Tue, 21 Sep 1999 Red Dawgs 5, Upper-Deckers 3:
The Myers Red Dawgs (8-11) eliminated the Burke Upper-Deckers (10-9) with a 5-3
win in rainy Cincinnati today. Albert Belle's three run homer put the Dawgs put
the Dawgs up 5-1, and Dawgs starter Eddie Cicotte and reliever Lefty Grove hung
on for the win. We now know that it will be the Chips and the Powers in the
World Series. However the regular season title (and home field advantage for
every World Series game) is up for grabs. The Powers can clinch with a win over
the Reps. Otherwise, it will come down to the last game of the season, when the
Upper-Deckers play the Chips. A Chips win combined with a Powers loss would
give the Chips (who started 4-7, while the Powers started 9-1) an improbable
regular season title. The Powers win the regular season on all other scenarios.
The teams have met twice in the World Series, splitting the two series. The
regular season champ won both times. It promises to be a great series, pitting
as it does the best team in the first half (Powers, 9-1) against the best team
in the second half (Chips, 8-1). Also, the Chips can break the record for
consecutive regular season wins with a Week 20 win over the Upper-Deckers. The
news gets worse for the Upper-Deckers--Ken Griffey, Jr. went 0-4 in the game,
meaning that the Chips' Ty Cobb (.437) has (for now) regained the batting lead.
Griffey and Burke's Jackie Robinson are hot on his trail.
Hits: Red Dawgs 13, Upper-Deckers 11
Winning pitcher: Cicotte (1-3)
Losing pitcher: Ron Guidry (1-2)
Save: Grove (1)
Homerun: Belle
Doubles: J. Robinson, Ernie Banks
Caught stealing: Paul Molitor
Error: Banks
WEEK 20 GAMES
Minneapolis Reps (10-9, Mordecai Brown) at Karas Powers (13-6, Urban Shocker)
Burke Upper-Deckers (10-9, Don Sutton) at Silicon Valley Chips (12-7, Christy
Mathewson)
Tri-City Titans (4-15, Lefty Gomez) at Myers Red Dawgs (8-11, Whitey Ford)
Mon, 20 Sep 1999 Powers 4, Titans 0: The Karas Powers (13-6) handed the Tri-City Titans (4-15)
their record 11th straight loss, and reclaimed the league ERA lead, with a 4-0
shutout. Mike Schmidt drove in all four runs, capped by a three run homer in
the 5th. The Powers, who have a clinched a playoff berth, lead the Chips by one
game, with one remaining. However, the Chips have the tiebreaker against the
Powers, so the pennant is still up for grabs. So is the second playoff spot.
The Upper-Deckers can take it by winning their last two games--by large margins.
Winning pitcher: Stan Coveleski (2-1)
Losing pitcher: Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander (1-3)
Save: Harry Brecheen (1)
Homerun: Schmidt
Doubles: Schmidt, Joe Jackson
Caught stealing: Honus Wagner
Error: Chuck Klein
Upcoming game: (elimination game for Upper-Deckers)
Myers Red Dawgs (7-11, Eddie Cicotte) at Burke Upper-Deckers (10-8, Ron Guidry)
Chips Win 8th Straight; Reps Eliminated
Fri, 17 Sep 1999
Chips 7, Reps 2: The Silicon Valley Chips (12-7) tied a regular season record
with their 8th straight win, and eliminated the defending champion Minneapolis
Reps (10-9) in the process, 7-2. Leading 1-0 after seven innings, the Chips
broke the game open with four runs in the 8th and two more in the 9th inning,
capped by Gabby Hartnett's two run single. Chips ace Juan Marichal allowed just
one earned run while pitching the complete game and eliminating the defending
champs. In spite of the Chips win, Ty Cobb (0-4) saw his batting average fall
to .437; Burke's Ken Griffey, Jr. now leads the league at .444. The Chips are
now within 1/2 game of the Powers, but have not yet clinched a playoff spot. If
the Upper-Deckers defeat the Red Dawgs, that spot will be decided during the
last week of the season, because the Upper-Deckers and Chips play each other.
