Oakland Wrests 2 of 3 Tight Games From Cleveland

Campy

June 14: Oakland 4, Cleveland 3

Stan Coveleski had a dandy going for Cleveland through 7.2 innings and was enjoying a 3-1 lead. But then Jason Giambi doubled and Al Simmons followed with an RBI single to cut Cleveland’s lead to 3-2. Doug Jones replaced Coveleski and retired Jimmie Foxx to preserve the one-run lead for the Naps.

The narrow lead was handed on to Cody Allen to close out the ninth. After Reggie Jackson grounded-out, Mickey Cochrane worked a walk. Next up was Bert Campaneris and his .301 slugging percentage. Allen challenged Campy, and Campy rose to the occasion by slapping his second homer of the year. The come-from-behind walk-off brought the house down in Oakland.

                  R H BB
CLE 000 021 000 - 3 6  1
OAK 100 000 012 - 4 6  3

HR: B. Campaneris (2)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
S. Coveleski  7.2  2  2  0  2  1  
C. Bender     8.0  3  3  0  1  3 

CLE 34-30, OAK 33-31

---

June 15: Cleveland 6, Oakland 5

It was Cleveland’s turn for some ninth inning dramatics the next day. Barry Zito started poorly for Oakland, giving up four runs in the first two frames, but had been in a groove ever since and took the mound in the top of the ninth with a 5-4 lead. After Jim Thome led off the ninth with a double, Connie Mack decided it was time for Dennis Eckersley to come in and slam the door. But little Terry Turner came up big with a double of his own, which drove in the tying run. Tris Speaker followed that up with a single (his third hit of the day) and the go-ahead RBI before Eck finally got out of the inning. Vean Gregg finished off a complete game with a perfect bottom of the ninth for Cleveland.

                  R  H BB
CLE 310 000 002 - 6 13  1
OAK 030 020 000 - 5 11  3

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
V. Gregg    9.0  5  5  0  3  5  
B. Zito     8.0  5  5  0  1  7 

CLE 35-30, OAK 33-32

---

June 16: Oakland 3, Cleveland 2

It was another one-run squeaker in the rubber match, a fine duel between Addie Joss and Rube Waddell. Bert Campaneris was clutch again, claiming the winning RBI in the sixth when he poked a single through the infield to bring Reggie Jackson home from third.

The two leading triples hitters in the league, Joe Jackson and Home Run Baker, each put another triple in the ledger in the game.

League triples leaders:

1. Home Run Baker-OAK 13
2. Joe Jackson-CLE 12
3. Tony Fernandez-TOR 9
4. Lou Gehrig-NY 8
   Sam Rice-MN 8
   Joe Jackson-CHI 8

                  R H BB
CLE 100 000 001 - 2 6  1
OAK 000 102 00x - 3 9  2

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
A. Joss     8.0  3  3  0  2  2  
R. Waddell  9.0  2  1  0  1  5 

CLE 35-31, OAK 34-32

Seattle Destroys Texas, Top Five Expansion Teams All Within Two Games

June 14: Seattle 5, Texas 4

The score was tight, but Seattle out-hit Texas all day. Every Mariner got a knock, led by Alvin Davis and Ken Griffey, Jr. with three apiece. Kyle Seager homered in his third straight game.

It was knotted at four in the bottom of the ninth before Robinson Cano drilled a walk-off dinger off Jeff Zimmerman.

                  R  H BB
TEX 022 000 000 - 4  9  4
SEA 020 001 101 - 5 16  1

HR: A. Beltre (9), R. Cano (5), K. Seager (10)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
G. Perry    7.0  4  4  1  1  4  
F. Garcia   7.0  4  4  1  3  7 

TEX 32-32, SEA 29-35

---

June 15: Seattle 12, Texas 4

The next day, the hits were tight but the score was not. Texas starter Fergie Jenkins was fine for four innings, but all of a sudden there was no stopping the Mariners bats after the fifth inning. Jenkins got rung up for four runs in four innings, C.J. Wilson gave up five in 1.2 innings, Neftali Feliz got dinged for a run in one-third of an inning, and Alexi Ogando was smoked for three runs in one inning.

Backup Raul Ibanez continued to provide massive pop when called on. After just 11 games played, he has four doubles, a triple, and four homers.

