Cubs Win Series Vs. Struggling Phillies

June 11: Chicago 7, Philadelphia 4

The last-place Phillies arrived in Chicago to take on the Cubs. The series opener was expected to be a pitchers duel with Pete Alexander and Mordecai Brown squaring off, but the basepaths ended up being pretty busy. Ron Santo laced a bases-loaded triple for the winners.

                  R  H BB
PHI 001 200 001 - 4 13  2
CHI 001 410 01x - 7 10  7

HR: none

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
P. Alexander  7.0  7  5  0  6  1 
M. Brown      7.0  3  3  0  1  3 

PHI 22-33, CHI 30-25

June 12: Chicago 4, Philadelphia 2

The home team bunched up five hits in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from  behind and take the lead. The Phillies on the other hand stranded runners with abandon, scoring just two despite getting on  base regularly.

Kiki Cuyler’s elite speed featured throughout, including a triple and three stolen  bases.

                  R  H BB
PHI 100 010 000 - 2 12  3
CHI 010 000 30x - 4 12  1

HR: none

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
T. Sparks    6.2  4  4  0  1  1  
J. Arrieta   8.0  2  2  0  3  5 

PHI 22-34, CHI 31-25

June 13: Philadelphia 9, Chicago 4

Philadelphia found their scoring touch to salvage the finale. Mike Schmidt and Jimmy Rollins each went long to help the Phils leave town on a high note, but they still find themselves on the wrong end of the standings. 

                  R  H BB
PHI 041 002 002 - 9 13  3
CHI 020 020 000 - 4 10  3

HR: M. Schmidt-PHI (7), J. Rollins-PHI (4)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
C. Schilling  8.2  4  3  0  3  4  
H. Vaughn     6.0  7  6  1  2  4 

PHI 23-34, CHI 31-26

SF Takes Two Vs. LA, Both Part of Five Way Tie For First!

June 8: San Francisco 4, Los Angeles 3 (11 innings)

The West Coast rivals tussled into extra innings in the series opener. The Giants took advantage of Mike Piazza’s weak throwing arm and swiped six bags on six attempts. In  the bottom of the 11th, Frankie Frisch singled and stole second and Roger Bresnahan singled him home for the win. Christy Mathewson threw a dandy 11 inning complete game. 

                     R H BB
LAD 000 100 020 00 - 3 9  3
SFG 000 101 100 01 - 4 9  3

HR: none

starters        IP  R ER HR BB SO
D. Vance      10.0  4  3  0  3  1  
C. Mathewson  11.0  3  1  0  3  3

LAD 28-24, SFG 28-24

June 9: Los Angeles 3, San Francisco 2 (11 innings)

Extra frames were required again the next day. The Giants continued getting surprisingly superlative offensive contributions from middle infielders Frankie Frisch and Travis Jackson who each contributed solo homers to the cause. But the Dodgers evened the series after Roy Campanella doubled in the top of the 11th, Gil Hodges singled him home, and Kenley Jansen nailed down the bottom of  the 11th.

                     R H BB
LAD 001 000 010 01 - 3 8  1
SFG 000 010 001 00 - 2 7  3

HR: F. Frisch-SFG (1), T. Jackson-SFG (6)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
S. Koufax    8.1  2  2  2  3  7  
C. Hubbell  11.0  3  2  0  1  5

LAD 29-24,  SFG 28-25

June 10: San Francisco 8, Los Angeles 3

The rubber match was not quite as close after the Giants racked up four runs in the bottom of the fourth on the strength of three walks, three singles, and an LA error. Juan Marichal allowed three runs, all unearned, in  a complete game. 

Both teams come out of the series with a 29-25 record and in an amazing five-way tie for first place along with Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Chicago.

                  R H BB
LAD 003 000 000 - 3 3  1
SFG 130 400 00x - 8 9  2

HR: A. Ethier-LAD (8), W. Mays-SFG (7), H. Thompson-SFG (5)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Clark     8.0  8  6  2  2  1  
J. Marichal  9.0  3  0  1  1  1 

LAD 29-25, SFG 29-25

Rixey & Cueto Pitch Reds To Wins v. Pirates

June 8: Pittsburgh 5, Cincinnati 3

The big Pittsburgh bats made noise in the series opener. Arky Vaughan continued setting the table from the lead-off spot with three hits plus a reach on error. First baseman George Grantham took a walk in  his first three trips to the plate. Reds starter Dolf Luque finally challenged Grantham in his fourth PA, and Grantham drilled his first homer of the season.

