[GrimmyDee]

Hobson's Four Hits Lead Sox
Monday, May 9, 1977
Rick Burleson (.188) scores twice on three hits and Butch Hobson (.305, 5 HR, 14 RBI) adds four more - including two doubles and a solo home run - to help Boston to a 7-1 win over the Athletics - sending Oakland to their ninth straight loss.

"Sure it was a win, but c'mon this Oakland. They haven't won in two weeks." said Hobson after the game. "We have a tremendous amount of pride on this ball club so there was no way they were going to break their losing streak against us. Besides...this is Oakland were're talking about. Oakland sucks."

Eight of the Red Sox 14 hits were for extra bases. Boston starter Rick Wise (3-3, 3.78 ERA) scatters seven hits and allows one unearned run to gain the win. However, it wasn't the fine pitching performance by Wise that had reporters talking - it was the vote of confidence that GM Charlie Finley gave manager Jack McKeon.

"Jack McKeon isn't going anywhere so you can put those rumors to rest right now. He is doing an fantastic job with the players and they are merely going through some growing pains right now. Mark my words - come playoff time, we'll be right there."


American League News
Angels' SS Rance Mulliniks (.286, 4 HR, 15 RBI) hits a three-run home run off of Kansas City starter Doug Bird (1-1, 3.09 ERA) in the seventh inning to push California past the Royals, 4-1. Paul Hartzell (4-1, 2.29 ERA) goes 8 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and the only Kansas City run. Bird strikes out eight in the loss.

The baseball gods continue to shine on the Blue Jays in the late innings as Phil Roof (.353, 3 RBI) hits a bases loaded one-out single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give Toronto a 7-6 win over the Mariners. Alan Ashby (.337, 17 RBI), Doug Ault (.376, 9 RBI), Sam Ewing (.313) and Hector Torres (.255, 8 RBI) each have three hits in the Blue Jays 19-hit attack, while only Steve Braun (.255) manages the feat for Seattle.

Milwaukee scores four runs in the top of the seventh, two of which were thanks to an error by third baseman Bill Melton (his 5th) to give the Brewers a 4-3 win over the Tribe in the second game of an evening doubleheader. Sal Bando (.214) has three hits and Von Joshua (.200, 8 RBI) hits a key RBI triple to lead the Milwaukee offense.

American League Scores



National League News
Houston starter Mark Lemongello (1-1, 4.67 ERA) outduels Ray Burris (2-3) and the Cubs by a 2-1 score at the Astrodome. Lemongello goes eight innings, giving up four hits and the one run run. Burris goes leaves one inning earlier, scattering seven hits and two runs (one earned).

Al Oliver (.356) triples to the right field corner to open the bottom of the eighth inning off of Phil Niekro (3-4) and scores on a sacrifice fly by Ken Macha (.261, 11 RBI) to give the Pirates the lead and the win, 3-2. Macha has three hits on the day, scoring two runs and driving in Oliver for the game-winner.

After errors by Ted Simmons (his 9th) and Ken Oberkfell (3rd) contribute five unearned runs and a six-run sixth inning, the Cardinals come back with three runs in the seventh to hand Pat Zachry (6-1) his first loss of the season. 3B Buddy Bell (.294, 9 RBI) has three hits for St. Louis, including a game-tying RBI double and scoring the game-winner on Oberkfell's sacrifice fly.

National League Scores


Trades
Atlanta trades 28-year-old SS Craig Robinson ($59,885 over 1 year) to Philadelphia, getting 33-year-old LF Ollie "Downtown" Brown ($321,300 over 2 years) in return.

To Philadelphia:

Craig Robinson 1976 Stats 1977 Stats

AVG .235 .375

AB 17 8

H 4 3

R 4 0

2B 0 0

3B 0 0

HR 0 0

RBI 3 1

BB 5 0

K 2 1

OBP .391 .333

SLG .235 .375

To Atlanta:

Ollie Brown 1976 Stats 1977 Stats

AVG .254 .269

AB 209 26

H 53 7

R 30 2

2B 10 0

3B 1 1

HR 5 1

RBI 30 4

BB 33 3

K 33 5

OBP .350 .345

SLG .383 .462

Contract Signings

CL Max Leon (1-2, 5 SV, 6.10 ERA) signs a 2-year extension worth a total of $385,920. He will earn $192,960 a year through 1979.

MR Diego Segui (0-0, 2.70 ERA) signs a 1-year extension worth a total of $69,000.

Major Transactions

LF Ollie Brown placed on the active roster (from trade). CF Barry Bonnell (.273, 1 HR, 4 RBI) optioned to Triple A Richmond. SS Pat Rockett (.222, 7 RBI - AAA) recalled from Triple A Richmond. Brown will backup Gary Matthews and Jerry Royster at the corner OF spots, while Rockett will play behind Jerry Royster.

SS Craig Robinson placed on the active roster (from trade). SS Larry Bowa (.269, 9 RBI) optioned to Triple A Oklahoma City. 1B Tom Hutton (.248, 3 HR, 21 RBI - AAA) recalled from Triple A Oklahoma City. Shocked at the Bowa demotion, but that looks like the reason for the trade as Robinson will now start at short. Hutton will back up Davey Johnson at first base.

SP Pete Falcone activated from the disabled list. MR Doug Capilla (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 IP) optioned to Triple A New Orleans. Falcone was 0-2 when he went down, but his 2.04 ERA will be welcome in the rotation.

Players Of The Week
American League Player of the Week: May 1 - May 7
1B Eddie Murray - Baltimore Orioles

Last Week 1977 Stats

AVG .650 .333

AB 20 102

H 13 34

R 7 16

2B 2 6

3B 0 1

HR 3 4

RBI 5 20

BB 3 10

K 2 9

OBP .800 .386

SLG 1.200 .529

National League Player of the Week: May 1 - May 7
SP Steve Renko - Chicago Cubs

Last Week 1977 Stats

ERA 0.53 3.29

W 2 3

L 0 2

SV 0 0

IP 17.0 38.1

H 11 36

R 1 16

ER 1 14

BB 2 10

K 7 18

WHIP .76 1.20

AVG .190 .264

Short Season Single A Update
Jamestown Expos (17-12) at Newark Co-Pilots (14-15)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Jamestown 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 5 13 2 Newark 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 6 2 WP: Darwin Marsh (2-1, 1.84 ERA) LP: Zhi-xin Qian (1-4, 5.33 ERA) SV: Tommy Campbell (2) POG: Louis Church 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR Attendance: 2,070 Jesus Rivera goes 2-3 with a run scored.

So we have four players with multi-hit days and they give the POW to a guy who hits a lucky two-run home run?!? C'mon! We bashed out 13 hits (all singles) but two double plays and three people getting caught stealing made this game much, much closer than it should have been. Kudos to our bullpen - Marsh, Brian Little (1.54 ERA) and Tommy Campbell (2.03 ERA) - who combined to throw four scoreless innings. Home Runs: JAM: None NEW: Louis Church (1)