                   R  H BB
TEX 001 010 020 -  4 10  5
SEA 100 035 12x - 12 11  7

HR: M. Hargrove (5), J. Hamilton (7),
A. Rodriguez-SEA (12), K. Griffey, Jr. (11), R. Ibanez (4)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
F. Jenkins  4.0  4  3  0  2  4  
E. Hanson   7.0  2  2  2  2  7 

TEX 32-33, SEA 30-35

---

June 16: Seattle 14, Texas 3

It was a similar scene the next day as the Mariners bats stayed white hot. Again every batter had at least one hit. Backup Mike Cameron had the best day of them all with two singles, a double, and a homer. The one time up he wasn’t credited with a hit, he still reached on an error and came around to score.

Costly Ian Kinsler errors were in the middle of two terrible innings for Texas’s Nolan Ryan.

Texas was alone in first coming in to the series and Seattle in fifth. After the sweep, Texas has fallen into a three-way tie for first with Toronto and Kansas City, Seattle is just a game behind them in fourth, and the Astros just a game behind them in fifth. It’s a completely different race than in the Original Division, where five games separate first and second place.

                   R  H BB
TEX 101 001 000 -  3  5  6
SEA 130 064 00x - 14 16  6

HR: M. Cameron (1)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
N. Ryan     4.1  9  5  1  4  6  
R. Johnson  7.0  3  3  0  6  7 

TEX 32-35, SEA 31-35

Chicago Wins Series v. New York, Sale & Walsh Are Superb

June 14: New York 7, Chicago 3

Eddie Cicotte has been the model of consistency for Chicago this year. Going into this game, he had pitched between six and nine innings in every start and allowed four or fewer earned runs in each start but one. The New York lineup forced a small bump in Eddie’s steady season as they crossed the plate against him seven times. Babe Ruth, Charlie Keller, and Robinson Cano all tripled and Ruth added his 18th homer to tie teammate Lou Gehrig for the league lead.

Roger Clemens was strong for a third straight outing, reassuring Yanks fans a bit after a rocky start to the year.

                  R H BB
NY  120 001 030 - 7 9  1
CHI 000 002 010 - 3 8  4

HR: B. Ruth (18), C. Lemon (4)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Clemens  7.0  2  2  0  3  5  
E. Cicotte  7.0  7  7  1  1  2 

NY 38-26, CHI 28-36

---

June 15: Chicago 6, New York 2

Chris Sale was magnificent for the White Sox. Eight innings of one-run, three-hit, one-walk hurling is impressive regardless of the opponent, but Sale did it against the best offense in the league. The one walk was issued to Mickey Mantle leading off the game, and Mantle managed to make his way around to score, but Sale was almost untouchable after that. He needed just 27 Yankees to come to the plate to record his 24 outs for the day.

The Chicago bats were nearly as good as Sale, led by Magglio Ordonez’s three doubles and a Joe Jackson inside-the-park home run.

                  R  H BB
NY  100 000 001 - 2  4  1
CHI 010 200 21x - 6 11  3

HR: J. DiMaggio (6), J. Jackson (4)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Hoyt     6.0  3  3  0  2  0  
C. Sale     8.0  1  1  0  1  6

NY 38-27, CHI 29-36

---

June 16: Chicago 6, New York 2

Ed Walsh, perhaps inspired by Sale’s performance the day before, also kept the scoring down for the Yankees. He put quite a few more baserunners on than Sale did, but managed to dodge and weave between them to only give up one earned run in a complete game.

Bob Shawkey’s miseries continued and the game got away from him immediately in the bottom of the first. The first four Chicago men reached safely and came around to score, and Paul Konerko twisted the knife later in the inning with a solo round-tripper. Shawkey found his stuff after that, and was actually excellent for the next six innings, but it was too late. His ERA inflated to 6.41, and it’s getting to the point that manager Joe McCarthy might start thinking about giving Herb Pennock and/or Red Ruffing a chance to make some starts in Shawkey’s spot.

