[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




vs

Chicago Hitmen (87-75) vs Louisville Racers (94-68)

Game One: Ben Sanders (12-14, 4.07) starts for Chicago despite a brutal September (1-5, 5.87). Mickey Harris (21-5, 2.90) toes the slab for Louisville.

The Racers score a pair in the bottom of the second, getting an RBI double from Buck Leonard and an RBI single from Nellie Fox.

But the Hitmen respond for a run in the third on back-to-back doubles by Heinie Peitz and Horace Clark. The pick up another in the fourth when Babe Ruth hits a leadoff double and Charley Jones drives him home with a single to knot the score.

Chicago then adds three in the fifth as the Racers unravel. Jose Cardenal walked. Ed Delahanty tried to sacrifice him up, but instead the bunt became a base hit. Frank Baker then hit an RBI single to make it 3-2. On a steal attempt Smokey Burgess threw the ball into left field, letting Delahanty score to make it 4-2. Harris then uncorked a wild pitch that let Baker come in from third to make it 5-2.

Sanders settled in for a bit, but Leonard homered in the seventh to make it 5-3.

In the 8th, Richie Ashburn hit a one-out single to left. But Charley Jones misplayed it, allowing Ashburn to take second and he then scored on Jim Lefebvre's single to make it 5-4.

Roy Oswalt, who had come in the 8th for Louisville, stayed on in the 9th. Delahanty reached on Rico Petrocelli's error, taking second on the bad throw. Oswalt intentionally walked Ruth to bring up Patsy Dougherty, who replaced Jones for defensive purposes. Dougherty hit an RBI single to make it 6-4. Roger Connor was intentionally walked to load the bases. But Bert Campaneris and Biz Mackey hit back-to-back RBI singles and Clarke hit a SAC Fly before the damage was done, with Chicago leading by the ultimate final, 9-4.

Chicago 9, Louisville 4 (Chicago leads series 1-0)

vs

St. Louis Tides (91-71) vs Arizona Sandmen (102-60)

Game One: Tommy Bond (16-9, 3.51) goes for St. Louis, while Arizona counters with Mike LaCoss (19-12, 2.77).

Both pitchers cruise into the fourth before the Tides break through, with Fred Lynn's 2-run single bringing home Hal Chase and Duke Snider for a 2-0 Tides lead.

A Willie Wells solo homer brought Arizona within 2-1, which is how it stayed until the bottom of the 7th.

Wells singled and Irish Meusel walked. John McGraw lay down a bunt, but Dick Higham pounced on it and fired to third for the force. Larry Gardner then singled to load the bases. Mike Hargrove stepped up and dumped an 0-1 pitch into left. Carl Crawford charged and, presumably eyeing the runner on third, took his eye off the ball, missing it to allow the tying run to score.

It stayed 2-2 as LaCoss went out to start the 9th. Lynn led off the inning with a screaming triple into the gap. Higham singled him home to put the Tides on top 3-2. But after an Ed Kranepool single put runners at the corners, LaCoss bore down to get out of the inning without further damage.

Bond gave way to closer Joe Sambito for the 9th. Meusel led off with a single and was moved up by a McGraw sacrifice. Mike Grady then lifted one to center. Duke Snider camped under it, and quite plainly dropped it. Meusel went to third on the Tides' second huge outfield error. Hargrove then singled home the tying run, though Grady was thrown out foolishly trying to get to third. Still, at 3-3, extra frames called.

And there we stayed. LaCoss came out after 9 1/3, and the bullpens matched zeroes...until the 15th inning.

Doggie Miller, who came in to run for Higham in the 9th, hit a 1-0 fastball from Dan Casey over the leftfield wall to put the Tides up 4-3. Willie Randolph then tripled. Later in the inning he would score on Johnny Evers' double, and we'd go to the bottom of the 15th with the Tides up 5-3, despite their two huge errors.

Herb Pennock got Wes Parker to ground out. But Willie Wells reached on an infield hit, and Arizona sensed life. Meusel sent a routine grounder toward Willie Randolph for what looked like a game-ending double play. But Randolph muffed it, and it was now first and second.

Joe Hoerner came in for the Tides to face McGraw, who promptly dunked one into right center to load the bases. Grady ripped a double off the wall in left scoring Wells and Meusel to tie the game at 5-5. Meusel held at third, and Hoerner intentionally walked Jason Bay to load the bases to set up the force.

But Harry Walker lined the next pitch into left to bring home McGraw and give Arizona the comeback victory, leaving the Tides with a miserable taste in their collective mouths - three huge errors costing them what would have been a tremendous win on the road against baseball's best team.

Arizona 6, St. Louis 5 (15 innings) - Arizona leads series 1-0