Johnny Morrison made it four straight complete games for Pittsburgh starters.

                  R  H BB
PIT 030 000 110 - 5 11  6
CIN 003 000 000 - 3  8  1

HR: G. Grantham-PIT (1)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Morrison  9.9  3  3  0  1  1  
D. Luque     7.2  5  3  1  5  2

PIT 29-23, CIN 23-29

June 9: Cincinnati 8, Pittsburgh 2

The Reds battled back to  tie the series the next day. Their starter Eppa Rixey was solid in a complete game. The bottom four spots in the Cincinnati lineup hit a combined nine-for-sixteen to  power the offense.

                  R  H BB
PIT 000 200 000 - 2  9  1
CIN 030 001 04x - 8 12  3

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Kremer   5.1  4  1  0  2  1 
E. Rixey    9.0  2  2  0  1  3 

PIT 29-24, CIN  24-29

June 10: Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 1

Reds starter Johnny Cueto held the Pirates to a single run and the Cincinnati offense finally broke through for runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Pittsburgh’s Pie Traynor made a back-breaking error at third base that allowed the tying run to score, and Edd Roush followed that up  with a double that drove in  the winning run. Traynor has committed a league-worst 17 errors.

                  R H BB
PIT 000 001 000 - 1 2  1
CIN 000 000 21x - 3 9  4

HR: P. Waner-PIT (2)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Sewell   6.2  2  1  0  4  0  
J. Cueto    7.2  1  1  1  1  3 

PIT 29-25, CIN 25-29

Cards Claim Tight Series Over Rival Cubs

June 8: St. Louis 6, Chicago 1

The Cardinal bats gave Hippo Vaughn a rude welcome in the bottom of the first. Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, and Curt Flood all hit for extra bases in the four-run frame, and Dizzy Dean went a strong nine innings for St. Louis to move the teams into a tie in the standings.

                  R  H BB
CHI 000 001 000 - 1  6  2
STL 401 100 00x - 6 12  3

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
H. Vaughn   8.0  6  6  0  3  1  
D. Dean     9.0  1  1  0  2  2

CHI 28-24, STL 28-24

June 9: Chicago 8, St. Louis 4

Frank Chance, Hack  Wilson, and Ryne Sandberg all swatted triples for the Cubs to help Chicago even the series.

                  R  H BB
CHI 140 120 000 - 8 14  1
STL 001 110 100 - 4 10  0

HR: none

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
P. Alexander  8.0  4  3  0  0  1  
S. Sallee     5.0  8  5  0  0  3 

CHI 29-24, STL 28-25

June 10: St.  Louis 2, Chicago 1

Cards spot starter John Tudor came up big in a duel with Lon Warneke. Tudor gave up a solo shot to Sammy Sosa but no other runs. Sosa made a couple of extremely costly errors in left field that aided St. Louis’s two runs, and the rivals find themselves neck-and-neck with records of 29-25.

                  R H BB
CHI 010 000 000 - 1 8  4
STL 000 020 00x - 2 5  2

HR: S. Sosa-CHI (4)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
L. Warneke   8.0  2  0  0  2  1  
J. Tudor     8.0  1  1  1  4  4 

CHI 29-25, STL 29-25

Philly Sweeps Atlanta in Meetup of Last Place Clubs

June 8: Philadelphia 6, Atlanta 4

The Fightin’ Phillies drove in the winning run and knocked Atlanta starter Vic Willis out of the game with three straight singles in the bottom of the eighth. Willis had a tough go of it and walked seven Phils. 

                  R H BB
ATL 003 000 100 - 4 8  1
PHI 020 100 21x - 6 9  7

HR: F. Freeman-ATL (6), M. Giles-ATL (2), B. Abreu-PHI (3)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
V. Willis     7.0  6  6  1  7  3  
C. Schilling  6.0  4  4  2  1  5 

ATL 23-29, PHI 21-31

June 9: Philadelphia 5, Atlanta 4

The first three Philadelphia batters in the bottom of the first all scored against John Smoltz before Smoltz settled in and looked good the rest of the way. The Atlanta batters rallied late and made it awfully tense in the top of the ninth before Philly reliever Gene Garber got Eddie Mathews on a ground out to end the game with two stranded Braves runners. 