Run prevention is becoming a major concern in the Bronx. Here is how the ERAs stand for the rotation after this series (league average is 4.29):

Lefty Gomez-4.22
Waite Hoyt-4.40
Roger Clemens-4.48
Ray Caldwell-5.09
Bob Shawkey-6.41

                  R  H BB
NY  000 101 000 - 2  7  4
CHI 500 000 01x - 6 11  3

HR: P. Konerko (5)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Shawkey  7.2  6  6  1  3  2  
E. Walsh    9.0  2  1  0  4  5 

NY 38-28, CHI 30-36

Houston’s Cuellar Takes Over Rubber Game To Claim Series in Kansas City

June 14: Kansas City 5, Houston 3

The game turned for Kansas City in the bottom of the fourth when Darrell Porter took a walk and singles were laced by Hal McRae, Frank White, Willie Wilson, John Mayberry, and George Brett.

White had his first three-hit game of the year and first game with two extra-base hits. Both of White’s doubles were followed by an Alcides Escobar RBI single.

                  R  H BB
HOU 000 210 000 - 3  8  4
KC  010 301 00x - 5 10  4

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
N. Ryan     7.0  5  5  0  4  4  
M. Gubicza  7.0  3  3  0  4  4 

HOU 28-36, KC 32-32

---

June 15: Houston 6, Kansas City 3

Danny Jackson was strong for five innings but things fell apart in the sixth. The game turned when Craig Biggio took a walk and singles were laced by Jeff Bagwell, Moises Alou, Cesar Cedeno, and Lance Berkman, and Bob Watson delivered the kill shot with a three-run dinger.

John Mayberry continues to be the most productive Royals batter and had three hits with a dong.

                  R  H BB
HOU 100 005 000 - 6 11  2
KC  100 020 00x - 3  8  2

HR: B. Watson (10), J. Mayberry (10)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
M. Scott    7.0  3  3  1  2  6  
D. Jackson  5.1  5  5  1  1  2 

HOU 29-36, KC 32-33

---

June 16: Houston 6, Kansas City 0

Mike Cuellar was cookin’ for 8.1 innings had had KC on the ropes to knock out his first shutout. He had allowed just three hits to that point, but wavered in the ninth with hits given up to George Brett and Willie Wilson, and then a plunking of John Mayberry to load the bases. Billy Wagner came in and stranded all three Royals to preserve a team shutout for Houston. It was the deepest Cuellar has gone into a start this season and the second start in which he gave up no runs.

Willie Wilson claimed three of KC’s five hits and Bob Watson pounded two doubles for Houston.

                  R H BB
HOU 000 200 130 - 6 8  4
KC  000 000 000 - 0 5  4

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
M. Cuellar  8.1  0  0  0  4  7  
K. Appier   7.0  3  3  0  2  7 

HOU 30-36, KC 32-34

Boston Sweeps Minnesota; Pedro Is Filthy Again But Zero Earned Runs Streak Ends At 46 innings

June 14: Boston 4, Minnesota 3

This was the Twins best shot to take a game in the series. Bert Blyleven was good for six innings before turning it over to the bullpen with the Twins trailing 1-2. Singles from Mickey Vernon and Joe Mauer plus a Jimmie Foxx error plated the tying run for Minnesota in the top of the eighth.

Minnesota turned to bullpen ace Joe Nathan in the bottom of the eighth, but Foxx made up for his error and connected for a solo homer to give Boston a one-run lead. Boston then turned to their bullpen ace, Jonathan Papelbon to preserve the win in the top of the ninth, but he also was not up to the task. Chuck Knoblauch, Tony Oliva, and Vernon all singled to tie it up again.

Rick Aguilera came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth but didn’t stay long after John Valentin led off with a walk-off ya-ya.

                  R  H BB
MN  000 100 011 - 3 10  4
BOS 020 000 011 - 4  8  3

HR: N. Garciaparra (7), J. Foxx (10), J. Valentin (1)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Blyleven  6.0  2  2  1  3  3  
S. Wood      8.0  2  1  0  4  4 

MN 33-31, BOS 42-22

---

June 15: Boston 7, Minnesota 1

Dead-ball era starter Jim Shaw continues to struggle for Minnesota. He’s walking 6.6 per nine innings and striking out only 2.2. He had no idea where his pitches were going in this one and walked five batters in the first inning. His best attribute is limiting homers, but Manny Ramirez launched one off of him in this disaster start.

Lefty Grove had no such problems against the Twins lineup and limited them to just three hits and two walks in his seven innings of work.