An Upper-Deckers loss against the Red Dawgs would eliminate Burke and set up a
Powers/Chips World Series. Those teams have met twice in the World Series; they
split, with the regular season champion winning each Series.
Hits: Chips 17, Reps 16
Winning pitcher: Marichal (2-1)
Losing pitcher: Eddie Plank (2-2)
Homerun: Lou Gehrig
Double: Stan Musial
Error: Rod Carew
Upcoming games: Tri-City Titans (4-14, Pete Alexander) at Karas
Powers (12-6, Stan Coveleski)
elimination game for Upper-Deckers: Myers Red Dawgs (7-11, Eddie Cicotte)
at Burke Upper-Deckers (10-8, Ron Guidry)
Chips Shock Powers; Move Within One Game of First Place
Fri, 17 Sep 1999 Chips 2, Powers 0: Jack Chesbro pitched a five hit shutout as the Silicon
Valley Chips (11-7) won their 7th straight, to retain sole possession of 2nd
place and move within one game of the Karas Powers (12-6) with two remaining.
It was the 3rd straight loss for the Powers, who are 3-5 since the All-Star
Break. The Chips won despite Ty Cobb going 0-4, which tightens his race for the
batting title with Burke's Ken Griffey, Jr. The result concludes Week 18, and
every game now becomes critical. The Chips play the Reps to start Week 19; the
defending champion Reps will be eliminated with a loss. A Reps loss would also
mean that the Chips would tie a record with their 8th straight in a particular
regular season. The Titans/Powers game is less significant, but moreso with a
Chips win. And the Upper-Deckers play the Red Dawgs; Burke would have to win to
avoid elimination if the Chips beat the Reps.
Hits: Chips 5, Powers 5
Winning pitcher: Chesbro (1-3)
Losing pitcher: Carl Hubbell (3-1)
WEEK 19 GAMES
Silicon Valley Chips (11-7, Juan Marichal) at Minneapolis Reps (10-8, Eddie
Plank) (elimination game for Reps)
Tri-City Titans (4-14, Pete Alexander) at Karas Powers (12-6, Stan Coveleski)
Myers Red Dawgs (7-11, Eddie Cicotte) at Burke Upper-Deckers (10-8, Ron Guidry)
Thu, 16 Sep 1999 Upper-Deckers 3, Titans 1: Jim Palmer scattered eight hits over 8.2 innings and
Ken Griffey, Jr. passed Babe Ruth for 2nd place in the race for the batting
title as the Burke Upper-Deckers (10-8) won the year's final battle of the
expansion teams, 3-1 over the Tri-City Titans (4-14). Burke wins the season
series by the same margin. The Titans have lost a record 10 straight games.
Tri-City led 1-0 after five innings but Frank Thomas and Griffey produced RBI
singles to give Burke the lead. Frank Robinson's 8th inning RBI single off
Titans reliever Gaylord Perry sealed the win. The next HBWRL game is perhaps
the most important of the year. The Chips, riding a six game winning streak,
can pull within a game of the once-invincible Powers with a win. But if the
Powers win, three teams will be tied for 2nd place--and the last playoff
spot--with two games remaining.
Hits: Upper-Deckers 18, Titans 8
Winning pitcher: Palmer (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Tom Seaver (0-3)
Save: Luis Tiant (2)
Doubles: Griffey, Jackie Robinson, Arky Vaughan, Harry Heilmann
Stolen base: George Sisler
Error: Paul Molitor
Upcoming game: Karas Powers (12-5, Carl Hubbell) at Silicon Valley Chips (10-7,
Jack Chesbro)
Thu, 16 Sep 1999 Reps 7, Red Dawgs 4 (12 innings):
In a dramatic game played in the midst of Hurricane Floyd, Babe Ruth's three run
homerun lifted the Minneapolis Reps (10-8) over the Myers Red Dawgs (7-11), 7-4
in 12 innings. The Dawgs had rallied to tie the game after trailing 4-0 through
seven innings. It was the 2nd Dawgs game in a row, and third of the season, in
which a team overcame a four run deficit. The Dawgs blew a 4-0 lead against the
Powers in their last game, but won anyway, 6-4. Earlier this season, the Dawgs
rallied from 5-0 down to defeat the Upper-Deckers, 14-10.