                  R  H BB
ATL 000 001 102 - 4 12  0
PHI 301 000 10x - 5  7  2

HR: none

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Smoltz    6.0  5  4  0  2  6  
J. Bunning   8.0  2  2  0  0  5

ATL 23-30, PHI 22-31

June 10: Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 2 (12 innings)

The last-place Phillies made it a clean sweep in the finale, dragging the Braves down into a tie in with them in the cellar. Bench player Sherry Magee was the hero with a walk-off jobby against Craig Kimbrel in the bottom of the 12th in Magee’s first plate appearance of the day. 

                      R  H BB
ATL 000 000 200 000 - 2 14  2
PHI 000 200 000 002 - 4 13  3

HR: S. Magee-PHI (1)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
D. Rudolph   9.2  2  2  0  2  1  
L. Meadows   6.1  2  2  0  2  3 

ATL 23-31, PHI 23-31

St. Louis Rides 2 Shutouts Of Cinci To Series Win

magraneJune 5: St. Louis 7, Cincinnati 0

Cards starter Joe Magrane was surgical on the way to his first shutout. He faced just 30 Cincinnati batsmen and yielded zero extra base hits. The Cards hitters meanwhile bashed six extra-baggers and cruised to an easy victory.

                  R  H BB
CIN 000 000 000 - 0  4  1
STL 005 000 20x - 7 10  3

HR: R. Hornsby-STL (6)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Cueto     6.2  7  4  1  2  5  
J. Magrane   9.0  0  0  0  1  2 

CIN 22-27, STL 26-23

June 6: St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 0

Bob Gibson followed Magrane’s gem with a remarkably similar performance the next day. Gibson also collected his first shutout while facing just 30 batters and giving up no extra-base hits. The Reds offense was completely stalled and the team lost their eighth straight game.

Noodles Hahn was quite good for the Reds on the hill, but Ted Simmons laced a two-run triple to give the Cards the edge.

                  R H BB
CIN 000 000 000 - 0 2  3
STL 000 000 20x - 2 4  3

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
N. Hahn     8.0  2  2  0  3  1  
B. Gibson   9.0  0  0  0  3  5 

CIN 22-28, STL 27-23

June 7: Cincinnati 9, St. Louis 2

The Reds offense revved back to life in the finale to end the losing streak. Every Reds batter had a hit, including three for Joe Morgan and a triple and a dinger by Edd Roush. Their starter Bob Ewing gave up no earned runs and dropped his ERA to 2.60.

Cards hurler Harry Brecheen was torched in a third straight start after dominating in his first six starts of the year.

                  R  H BB
CIN 130 400 100 - 9 12  4
STL 200 000 000 - 2  9  0

HR: J. Votto-CIN (10), E. Roush-CIN (2)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Ewing     9.0  2  0  0  0  3  
H. Brecheen  3.1  8  8  2  2  2 

CIN 23-28, STL 27-24

Pittsburgh Arms Tame Chicago Bats, Standings Stay Crowded At The Top

June 5: Chicago 2, Pittsburgh 1

Both starters were excellent, but there’s been no stopping Chicago’s Lon Warneke lately. The one run he allowed in this complete game is the only run he’s allowed in his last three starts (26.1 innings). After the Pirates strung together three hits in the top of the first to score their run, Warneke faced the minimum the rest of the way, which included 26 plate appearances. One batter reached on error and one squibbed a single, but they were both doubled up. Warneke’s season ERA dipped to 1.76, far and away the lowest number among qualified pitchers.

                  R H BB
PIT 100 000 000 - 1 4  0
CHI 010 010 00x - 2 8  1

HR: H. Wilson-CHI (4)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
D. Ellis     8.0  2  2  1  1  4  
L. Warneke   9.0  1  1  0  0  1 

PIT 26-23, CHI 28-21

June 6: Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 1

Pittsburgh twirler Babe Adams took over in this one, holding the Cubs to just three hits and one run. The Pirates offense has the most hits but the fewest homers in the league, and their opponent Mordecai Brown is typically about the stingiest pitcher in the league when it comes to giving up homers…so of course the Pirates thrived on the long ball in this one, driving four into the seats, including two from Brian Giles.