                  R  H BB
MN  010 000 000 - 1  4  2
BOX 204 010 00x - 7 10  7

HR: M. Ramirez (4)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Shaw     2.2  6  6  1  5  0  
L. Grove    7.0  1  1  0  2  3 

MN 33-32, BOS 43-22

---

June 16: Boston 5, Minnesota 2

It was a full house for this one and the crowd was buzzing at the most exciting pitcher match-up in the league: Walter Johnson vs. Pedro Martinez. Martinez came into the game having not allowed a single earned run in his last five starts, and buzz-sawed through the Minnesota lineup for the first eight innings. He allowed no runs, one hit, and one walk in that span and sent hitter after hitter walking back to the dugout shaking his head.

The Big Train was good all day except for when he temporarily lost his command in the fourth inning. After Carl Yastrzemski led off with a single, Johnson walked Ted Williams, hit Nomar Garciaparra, and walked Manny Ramirez to force in a run. With the bases still loaded, Johnson knew he had to throw strikes, and grooved one in for Jimme Foxx, who nailed it for a three-run triple. Johnson retired the next three and was back to himself the rest of the way, but the damage was done.

Boston skipper Joe Cronin had a tough call to make on whether or not he should send Pedro back out for the ninth. He couldn’t resist giving his ace a shot for the shut-out. Martinez gave up a lead-off single, but then retired the next two Twins and was one out away from the shutout and an incredible six straight starts with no earned runs. Tony Oliva spoiled it for him with a towering homer, and out came Pedro to a rousing standing ovation from the Fenway rooters. The incredible Pedro’s streak of not allowing an earned run was over at 46 innings, but Boston was back in charge in the Original Division. With second-place Baltimore getting swept by Detroit, the Red Sox extended their lead to five games.

                  R H BB
MN  000 000 002 - 2 3  1
BOS 000 500 00x - 5 5  4

HR: T. Oliva (7)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
W. Johnson  8.0  5  5  0  4  1  
P. Martinez 8.2  2  2  1  1  4 

MN 33-33, BOS 44-22

Anaheim Surprises & Out-Slugs Toronto

Escobar

June 14: Anaheim 8, Toronto 1

Anaheim starter Kelvim Escobar has been kind of all over the place this season, but he’s put together a few gems, perhaps none better than this tour de force versus Toronto. He held an intimidating Toronto lineup to four singles, one double, and one walk in a complete game. (He also pitched 2.1 not so successful innings out of the Toronto bullpen!)

The Anaheim batters pounded out six extra-base hits, including two dingers from spark plug Brian Downing.

                  R H BB
ANA 000 212 102 - 8 9  6
TOR 000 100 000 - 1 5  1

HR: B. Downing-2 (3)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
K. Escobar  9.0  1  1  0  1 11  
J. Guzman   5.2  5  5  1  4  6 

ANA 21-43, TOR 31-33

---

June 15: Anaheim 4, Toronto 3

The Angels claimed a series upset the next day in a tight contest. Toronto has the highest slugging percentage in the Expansion Division, and Anaheim the lowest, but Anaheim again out-slugged Toronto in this one with three doubles and a homer.

                  R H BB
ANA 002 100 100 - 4 8  7
TOR 110 100 000 - 3 5  4

HR: J. Fregosi (7), R. Mulliniks (3)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
D. Chance    7.0  3  2  1  4  4  
D. Alexander 7.0  4  4  1  3  5 

ANA 22-43, TOR 31-34

---

June 16: Toronto 11, Anaheim 7

The Angels had more extra-base hits than Toronto for a third straight game, and set themselves up nicely for a sweep with a four-run first inning, but the maddening wildness of Nolan Ryan sunk them. Ryan issued seven free passes to the 19 batters he faced, has now walked more than he has struck out, and is walking more than one per inning. Frank Tanana came on in long relief, but got pounded for homers by Shawn Green and Rance Mulliniks.

Brian Downing put together a four-hit game and Jim Edmonds walloped two doubles and a homer in a losing effort.

