - he doesn't have a shot at the lead runner but guns down Fletcher for the second out.  2 out - tying run in scoring position - Chief Meyers singles to center and Becker scores the tying run.  Doyle then singles, hitting a ball almost in exactly the same spot as did Fletcher, but this time Rizzuto's throw is just late.  2 on, 2 out, 27 year old Marv Breuer comes out of the pen - and Josh Devore beats him with a single to center; there's a play at the plate, but Meyers slides in just under Dickey's tag and the Giants head to the 9th inning up 3-2.

9th: 23 year old right hander Doc Crandall won 15 games; he comes on to close out the series. Sturm works the count to 3-2 and then singles to right. After an out, Keller gets his third single of the game - Sturm was running on the pitch and there are men on the corners for Bill Dickey - he singles to center, Sturm scores and the game is tied, still just one out and here comes DiMaggio.  24 year old Bert Maxwell only pitched 34 innings on the year -- but he gets DiMaggio to ground out - he hit it to the right side, advancing both runners, so the Yankees have men on second and third with two out for Tommy Henrich.  McGraw really rolls the dice here - they decide to put Henrich on so Maxwell can face the right handed Joe Gordon.  And Gordon beats him.  Single to left; Keller scores the go ahead run - Dickey gets the green light, but Devore guns him down and ends the inning.

9th: Johnny Murphy is the Yankees closer; he had 15 saves and an ERA under 2 - he gets the first two and then Fred Merkle just crushes - I mean just crushes a ball to dead center field - center field in the Polo Grounds is 483 feet from home plate - DiMaggio mimics that famed Mays catch from the '54 Series as he is able to gallop the needed distance to track the ball down and end the game.

3 hits each for Keller/Dickey/DiMaggio and a great 7 inning start for Spud Chandler.

We head to Yankee Stadium.  Winner take all.  The Yankees will go with 36 year old Red Ruffing; the Giants with 28 year old Red Ames.  Red v Red, like Lenin against Trotsky.

Game 3

Giants (Ages)

SS Fletcher (26)

2B Doyle (24)

C Meyers (30)

LF Devore (23)

CF Snodgrass (23)

RF Becker (24)

1B Merkle (22)

3B Bridwell (27)

P Ames (28)

Yankees (Ages)

LF Keller (24)

CF DiMaggio (26)

RF Henrich (28)

C Dickey (34)

2B Gordon (26)

3B Rolfe (32)

SS Rizzuto (23)

1B Sturm (25)

P Ruffing (36)

Giants 2

Yankees 7

WP Ruffing

LP Ames

The '75 Reds were favorites who advanced in the prior series - they'll meet favorites who advanced, the '41 Yankees, in the next round.

1st: Both lineups heavy with left handers against the right handed starters; Ruffing won 15 and sets the Giants down in order.

1st: Ames isn't as successful, Charlie Keller and Joe DiMaggio open with back to back singles - a 6-4-3 Tommy Henrich double play leaves Keller alone at third, but Bill Dickey singles him home to give the Yanks the lead.  An Ames wild pitch moves Dickey into scoring position - and Joe Gordon took advantage with a base hit that made the game 2-0.

2nd: Fred Snodgrass got a one out single, but that's it.

2nd: 3 up, 3 down.

3rd: Al Bridwell got the start at third in this one; he gets a one out single, but that's all for the Giants.

3rd: With one out, DiMaggio took a fastball to the ribs; after a second out Bill Dickey laced a single to right - DiMaggio noticeably did not attempt to go to third on the play; Ames got out of trouble and we have to wonder about DiMaggio's health the rest of the way in this one.

4th: 3 up, 3 down.

4th: Johnny Sturm got a two out single, but no threat by the Yanks.

5th: With two out, Fred Merkle singled; Joe McCarthy wasn't taking chances, they put Bridwell on intentionally and then Ruffing got his opposite number Ames on a route groundout.

5th: After two out, Henrich singled to right and Bill Dickey drew a walk - Joe Gordon came through again, he singled to right and the score was 3-0.

6th: Chief Meyers and Josh Devore had back to back two out singles, but Ruffing kept them off the scoreboard.