                  R  H BB
PIT 101 002 201 - 7 12  3
CHI 100 000 000 - 1  3  1

HR: H. Wagner-PIT (3), B. Giles-PIT 2 (6),
M. Sanguillen-PIT (1)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Adams    9.0  1  1  0  1  2  
M. Brown    6.2  6  6  3  2  1 

PIT 27-23, CHI 28-22

cooper

June 7: Pittsburgh 9, Chicago 1

The Pirates, who have allowed the most runs in the league, got another brilliant pitching performance, this time from Wilbur Cooper. The Bucs held the Cubs to just four runs in the entire series.

The four big bats atop the Pittsburgh lineup Arky Vaughan, Honus Wagner, Paul Waner, and Brian Giles combined for one walk and eight hits that included three doubles, a triple, and a dinger. Pie Traynor chipped in four singles from the eighth spot.

The result found the two teams deadlocked in first place in a three-way tie that includes Los Angeles.

                  R  H BB
PIT 005 031 000 - 9 16  2
CHI 000 001 000 - 1  6  0

HR: P. Waner-PIT (1), G. Hartnett-CHI (3)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Cooper    9.0  1  1  1  0  1  
J. Arrieta   4.2  8  6  1  2  5 

PIT 28-23, CHI 28-23

San Fran Bats Unload In Philly

June 4: San Francisco 12, Philadelphia 4

mays

The San Francisco bats stormed out of the gates in attack mode. Willie Mays led the way with a walk, single, double, and homer.

                   R  H BB
SFG 051 042 000 - 12 14  3
PHI 000 002 101 -  4  8  2

HR: W. Mays-SFG (5), D. Ennis-PHI (1),
T. Gonzalez-PHI (4)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
C. Hubbell   6.1  3  2  1  0  2  
L. Meadows   4.0  9  8  1  2  0 

SFG 25-24, PHI 20-29

June 5: San Francisco 13, Philadelphia 8

Philadelphia’s ace Pete Alexander didn’t manage any better against the fearsome San Fran offense, which exploded for ELEVEN extra-base hits (five doubles, three triples, and three homers). Mays again led the charge, this time with two walks, a double, a triple, and a dinger.

The Pennsylvanians collected 13 hits, but only two were for extra bases (home runs from Darren Daulton and Jimmy Rollins).

                   R  H BB
SFG 301 203 113 - 13 18  8
PHI 002 210 003 -  8 13  3

HR: J. Mize-SFG (6), W. McCovey-SFG (12), W. Mays-SFG (6),
D. Daulton-PHI (2), J. Rollins-PHI (2)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Marichal   7.0  5  5  2  2  5 
P. Alexander  5.2  9  9  2  4  6 

SFG 26-24, PHI 20-31

June 7: San Francisco 5, Philadelphia 4

Phillies starter Tully Sparks did manage better in the series finale, but his team still couldn’t find a way to win. Sparks’s deadball contemporary Hooks Wiltse went the distance for San Fran and held the ice cold Phillies to five hits and four runs. The Phils are in a spiral that has seen them lose 12 of their last 14, while the Giants are cooking with seven wins in their last eight.

                  R H  BB
SFG 000 031 100 - 5 10  4
PHI 030 000 010 - 4  5  1

HR: J. Rollins-PHI (3)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
H. Wiltse    9.0  4  3  1  1  3  
T. Sparks    8.0  5  4  0  3  1

SFG 27-24, PHI 20-31

LA Takes 2 of 3 Close Ones In Atlanta, Herman & Kershaw Shine

June 5: Los Angeles 10, Atlanta 6

Both teams collected 13 hits and were lousy with base runners all day, but the Dodgers were more efficient with bringing them home, mostly thanks to four extra-base hits compared to Atlanta’s lone double. Babe Herman continued his reign as one of the most ferocious hitters in the league with a 4-for-5 day that included a double and a dong.

                   R  H BB
LAD 302 300 002 - 10 13  2
ATL 100 320 000 -  6 13  1

HR: B. Herman-LAD (6)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Clark    9.0  6  6  0  1  2  
D. Rudolph  4.0  8  7  0  0  2 

LAD 27-22, ATL 22-27

June 6: Atlanta 4, Los Angeles 3

Eddie Mathews drilled a solo shot for Atlanta in the bottom of the first that put him back into a tie for the league lead with 11. It was also the only scoring that occurred in the first seven innings before Mike Piazza launched a three-run homer in the top of the eighth to put the Dodgers in the driver’s seat.