                   R  H BB
ANA 401 100 010 -  7 14  4
TOR 203 150 00x - 11  8 12

HR: J. Edmonds (5), R. Mulliniks (4), S. Green (14)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
N. Ryan     2.1  5  5  0  7  6  
R. Halladay 7.0  6  2  1  4  8 

ANA 22-44, TOR 32-34

Detroit Walks-Off, Walks-Off, and Walks-Off Against Baltimore

June 14: Detroit 4, Baltimore 3

Starter Urban Shocker was having a good day for Baltimore and still throwing in the bottom of the ninth with the score tied at three. He got his first man out, but then Al Kaline singled, and then George Kell singled Kaline to third. In came Darren O’Day to face Alan Trammell. Trammell smacked a deep fly out to left field that Kaline easily tagged up on to score the winner.

Bill Donovan continued his recent run of success for Detroit and has a 2.19 ERA in his last six starts.

                  R H BB
BAL 000 030 000 - 3 8  3
DET 010 002 001 - 4 7  2

HR: N. Cash (7)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
U. Shocker  8.1  4  4  1  2  0  
B. Donovan  9.0  3  3  0  3  1 

BAL 39-25, DET 28-36

---

June 15: Detroit 5, Baltimore 3 (11 innings)

Baltimore starter Johnny Niggeling deserved better after pitching seven masterful innings and handing a 2-1 lead over to his bullpen. Gregg Olson started the eighth by giving up a homer to Charlie Gehringer, a single to Norm Cash, and a double to Harry Heilmann before getting pulled. Darren O’Day again came in to get out of a jam, but made things worse with a throwing error that allowed an unearned run to tie the game.

After throwing a scoreless 10th inning for Baltimore, Stu Miller stayed in the game for the 11th. Al Kaline started the inning with a single, and then Bill Freehan creamed a Miller offering off the scoreboard to walk-off a second straight game.

                     R  H BB
BAL 000 200 010 00 - 3  9  7
DET 000 001 020 02 - 5 15  3

HR: C. Gehringer (4), B. Freehan (4)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Niggeling 7.0  1  1  0  3  1  
G. Uhle      7.0  2  2  0  3  0 

BAL 39-26, DET 29-36

---

Greenberg

June 16: Detroit 6, Baltimore 5

After Frank Robinson crushed two homers in the first five innings and Ken Singleton mashed a two-run shot in the sixth to give Baltimore a 5-2 lead, the Orioles were in good shape to salvage the last game of the series.

But their starter Erik Bedard suddenly lost his stuff after getting the first two men out in the bottom of the seventh. Two walks were followed by RBI singles by Kaline and Gehringer, and the Tigers were within a run.

Reliever Hoyt Wilhelm dejectedly watched Travis Fryman score the tying run in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch. Wilhelm was still tossing in the bottom of the ninth when Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg led off with a homer for a third straight Detroit walk-off win.

Detroit is enjoying a 16-8 stretch that has lifted them out of the cellar and into seventh place.

                  R  H BB
BAL 100 022 000 - 5  8  4
DET 020 000 211 - 6 14  6

HR: F. Robinson-2 (15), H. Greenberg (2)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
E. Bedard    6.2  4  4  0  6  5  
J. Verlander 5.2  5  5  3  3  6 

BAL 39-27, DET 30-36

New York Wins 2 of 3 In Toronto

June 11: Toronto 9, New York 1

The first three Blue Jay batters all singled and came around to score against Bob Shawkey. Shawkey was the Yankees’ opening day starter, but has had a miserable season. His ERA stands at 6.35 after his latest rough outing.

Shawn Green typically only plays the outfield for Toronto when they are facing a right-handed starter, and is just shy of having enough plate appearances to qualify for rate stat leader boards, but launched his 13th dinger of the year to work his way on to the top 10 homer hitters list.

Ray Halladay was in his finest form of the year and gave up just four hits and two walks in eight splendid innings. Babe Ruth did take Halladay yard for New York’s only run, but it was not a problem since the Toronto batters continued running up the score against Sparky Lyle and Dave Righetti after Shawkey was pulled. Every Blue Jay had at least one hit, led by Roberto Alomar’s four singles. Toronto improved to 9-7 against Original Division opponents.

                  R  H BB
NY  000 001 000 - 1  5  3
TOR 302 002 11x - 9 17  3

HR: B. Ruth (17), S. Green (13)

starters      IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Shawkey   3.0  5  5  1  0  0  
R. Halladay  8.0  1  1  1  2  4 

NY 35-26, TOR 31-30

---

June 12: New York 5, Toronto 3

Lefty Gomez has been New York’s most reliable starter, though the bar is pretty low— Gomez’s 4.22 ERA is barely better than the league average of 4.29. He gave the Yankees the quality start they needed in this one to right the ship after the previous day’s embarrassment.