6th: Phil Rizzuto opened up with a single, after two out he moved to second on a Charlie Keller walk - and they both moved up on Ames's second wild pitch of the day. But DiMaggio, visibly in pain, weakly popped to short.

7th: The Giants inch closer, with one out Fred Merkle and Al Bridwell singled back to back to put men on the corners. Red Murray entered as a pinch hitter and hit  a sac fly to make it 3-1.

7th: 23 year old right hander Doc Crandall entered and gave up a leadoff walk to Henrich - after two out, Crandall then walked both Red Rolfe and Phil Rizzuto to load the bases, but then struck out Sturm to keep the game within reach.

8th: Ruffing gets the Giants in order.

8th: With 2 out, DiMaggio took a deep breath and doubled to right; Henrich singled to left, and DiMaggio chose discretion and stayed at third, Bill Dickey blooped a single to right to score DiMaggio and then Joe Gordon ended the series with a 3 run homer that sent Yankee Stadium ablaze. 7-1 Yankees.

9th: Steve Peek entered for the Yanks; with one out, he gave up 3 straight singles to Becker/Merkle/Snodgrass to get us to our 7-2 final score

Joe Gordon had the go ahead base hit to win game 2 and came back in game 3 with 5 RBI; he's the MVP of this Series.

This Region is 3/4 of the way done.  2 more series to go - next time we'll see the 1929 A's meet the 1997 Braves and the 1935 Tigers meet..wait for it...the 1943 Yankees.  

128 Team MLB Tournament - Round One, Region One Series 3-4

Series 1-2 are here

The '79 Orioles and '84 Tigers have moved to Round 2.  Let's see who joins them in their quadrant.

32. 2007 Boston Red Sox v. 97. 1977 New York Yankees

Game 1

Yankees 5

Red Sox 8

WP: Lester

LP: Guidry

Boston gets game 1 at Fenway; the first time in the tournament the better seed has won a game.

2nd: Neither club put a man in scoring position in the first (Guidry going for the Yankees, Beckett for the Sox) with one out in the top of the second, Lou Piniella singled, took second on a passed ball, and then scored on a Graig Nettles base hit.  Mike Lowell singled with one out in the bottom half, moved over on a Jason Varitek ground out - but Guidry got JD Drew to fly to center to end the inning.

3rd: New York put them on the corners in the third; Mickey Rivers hit a ground ball to the left side and beat out the throw; two outs later Chris Chambliss singled to center, but Beckett got Thurman Munson to pop up to first to end the threat. Boston also put two on in their half; Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single to center, two outs later Kevin Youkilis followed up with a grounder in the hole that a diving Nettles couldn't quite stop to put two on, two out with David Ortiz coming to the plate.  Guidry struck him out looking with a knee buckling breaking ball and the Yanks maintained their 1-0 lead.

5th: The Yankees added to that lead in the 5th. Rivers led off with a line drive single to right; Willie Randolph hit a soft fly ball that just went to no man's land in right center, Rivers scored all the way from first and Randolph took second on the play.  Reggie Jackson followed with a run scoring base hit and New York had ten hits on the day and a 3-0 lead.  

5th: Boston got both of those runs back in their half. Drew led off with a walk; Ellsbury followed with a single, he'd get wiped off the basepaths after a fielder's choice, and with 2 out Drew stood at third with Dustin Pedroia coming to the plate.  This time Guidry didn't escape; Pedroia doubled to give Boston its first run and Youkilis singled him home to make it 3-2 Yankees.

6th: Beckett got into trouble again; with 2 out, Rivers worked a walk and Randolph singled to put two on for Reggie -- Beckett got him to harmlessly ground to first and the Sox deficit remained a run; that ended in the bottom of the inning; Manny opened with a walk and then scored on a Mike Lowell double to the center field wall.  Varitek followed with a walk of his own - but Guidry fought back, struck out the next three to hold the score at 3 apiece.