Trailing 4-2 with two out in the bottom of the 9th with runners on the corners,
the Dawgs had Hank Aaron at the plate against Reps starter Rube Waddell. Aaron
ripped a long single down the rightfield line to tie the game at 4-4. The game
was turned over to the bullpens in extra innings. Babe Ruth went 1-6 to all but
eliminate him in the race for the batting title, but he got his hit at the right
time--a three run homer off of Dawgs reliever Carl Mays to put the Reps ahead,
7-4 in the top of the 12th. In the bottom of the 12th, Reps reliever Robin
Roberts had the Dawgs again down to their last out. With two runners on base,
Roberts walked the tying run--Mickey Cochrane. That brought up Willie McCovey
as the winning run in a storybook scenario--batting in the bottom of the 12 with
two out, the bases loaded, and his team down by three. Roberts got McCovey to
fly out to centerfielder Edd Roush to end one of the more memorable games of the
season.
Winning pitcher: Roberts (1-2)
Loss: C. Mays (0-1)
Homeruns: Ruth, Roush
Doubles: Albert Belle, Joe Sewell, Johnny Mize
Error: Eddie Collins
Upcoming games: Burke Upper-Deckers (9-8, Jim Palmer) at Tri-City Titans
(4-13, Tom Seaver)
Karas Powers (12-5, Carl Hubbell) at Silicon Valley Chips (10-7,
Jack Chesbro)
Chips Win 6th Straight
Wed, 15 Sep 1999 Chips 2, Titans 1 (11 innings):
Ty Cobb went 4-5 with two stolen bases and scored the winning run as the Silicon
Valley Chips (10-7) took sole possession of 2nd place with a marathon 2-1 win
over the Tri-City Titans (4-13) in 11 innings. It was a record 9th straight
loss for the Titans. While Cobb raised his average to .481 to take a commanding
lead in the race for the batting title, pitching was the real story. Starters
Warren Spahn (Titans) and Sandy Koufax (Chips) pitched to a draw, as it was 1-1
through 8 innings. Both Jim Kaat (Titans) and Red Faber (Chips) provided
effective relief. But things changed in the bottom of the 11th. After Cobb
singled to lead off the inning and get his 4th hit of the day, he stole second
base just as Kaat struck out Rod Carew. Kaat then intentionally walked Lefty
O'Doul, as Cobb represented the winning run, and also to set up a possible
inning-ending double play. Jim Bunning took over for Kaat with one out and two
on, and gave up a single to Stan Musial. With the bases loaded and one out, the
Titans brought the outfield in. Jimmie Foxx hit Bunning's first pitch over the
outfielders' heads to score Cobb and give the streaking Chips the win.
Although Bunning didn't retire a batter (but he try to retire the
President--when he voted to convict!), Katt was charged with the loss as he was
responsible for Cobb. This dramatic game concludes Week 17; three teams are
separated by one game for the final playoff spot as we come down the stretch.
The Chips also kept slim hopes for a regular season title alive--they are two
games behind the Powers with three remaining, and the teams play each other next
"week."
1 out when winning run scored
Game Winning RBI: Foxx
WEEK 18 GAMES
Minneapolis Reps (9-8, Rube Waddell) at Myers Red Dawgs (7-10, Chief Bender)
Burke Upper-Deckers (9-8, Jim Palmer) at Tri-City Titans (4-13, Tom Seaver)
Karas Powers (12-5, Carl Hubbell) at Silicon Valley Chips (10-7, Jack Chesbro)
Non-Power Hitters Provide Power; Beat Powers
Tue, 14 Sep 1999
With nine of 10 runs coming off homeruns at the "friendly confines," the Myers
Red Dawgs (7-10) blew a 4-0 lead but hung on to beat the Karas Powers (12-5),
6-4. It was only the 3rd time this year that the Powers allowed more than four
runs, and the first time that feat was accomplished by a team other than Burke.