Jesse Barfield played just his fifth game of the year and smacked a homer, took a walk, and singled, but his Toronto teammates combined for just two singles and one walk.

Joe DiMaggio was the leading hitter for New York with a walk and three singles.

                  R  H BB
NY  210 010 100 - 5 11  4
TOR 000 210 000 - 3  4  2

HR: J. Barfield (1)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
L. Gomez    8.0  3  3  1  2 11  
D. Stieb    7.0  5  4  0  4  2 

NY 36-26, TOR 31-31

---

Keller

June 13: New York 8, Toronto 2

Roberto Alomar didn’t mind facing Ray Caldwell and collected a single each of the three times they squared off. But the rest of the Jays couldn’t figure Caldwell out and combined for just two singles and two walks.

Most of the Yankees hit Jimmy Key hard. Charlie Keller had a monster game, reaching base safely in all five plate appearances with two walks, two singles, and a homer, and he scored four runs.

Ruth had tied Lou Gehrig for the home run lead in game one, and Gehrig responded in this one with a two run shot to take the lead back all for himself. All year, Gehrig has seemed to respond with a quick homer anytime another player has the gall to tie him for the lead. He reached safely seven times in the series as he continues playing ball on a different planet than the rest of the league.

Toronto backed themselves into a tie for second with Kansas City. The two teams are just one game back of first place Texas.

                  R  H BB
NY  101 001 230 - 8 12  6
TOR 100 001 000 - 2  5  3

HR: C. Keller (10), L. Gehrig (18), Y. Berra (5)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Caldwell 7.0  2  1  0  2  3  
J. Key      6.1  5  4  1  4  5 

NY 37-26, TOR 31-32

Power Surge Helps Kansas City Take Series in Seattle

June 10: Kansas City 7, Seattle 2

The Royals are usually happy if they can hit three homers in a series, but they launched three dingers in one inning in this game. Hal McRae and Danny Tartabull hit taters, and Frank White got off the schneid with his first round-tripper. (It’s been a rough go at the plate for White so far. Out of all qualified hitters, he’s been the least productive, with a slash line of .184/.219/.238.)

Kevin Appier struck out a season-high 11. Randy Johnson whiffed the Royals 10 times and became the first pitcher to reach 100 Ks, but is having a bit of a long ball problem lately, giving up nine homers in his last four starts.

                  R H BB
KC  004 001 020 - 7 9  5
SEA 000 011 000 - 2 7  4

HR: H. McRae (5), D. Tartabull (9),
F. White (1), A. Rodriguez (11)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
K. Appier   7.0  2  2  1  1 11  
R. Johnson  6.0  5  5  3  3 10 

KC 30-31, SEA 27-34

---

June 11: Seattle 7, Kansas City 6

Starters Bret Saberhagen and Felix Hernandez both struggled and the lead passed back and forth between the teams several times. A George Brett error started the bottom of the eighth inning, and Joakim Soria walked two and gave up a double as the M’s scored two unearned runs to take back the lead for the final time.

                  R  H BB
KC  002 300 100 - 6 11  6
SEA 021 101 02x - 7 10  6

HR: M. Sweeney (6), D. Porter (5), K. Seager (8)

starters       IP  R ER HR BB SO
B. Saberhagen 5.0  5  5  1  3  2  
F. Hernandez  6.2  6  6  2  5  4 

KC 30-32, SEA 28-34

---

June 12: Kansas City 3, Seattle 2

It was a different story the next day as lefty starters Jose Rosado and Jamie Moyer were on top of their games and runs were hard to come by. The Royals managed just four hits in the game, but bunched up a few walks and singles enough to take a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning.

Poor Tom Wilhelmsen had another rough outing for Seattle, yielding a solo homer to Tartabull in the top of the ninth to extend KC’s lead to 3-1. Wilhelmsen’s ERA now sits at 9.12. The insurance run looked big after Kyle Seager went yard in the bottom of the ninth to get Seattle within a run. Greg Holland wobbled in the ninth, but managed to strike out Ichiro Suzuki to end the game with Mariners stranded on second and third.