LA starter Jeff Pfeffer was still going in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-1 lead, but put the first two men on and was relieved by Kenley Jansen. Pinch-hitter Joe Adcock greeted Jansen with a three-run walk off dinger to put an emphatic exclamation mark on the win for the Braves.

                  R H BB
LAD 000 000 030 - 3 9  4
ATL 100 000 003 - 4 9  4

HR: M. Piazza-LAD (3), E. Mathews-ATL (11), J. Adcock-ATL (3)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Pfeffer   8.0  3  3  1  4  2  
K. Millwood  7.0  0  0  0  2  4 

LAD 27-23, ATL 23-27

June 7: Los Angeles 3, Atlanta 2

kershaw

The rubber match was a doozy thanks to Clayton Kershaw and Greg Maddux squaring off against each other in fine form. In the top of the ninth, a Pee Wee Reese single and stolen base was followed by a Jackie Robinson RBI double to put the Dodgers on top by one.

Jansen took the hill for LA in the bottom of the ninth, and this time held on for the save. Jansen issued the first intentional walk seen in the NL Rhubarb. With a runner on second and two out, it was an easy call to give masher Mathews a free pass to get to the relatively  non-intimidating bat of Glenn Hubbard, who grounded out to end the series.

                  R H BB
LAD 000 110 001 - 3 7  3
ATL 001 100 000 - 2 7  2

HR: D. Snider-LAD (3), J. Adcock-ATL (4)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
C. Kershaw  8.0  2  2  1  0  4  
G. Maddux   9.0  3  3  1  3  5 

LAD 28-23, ATL 23-28

SF’s Wiltse & Mathewson Temper Big Pitt. Bats

June 1: Pittsburgh 4, San Francisco 2

In the opener, Pittsburgh’s dangerous lineup banged out 14 hits (two apiece by seven different hitters), but managed just four runs out of all that. Four was enough thanks to hurler Wilbur Cooper limiting the Giants to two runs in a complete game.

                  R  H BB
PIT 010 100 011 - 4 14  1
SFG 001 100 000 - 2  9  1

HR: M. Ott-SFG (6)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Cooper    9.0  2  2  1  1  1  
J. Marichal  9.0  4  3  0  1  4 

PIT 26-20, SFG 22-24

wiltseJune 2: San Francisco 6, Pittsburgh 0

Giants twirler Hooks Wiltse tossed his first shutout of the year, an impressive feat against any opponent, but even more so against Pittsburgh, owners of the highest-scoring offense in the league. The Pirates hadn’t failed to score a  run in a game since opening day. Wiltse held hitless the Pirates usual wrecking crew of Arky Vaughan, Honus Wagner, and Paul Waner.

Willie Mays powered the SF offense with a reach on error, a walk, a double, a dinger, and three runs scored.

                  R H BB
PIT 000 000 000 - 0 4  3
SFG 010 000 32x - 6 8  1

HR: W. Mays-SFG (4)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Morrison  6.0  4  3  1  1  1  
H. Wiltse    9.0  0  0  0  3  4 

PIT 26-21, SFG 23-24

June 3: San Francisco 13, Pittsburgh 2

The rubber match exposed the Pirates lack of pitching depth. Starter Ray Kremer has been hammered all year long. His ERA swelled to 8.58, and it hasn’t been all bad luck; his 5.32 FIP is worst among qualified pitchers. Anonymous sources within the Pirates organization say they still don’t see any other options that look like an improvement on Kremer, but at some point they might be forced to give someone else a look. One candidate for a rotation spot is Joe Sewell, though he didn’t help his cause in this game by allowing five runs in three innings of relief.

For the Giants, Christy Mathewson was on point, Buster Posey and Mel Ott collected three safeties each, and Willie McCovey launched two home runs to reclaim the league lead.

                   R  H BB
PIT 000 002 000 -  2  9  2
SFG 211 512 10x - 13 15  5

HR: W. McCovey-SFG 2 (10,11)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Kremer     3.0  7  7  1  2  0  
C. Mathewson  8.0  2  0  0  2  2 

PIT 26-22, SFG 24-24