8th No one threatened in the 7th; Jon Lester came on for Boston in the 8th, with one out Bucky Dent walked and the chirping from the Red Sox bench, angry about the strike zone, led to Terry Francona's ejection from the game.  That lit a fire under the Sox bats as they exploded in the bottom half; Manny led off with a single, Lowell singled him to third, Varitek singled Ramirez home to give Boston the lead and then Drew walked to load the bases with no out.  In a more modern game this would obviously be it for long past it for Guidry - but Billy Martin rolled the dice and paid for it with an Ellsbury single that gave Boston a 5-3 lead.  That finished Guidry's day; Dick Tidrow came on - gave up a 2 run single to Julio Lugo that made it 7-3, then a sac fly to Pedroia for run number 8.  

9th: A five run deficit was too much but the Yankees gave it a run; Reggie opened with a single, Chambliss doubled him to third and a Munson groundout made it 8-4.  Joel Pineiro came on for Boston, got the second out and then gave up a Nettles single that made the game 8-5. Jonathan Papelbon was next - he struck out Roy White and the Sox had taken game one.

A double and two singles for Lowell, 3 singles for Ellsbury, two for Youkilis.

Both Nettles and Reggie had three singles on the day; Randolph doubled and singled, Munson and Rivers both singled twice.

Off to Yankee Stadium they go for Game 2; New York needing a win to avoid elimination. Ed Figueroa gets the ball for the Yanks.  Boston will counter with 40 year old Curt Schilling.  

Game 2

Red Sox 5

Yankees 9

WP Figueroa

LP Schilling 

Can I interest you in a one game winner take all at Fenway?  The Yanks force that result by taking game 2.  

1st: A two base JD Drew error on a Reggie Jackson fly ball gave the Yankees a man on with two out, but Schilling didn't allow him to cross.  

2nd: Boston jumped out to the lead - Manny Ramirez homering off of Figueroa.  Cliff Johnson got the nod at DH in this one for New York; he doubled with two out in the bottom half, but a Bucky Dent pop up ended the frame.

4th: Neither side threatened in the 3rd; Manny got the Sox going again in the 4th with a two out single, Mike Lowell followed with a single - but Figueroa got Kevin Youkilis to ground to third and the score remained 1-0. Not for long - Thurman Munson led off the bottom half with a single, an out later Lou Piniella singled - and then Cliff Johnson - Cliff Johnson - hit a 3 run homer to put the Yankees out front, 3-1. 

5th: Boston got one back in the 5th. Dustin Pedroia led off the inning with a ground rule double, a groundout moved him to third and an Alex Cora sac fly brought the Sox within a run.  

5th: That didn't hold.  Mickey Rivers led off the Yankee fifth with a double; an out later Reggie doubled off the wall and it was 4-2, an out later Graig Nettles singled Jackson home and the Yankees led 5-2. 

6th: New York kept the pressure on Schilling with a Piniella double into the left field corner in the 6th, but couldn't advance him from there.  

7th: Boston chased Figueroa in the 7th; he surrounded two outs by walking the bases loaded; Billy left Guidry in at least a batter too long in Game 1 and did it again here; Drew singled home two runs to cut the Yankee lead to 5-4.  Dick Tidrow entered with men on the corners, 2 out and David Ortiz at the plate and he got him to ground to second.  

7th: Schilling's last inning was also the 7th; Rivers led off with a single and an out later Reggie doubled him home.  Jon Lester came on and held the damage to 6-4 Yankees.  

8th: Manny led off the 8th with his second homer of the day - and Boston had cut it to 6-5 -- but New York wasn't done; they came back in the bottom of the 8th with a Piniella homer, a Johnson double, and then a Chambliss 2 run homer to boost the lead to 9-5.  Tidrow closed the door in the 9th and the Yankees had tied the series.

Big day for the Yankee bats - 3 home runs one of them that 3 run bomb by Cliff Johnson who also added 2 doubles.  Piniella went homer/double, Reggie doubled twice; Rivers doubled and singled.

Manny hit those 2 homers for the Sox and added a single; Mike Lowell followed up a 3 hit game one with a 2 hit game 2.

And so here we are.  Back to Fenway for all the marbles.  Daisuke Matsuzaka going for the Sox; the Yankees countering with Mike Torrez.  