While the Powers are still likely to win the regular season title, the win puts
the Chips within 2.5 games.
Hank Aaron's three run homer, with the Dawgs already leading 1-0, made it 4-0.
It was that way until the bottom of the 5th inning, with the generally
light-hitting Tris Speaker returning the favor with a three run shot of his own,
and it was 4-3 Dawgs. Another non-power hitter, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, tied
the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the 7th. But the Dawgs responded
with a run each in the 8th and 9th innings; the latter blow coming from the
light hitting Nap Lajoie, who scored the game's first and last runs. That first
run was driven in by Albert (A.) Belle, and was the only run of the game not due
to a homerun.
The Powers nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback in the bottom of the 9th. With
Jackson at first base, Dawgs reliever Eppa Rixey had two out and an 0-2 count on
Chuck Klein. But Klein singled, to bring up one of the game's most prolific
homerun hitters, Mark McGwire--representing the winning run with two out in the
bottom of the 9th. But McGwire's fly ball was caught by Belle, sealing the
upset.
Hits: Red Dawgs 16, Powers 14
Winning pitcher: Rixey (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Hoyt Wilhelm (0-1)
Upcoming game: Tri-City Titans (4-12, Warren Spahn) at Silicon Valley Chips
(9-7, Sandy Koufax)
Mon, 13 Sep 1999
Upper-Deckers 1, Reps 0: Walter Johnson outdueled former teammate Ed Walsh as
the Burke Upper-Deckers (9-8) won a 1-0 nailbiter over the Minneapolis Reps
(9-8). The Reps retain 3rd place by tiebreaker, with both teams 1/2 game behind
the 2nd place Chips. Jackie Robinson "drove in" the only run of the game, with
a bases loaded walk in the 2nd inning. Walsh overcame early control problems
(four walks in first two innings) and allowed just one run on seven hits in six
innings. Bob Feller pitched three shutout innings of relief for the Reps. But
the story of the game was Johnson, who shutout one of the league's most prolific
offense. Indeed, these teams are 1-2 in virtually every offensive category, but
pitching took center stage today. The Reps had two chances to tie or win the
game. In the first inning, they got three singles and a walk, but did not
score, as Johnny Bench gunned down Eddie Collins when Collins tried to steal
third base. In the bottom of the 9th, Roy Campanella batted against Johnson
with the bases loaded and two out. He looped a ball to shallow right, and
Robinson made a leaping catch to save the game--and perhaps the season--for
Burke.
Hits: Upper-Deckers 12, Reps 10
Winning pitcher: Johnson (2-2)
Losing pitcher: Walsh (0-3)
Caught stealing: Collins
Upcoming games: Myers Red Dawgs (6-10, Joe McGinnity) at Karas Powers (12-4,
Ed Reulbach)
Tri-City Titans (4-12, Warren Spahn) at Silicon Valley Chips
(9-7, Sandy Koufax)
Fri, 10 Sep 1999
Reps 10, Titans 0: Greg Maddux pitched a no-hitter through six innings and
ended up with six-hit shutout as the Minneapolis Reps (9-7) trounced the
Tri-City Titans (4-12), 10-0. It was a record 8th straight loss for the Titans,
who allowed a season-high 24 hits. Babe Ruth went 2-5 to keep it close, but Ty
Cobb (.459) maintains the lead in the closest batting race ever. Richie Allen
went 5-5 with two RBIs to lead the Reps attack. The Reps play the Upper-Deckers
in a critical game with playoff implications next "week."