                  R H BB
KC  010 001 001 - 3 4  4
SEA 100 000 001 - 2 9  3

HR: D. Tartabull (10), K. Seager (9)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Rosado   6.0  1  1  0  0  4  
J. Moyer    8.0  2  2  0  3  2 

KC 31-32, SEA 28-35

Walsh & Johnson Face Off For 13 Innings, Minnesota Sweeps Chicago

June 11: Minnesota 5, Chicago 4 (14 innings)

Ed Walsh and Walter Johnson wowed the crowd by hurling 13 innings each, after which the game had still not been decided.

Chicago opened the scoring in the top of the third after a Tony Oliva error allowed Sherm Lollar to race all the way from the batter’s box to third base. The inning ended with a 2-0 lead for the White Sox.

In the bottom of the third, Cecil Travis shocked everyone by swatting a homer off Walsh, just the second for Travis and fourth allowed by Walsh. Hits from Joe Cronin, Rod Carew, and Stan Spence pushed across two more in the inning, and the Twins had a 3-2 lead.

The White Sox got their only earned runs off of Johnson in the top of the fifth on hits by Minnie Minoso, Chet Lemon, Harold Baines, and Paul Konerko, and the lead changed again, now 4-3 in Chicago’s favor.

Rod Carew led off the eighth with a double and Spence singled him in to tie the score at four. It stayed that way for five more innings as the hearty starters seemed to only get better the more they pitched. Neither were ever in serious trouble again.

Manager Bucky Harris decided he couldn’t send Johnson back out for the 14th, though Johnson still looked strong. “Walter wanted to pitch as long as it took to finish the game, but at some point I have to think about not letting his arm fall off,” Harris explained. Eddie Guardado came on and pitched a scoreless 14th.

Sox skipper Jimmy Dykes likewise decided 13 innings was enough for Walsh, and sent Terry Forster out for the bottom of the 14th. Stan Spence was glad to see a different twirler and led off with a triple. Mickey Vernon followed that up with a grounder to third that was slow and deep enough for Spence to scamper home for the win.

                         R  H BB
CHI 002 020 000 000 00 - 4 14  3
MN  003 000 010 000 01 - 5 12  1

HR: C. Travis (2)

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
E. Walsh   13.0  4  4  1  1  3  
W. Johnson 13.0  4  2  0  2  3 

CHI 28-33, MN 31-30

---

June 12: Minnesota 8, Chicago 7

The Twins boarded the singles train against Red Faber, punching eight one-baggers against him in just the first three innings, which, combined with a Luke Appling muff, racked up a 6-0 lead.

Minnesota was confident they had the game in the bag after they led 8-4 after eight innings, but it just about got away from them in the top of the ninth. Firpo Marberry, who has been perhaps the league’s most valuable relief pitcher this season, saw the ninth start with a double by Magglio Ordonez and a single by Luke Appling. Harmon Killebrew then made two consecutive errors at third base, and all of a sudden the Sox were within two runs, had runners on first and third, and there were no outs. Eddie Collins then flew out for the first out, but Sherm Lollar tagged up to make the score 7-8. Minnie Minoso drew a walk off Marberry, Joe Jackson popped into the second out, Frank Thomas walked the bases loaded, and…Chet Lemon flew out to end the rally, one run short.

                  R  H BB
CHI 000 400 003 - 7  7  5
MN  033 000 02x - 8 12  2

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
R. Faber    3.0  6  3  0  0  0  
J. Santana  7.0  4  4  0  3  2 

CHI 28-34, MN 32-30

---

June 13: Minnesota 7, Chicago 1

Game three lacked the drama of the first two games, but Twins rooters were happy as they cheered on a Twins sweep. The slappy Twins kept punching out soft singles, including seven in the second inning alone. Minnesota swatted 42 base knocks in the series, and now lead the league with 659 hits (though they are only ninth in slugging).

Camilo Pascual stayed in a groove for Minnesota, and has given up just nine earned runs in his last seven starts.

                  R  H BB
CHI 100 000 000 - 1  6  2
MN  050 001 10x - 7 18  3

HR: none

starters     IP  R ER HR BB SO
J. Rigney   5.1  6  6  0  1  1  
C. Pascual  7.0  1  1  0  2  1 

CHI 28-35, MN 33-30