Game 3

Yankees 8

Red Sox 4

WP Torrez

LP Matsuzaka

Three series down - the underdog has won all of them.  

1st: New York went down in order; Ellsbury led off the Red Sox half with a single off Torrez, Pedroia followed with a single that put men on the corners -- but that's it; Torrez got Ortiz/Manny/Lowell and we were onto the second.

2nd: New York again goes down in order; in the bottom half, Drew gets a two out single back through the box, Cora follows with a bleeder into right field - and again Torrez faces two on - and again he gets through it on an Ellsbury ground out.

3rd: After an out, Piniella singles to right for the first hit off of Matsuzaka; a fielders choice takes him off the basepaths and now Dent's at first with two out - Rivers singles to right to put men on the corners and then Willie Randolph doubles them both home.  New York leads 2-0.  Torrez gets the Sox in order in the bottom half.

4th: New York doesn't get a man in scoring position in the top half; Boston matches that result.

5th: With one out, Dent walked, Cora made a nice play on a Rivers grounder, but threw wide of first, pulling Youkilis from the bag, and the Yankees had men on the corners.  An out later - Reggie Jackson came to the plate -- and he hit an absolute monster 3 run homer to right field to give New York a 5-0 lead.  Boston got one back in the bottom, with 2 out, Pedroia singled and Ortiz doubled him home. 

6th: A challenge with the simulation is it doesn't know there is no tomorrow; so pitching changes do not happen as frequently as should they; so Matsuzaka heads back to the mound and gives up another homer, this one to Chambliss, and it's 6-1 New York.  Varitek doubled in the bottom half but couldn't advance.  

7th: Rivers opens up the 7th with a single, steals second, and two outs later scores on a Johnson single to center.  Boston doesn't threaten in their half and it's 7-1 Yankees with just two innings to play.

8th: We get the long overdue pitching change, Manny Delcarmen taking over - and he also gives up a solo homer, to Graig Nettles.  Boston has to know they're DOA, but in the bottom half Varitek hits a two run homer and we head to the 9th at 8-3.  

9th: New York went down in order - Cora led off the bottom of the 9th with a triple then scored on a Torrez wild pitch.  That was all Billy needed to see - Tidrow came on and finished the Sox off.

The '77 Yankees advance; so many hitting stars for New York in the series - 6 hits for Mickey Rivers; 7 for Graig Nettles,  but it was Reggie, with a half dozen RBI including the big 3 run homer in game 3, who earns MVP honors. 

The '77 Yankees march on - they'll face the winners of the next series, the 1943 Cardinals against the 1908 Giants.

33. 1943 St Louis Cardinals v. 96 1908 New York Giants

Neither squad won the World Series; the Cards lost to the Yankees and the Giants finished second in the NL.  One of them is about to advance to the Round of 64.  

Game 1

Giants 5

Cardinals 6 (10 innings)

WP: Dickson

LP Mularkey

1st: Max Lanier on the hill for the Cards; he gets the Giants in order.

1st:  Christy Mathewson going for the Giants; he gave up a leadoff double to Ray Sanders, but the Cards couldn't push him forward.

2nd: Lanier goes 3 up, 3 down again. 

2nd: Mathewson matches him.

3rd: Cy Seymour and Fred Tenney open the inning with back to back singles -  but New York can't push either of them across

3rd: The Cards don't get a hit.

4th: The Giants break through; Roger Bresnahan led off with a single to left and then came all the way around to score on a Larry Doyle triple - an out later Moose McCormick singled him home and the Giants led 2-0.  

4th: Three up, three down.

5th: 3 up, 3 down.

5th:  3 up, 3 down

6th: Bresnahan and Mike Donlin are both going to single off Lanier, but the Giants can't add to their lead.

6th: Mathewson remains dominant - 3 up, 3 down.

7th: Tenney walked - and in what might be the crucial moment of the series - Lanier hit Mathewson square on the knee.  The Giants didn't score and Mathewson was moving gingerly as he took the mound in the bottom of the 7th.