Hits: Reps 24, Titans 6
Winning pitcher: Maddux (3-0)
Losing pitcher: Bob Gibson (1-3)
WEEK 17 GAMES Burke Upper-Deckers (8-8, Walter Johnson) at Minneapolis Reps (9-7, Ed Walsh)
Myers Red Dawgs (6-10, Joe McGinnity) at Karas Powers (12-4,
Ed Reulbach)
Tri-City Titans (4-12, Warren Spahn) at Silicon Valley Chips (9-7, Sandy Koufax)
Chips Eliminate Dawgs; Win Fifth Straight
Mon, 6 Sep 1999
Chips 5, Red Dawgs 2: Senior Circuit All-Star starter Steve Carlton continued
his banner year as the Silicon Valley Chips (9-7) won their 5th straight,
eliminating the Myers Red Dawgs (6-10), 5-2. The Chips now lead the Reps by 1/2
game, and the Upper-Deckers by one game, in the race for the 2nd and final
playoff spot. The game was decided in the 2nd inning, when the Chips roughed up
Dawgs starter Hippo Vaughn for four runs. Trailing 5-0 in the 6th, Albert Belle
homered for the Dawgs to break the shutout--and narrow the margin of victory,
which may be important. In the 2nd tiebreaker (runs scored minus runs against),
the Chips trailed the Reps by five, meaning a 5-0 win would have evened it.
Belle's homer leaves the Reps with a two run edge. Regardless, the team that
wins when the Chips and Reps play will probably also take the tiebreaker. Each
team's games against the Upper-Deckers also have important playoff implications.
The Reps need a win now to keep pace with the Chips, although the Chips will
hold 2nd place through 16 of 20 weeks regardless of the next game's outcome.
Upcoming game: Minneapolis Reps (8-7, Greg Maddux) at Tri-City Titans (4-11,
Bob Gibson)
Fri, 3 Sep 1999
Upper-Deckers 5, Powers 1: The Burke Upper-Deckers (8-8) pulled with 1/2 game
of the playoffs with a convincing 5-1 win over the league leading Karas Powers
(12-4). The Upper-Deckers, who scored two runs each in the 1st and 2nd innings,
have outscored the Powers 14-2 in the teams' last two meetings, after the Powers
won the first two. Cy Young, who now leads the league in strikeouts with 28,
led 5-0 through seven innings. Mark McGwire's RBI double in the 8th kept Young
from the shutout. Hitting cleanup for the first time, Ken Griffey, Jr. of Burke
went 3-5 but didn't drive in a run. Jackie Robinson (3-5 with a two run homer)
keyed the Burke offense.
Winning pitcher: Young (2-2)
Losing pitcher: Addie Joss (2-2)
Homerun: J. Robinson
Doubles: McGwire, Frank Robinson, Tris Speaker, Frank Thomas
Upcoming games: Minneapolis Reps (8-7, Greg Maddux) at Tri-City Titans
(4-11, Bob Gibson)
Silicon Valley Chips (8-7, Steve Carlton) at Myers Red Dawgs
(6-9, Hippo Vaughn)
Powers Shock Again; Magic Number Reduced to One
Mon, 30 Aug 1999
Powers 7, Reps 1: Using the longball and another improbable pitching peformance
from Urban Shocker, the Karas Powers (12-3) reduced their magic number for
clinching a playoff berth to one, with a convincing 7-1 win over the 2nd place
and defending champion Minneapolis Reps (8-7). A Powers win or Reps loss during
the final mini-season will clinch a playoff berth for the Powers, as they would
clinch finishing ahead of the Reps. They are ensured of having a four game lead
with five remaining; and having beaten the Reps all three teams the teams have
played this season, they hold the tiebreaker. The Reps had won the teams'
previous three meetings--winning last year's World Series in six games after
trailing 2-1.
All the Powers' runs came via the longball, as starter Ed Walsh was tagged for a
grand slam by Rogers Hornsby, as well as a three run shot from the normally
light-hitting Honus Wagner. Lou Gehrig's RBI single provided the Reps' only
run. The winner of the upcoming Chips/Upper-Deckers game will tie the Reps for
2nd place, and the loser will be one game back, with five remaining. The league
is braced as three teams will battle for one playoff spot down the stretch.
Hits: Powers 12, Reps 10
Winning pitcher: Shocker (3-0)
Losing pitcher: Ed Walsh (0-2)
Homeruns: Hornsby, Wagner
Doubles: Tris Speaker, Joe Jackson
Stolen base: Wagner
Caught stealing: Wagner
Error: Hornsby