7th: Stan Musial led off with a routine ground ball that took a terrible hop and hit Doyle in the throat; an out later Danny Litwhiler punched a single to center and then Lou Klein hit a bleeder that just got right in between third and short and the bases were loaded with one out.  Mathewson's rubbing his knee visibly on the mound; Doyle remained in the game but is attempting to maintain his breath at second base; Harry Walker then singles to left, breaking the seal to get St Louis on the board.  Still only one out, bases still loaded.  Light hitting Marty Marion singles to center, scoring two runs, the Cards are now up 3-2 and Mathewson is out of the game and almost certainly done for the series.  Dummy Taylor enters in relief - Debs Garms hits for Lanier - and he singles home Walker to make it 4-2.  A sac fly follows and the Cards have scored 5 in the 7th.

8th: Howie Krist took the mound for St Louis; he got the first two and then gave up a single to Donlin, a double to McCormick - and then a two out, two run single to Art Devlin that cut the lead to 5-4. Cy Seymour followed with a double - Devlin came all the way around to score and just like that the Giants had knotted the score at 5.

8th: Taylor gets them 3 up, 3 down and we're headed to the 9th.

9th: Red Munger is pitching now for the Cards; he gives up a single but the Giants can't advance.

9th: Klein and Walker start the inning with back to back singles and the winning run is in scoring position with nobody out -- but that's as far as they went, Taylor buckles down, the Cards don't get the ball out of the infield and we're onto extra innings.

10th: Murry Dickson is now pitching for the Cardinals and he gets the Giants in order

10th: Bill Mularkey is now pitching for the Giants; Walker Cooper hits the first pitch of the inning off the top of the center field wall and winds up at second with a leadoff double. That brought Stan Musial to the plate and he ended the game with a single to center.  Cooper scores the winning run and the Cards are a game from taking the series.

Musial, Klein and Walker all had two hits for St Louis; Bresnahan, Donlin, McCormick and Seymour for the Giants.

To the Polo Grounds for Game 2; 23 game winner Hooks Wiltse will look to stave off elimination for the Giants; the Cards counter with 21 game winner Mort Cooper.  

Game 2

Cards 1

Giants 4

WP Wiltse

LP Cooper

Just like Yanks/Sox - this one is headed to a showdown game as the Giants take Game 2; Hooks Wiltse throwing a complete game 7 hitter.

1st: Wiltse sets the Cards down in order

1st: The Giants get all the runs they're going to need; Larry Doyle opened the game with a walk, the Giants are playing small ball and they have Al Bridwell bunt him over.  Mike Donlin then triples Doyle home for the game's first run and he's then driven home by a Roger Bresnahan base hit.  It's 2-0 Giants and that's all they'll need today.

2nd: The Cards get singles by Whitey Kurowski and Ray Sanders, but a Danny Litwhiler double play keeps a man from ever entering scoring position.

2nd: The Giants end their scoring in the 2nd; Cy Seymour and Fred Tenney open up with base hits - again, John McGraw orders a bunt to move them over - and again he's rewarded, this time with a Larry Doyle base hit that plates both men and makes the game 4-0.

3rd: The Cards get a baserunner via error, but can't advance him.

3rd: Musial lays out for a terrific catch on a Donlin line drive to right and the Giants are down in order.

4th: The second Giants error in as many innings gives St Louis a baserunner - but again, Wiltse doesn't allow a Cardinal past first base.

4th: Cooper sets the Giants down in order.

5th: Marty Marion singled with one out - but, once again, the Cards do not move him into scoring position.

5th: Doyle's on base again with a one out single, but that's all for the Giants.

6th St Louis finally dents the scoreboard, Whitey Kurowski hit a solo homer to left center and the Cards trail 4-1.

6th Cooper sets the Giants down in order.

7th: Harry Walker gets a one out single - but Wiltse picks him off first base and St Louis is down in order.

7th Cy Seymour gets a base hit - but is thrown out trying to stretch it into a double and the Giants are down in order.

8th: Walker Cooper gets a 2 out single but once again, the Cards do not get him beyond first.

8th: Howie Krist comes on for St Louis; he gives up a walk to Doyle, who then steals second, but that's it for the Giants.

9th: Wiltse gives up a lead off double to Kurowski - but McGraw doesnt even look at his bullpen: the lefty sets down the next three Cards and it's done, Giants win 4-1 to force Game 3 back in St Louis.

Doyle and Seymour both had a couple of hits for the Giants; Doyle reached base 4 times and had a couple of RBI. Kurowski was the hitting star for the Cards on a day when Musial went 0-4, he was a triple short of the cycle in the losing effort.

So - it all comes down to Game 3.  The Giants are going to go with their 37 year old veteran, Iron Man Joe McGinnity, in this must win game.  St Louis counters with Howie Pollet and his 1.75 ERA.

Game 3

Giants 2

Cards 3

WP: Pollet

LP: McGinnity

Sv: Dickson

Just a helluva game to finish off this series; the first of the tournament where the seeding held.  St Louis holding off a 9th inning rally to knock off the Giants 3-2.

1st: The Giants got a Roger Bresnahan leadoff walk, but Howie Pollet wouldn't let them advance past first.

1st: Iron Man McGinnity set down the Cards in order.

2nd: Pollett got the first two - but Fred Tenney singled to center to give the Giants their second baserunner; with the pitcher on deck, Billy Southworth chose to put Al Bridwell on intentionally - that decision paid off when McGinnity hit a soft liner to first to end the inning.

2nd: McGinnity sets them down in order.

3rd: Bresnahan works another walk; Buck Herzog follows with one of his own and the Giants are at the meat of their lineup with two on and no one out - but a Mike Donlin groundout and back to back strikeouts of Larry Doyle and Moose McCormick allowed the lefty Pollet to hold serve.

3rd: 3 up.  3 down.  

4th: Pollet sends the Giants down in order.

4th: The Cards break through; with one out, Walker Cooper singles to right center to give the Cards a baserunner, he's erased after a Musial fielders choice - but with two out, Whitey Kurowski, the only Cardinal whose bat was alive in Game 2, doubled to the right center gap, Musial scored and the Cards had the first run of the game.  

5th: 3 up.  3 down

5th: The Cards get a two out Marty Marion single, but it's harmless.

6th:  Mike Donlin opened up with a single and a steal of second - and when Doyle hit a ground ball to to the right side the Giants were 90 feet from the tie - but Pollett got both McCormick and Cy Seymour to hit routine fly balls to to hold the lead.

6th: A leadoff  Ray Sanders single doesn't go anywhere.  Headed to the 7th, still Cardinals 1-0

7th: Big spot here, despite Pollet's effectiveness Southworth brought Howie Krist in to face the Giants and protect that lead.  He gave up a one out single to Bridwell - but that's all the Giants could muster.

7th: McGinnity just blows right through them, 3 up and down.

8th: With one out, Donlin singled sharply to center, Doyle followed with a bloop to left and now the Giants had the potential go ahead run on base with one out.  But Krist didn't budge, he got two flyballs and we went to the bottom - still 1-0.

8th: Marion led off with a single, Debs Garms hit for Krist - and he singled, and with two on and no one out...McGraw left McGinnity in the game -- and after an out, Walker Cooper doubled both runners home and it was 3-0 St Louis.  That ended McGinnity's day, Dummy Taylor got the Giants out of the inning.

9th: Red Munger came on to close the door.  Bridwell worked a one out walk, then Art Devlin, who sat in favor of Herzog in this one, came off the bench and drove a single right up the middle.  2 on, one out, Murry Dickson became the 4th Cardinal pitcher.  He slammed a double to the left field corner, scoring both men and suddenly it was 3-2 St Louis.  Herzog ground to 3rd.  2 out - the Giants best hitter, Mike Donlin, with his 154 OPS+ at the plate and the tying run at second base.  Donlin hit one to the track in right - where it was gathered by Musial to end the series.

Just a tremendous one here.  Pitching really carried the series for St Louis; Murry Dickson won game 1 and saved game 3 - terrific starting performances really in all three games - but the MVP is Pollet, shutting the Giants out for 6 innings in a close out game.  

That gives us a quadrant for Round 2 - the '79 Orioles will face the '84 Tigers and the '77 Yankees will take on this Cardinal squad