National Baseball League

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“Ohhh my! What an afternoon in Baltimore! On a crisp October day, the Orioles live to fight another day, edging out the Mariners by a final score of 2 to 1. And how about Sal Cantu? The young left-hander was simply magnificent. Seven innings, three hits, nine strikeouts—he had that fastball dancing and the Mariners never quite solved him.

Seattle scratched across their lone run in the third, thanks to a clutch two-out double from McCall, but after that—silence. It was as though Cantu slammed the door and said, ‘Not today.’

And Baltimore? They did their damage the old-fashioned way. A solo home run from Herrera in the second inning got them on the board, and later, the catcher, Huerta, launched a towering drive over the wall in left in the fifth—ohhh my! That proved to be the difference.

You can just feel the tension in this series. The Orioles, who won a hundred games this year, were staring elimination right in the face, and now we go to a decisive Game 3 tomorrow right here at Camden Yards. The Mariners, who have waited so long for October glory, and the Orioles, who carry that rich tradition—one game, winner take all.

Ohhh my, what a matchup it will be.”

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“Holy cow! The Phillies knock off the Cubbies, 5 to 1, right here at Wrigley Field! And just like that, Philadelphia moves on to the Division Series. Ohhh doctor, what a tough one for the North Siders.

The Cubs, they just couldn’t get the big hit. Six hits all day, just one run, and the Phillies pitching—Paul Campbell—seven strong innings! That guy was terrific! And then Moran comes in and just slams the door.

How about that Dan Fisher, huh? The fella hit over .500 for the series—.538! Two homers, drove in four, scored three runs! He’s the MVP, no doubt about it. Every time he came to the plate, you thought something bad was gonna happen if you’re a Cubs fan. And sure enough—it did!

Vince Brown got things going early with a homer in the first—Phillies up 2-nothing before fans were even settled into their seats. From there, the Cubbies were chasing all afternoon.

Now the Phillies, they move on to play the Mets in the Division Series… and the Cubs? Well, they go home again. Oh, the heartbreak of October baseball at Wrigley Field.

But folks, that’s baseball! One day you’re the toast of the town, the next you’re packing up the bats. Holy cow!”

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MIKE: “All right, Dog, the Orioles did exactly what they were supposed to do here. They lose that first game, they’re staring elimination in the face, and then—boom—two straight wins, the last one not even close, 7–3 over Seattle. Camden Yards was rocking, the O’s move on, and now they get Kansas City in the Division Series.”

DOG: “YEAH! Listen, Mike, that’s what good teams do! You lose the opener, you don’t panic, you don’t fold, you come right back and SMASH ‘em! And Jordan Rizo—WHAT a series, what a performance. He hit the homer in the first, doubled in another run, MVP of the Wild Card Series, no question about it.”

MIKE: “And let’s not forget the pitching. Donny van Meel, six and two-thirds, nine hits, only two runs, seven strikeouts—he gave them exactly what they needed. That’s the guy who won them this game, Dog.”

DOG: “YES, YES, VAN MEEL! And listen, Mike, Seattle had their chances—twelve hits, left ten men on base, two errors, they shot themselves in the foot. You can’t do that on the road in a deciding game. They just didn’t have the poise Baltimore had.”

MIKE: “Right, so now, Dog, Baltimore advances. They’ll face Kansas City, who had the bye. That’s gonna be a tough series—Royals are rested, Orioles gotta travel, but at least they’re carrying some momentum.”

DOG: “Exactly! And you know what, Mike? The Orioles showed me something here. You get punched in the mouth in Game 1, you come back like THIS—you’re dangerous. I wouldn’t want to play ‘em right now, even if I’m Kansas City.”

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1919 Division Series

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[Mike and the Mad Dog – NLDS Game 1 Analysis, Phillies at Mets, October 13, 1919]

Mike: All right, Doggie, Game 1 of the Division Series at Citi Field — and the Mets lay an egg. Ten to six, the Phillies take it, Vince Brown the star of the show, two hits, a homer, five driven in. Leo Echeverria, Dog, unbelievable, three hits, scores four runs. Mets pitching couldn’t stop anybody.

Mad Dog: Mikey, Mikey, that’s a BAD loss for the Mets! You’re at home, you’ve got Luke Peters on the mound, you’re supposed to set the tone, and what happens? He gets BLOWN OUT in the fourth and fifth innings! Eight hits, six runs, ERA over ELEVEN in the playoffs. You can’t win with that!

Mike: And listen, Dog, Echeverria was on base every single time. He had a double, a triple, he scores four runs. The Mets never found a way to pitch around him. And then Brown, in the ninth, just slams the door with the three-run homer. That’s a dagger.

Mad Dog: Exactly! And don’t give me the late rally, Mikey. Yeah, they score two in the ninth, Contreras goes deep, fine. That game was over in the middle innings. Phillies put up four in the fifth, that was the ballgame. Mets fans can’t be happy. You wait all year for October baseball, and your starter doesn’t show up!

Mike: Well, and here’s the problem, Dog. This was supposed to be the Mets’ advantage. Their rotation! And now you’re down 1-0 in a short best-of-five. You’re in trouble already.

Mad Dog: Oh, the Mets are in BIG trouble. Because the Phillies are dangerous, Mikey! Don’t overlook ‘em. That lineup — Brown, Echeverria, even Fisher with a couple hits. And their starter, Yovanovich, he wasn’t brilliant, but he got you seven innings, kept the bullpen fresh. That’s all you need on the road.

Mike: Absolutely. He gave them length, and then Moran finishes it out. Phillies did what you have to do in October: timely hitting, add-on runs, and get the big outs when you need them. Mets didn’t do any of that.

Mad Dog: If the Mets don’t win tomorrow, Mikey, this series is OVER. OVER. You can’t go to Philly down 0-2. You’re not coming back from that.

Mike: They have to win tomorrow. Absolute must.

Mad Dog: Gotta win. Gotta win.

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL – REDS AT GIANTS
Cricket’s Recap, 10/13/1919

“Okay so listen… uh, Giants beat the Reds, 4-3. Yeah, I was there. Not like, inside the park, but outside by the dumpsters. Place was crawling with security, couldn’t get in, so I was kinda… you know… working the perimeter.

Vinny Luevanos pitched for San Fran—6 innings, gave up three. He looked good. Real good. Like, the kinda guy who probably has a bed to sleep in every night, you know? Unlike some of us. Anyway, the big moment was in the sixth. They were down, Reds were threatening, and then—bam—Bill Boys smacks a single, puts the Giants up 4-3. Crowd went nuts. I tried to ride that wave, but security chased me off when I was… uh… let’s just say “trying to enjoy” some leftover garlic fries.

The Reds? Oh, they had chances. Castaneda doubled, Cook doubled, they had guys on base, but man—they left bodies everywhere. Like, metaphorical baseball bodies. Not real ones. I don’t know where the real ones are. Don’t ask me.

And let me tell you—Oracle Park? Beautiful. Smells like the ocean. Or maybe that was just the trash I was sleeping under. Hard to say. Either way, Giants lead the series 1-0. Reds manager Adam Batres said they “squandered opportunities.” Yeah, well, join the club, buddy.

So, uh… if anyone’s listening, if anyone cares—final score: Giants 4, Reds 3. And if anyone’s got a couch I can crash on for Game 2, hit me up. Please. I’ll bring, uh, snacks. By snacks I mean whatever I find.”

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DEE REYNOLDS PRESENTS: MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
(because I can do sports journalism, okay?)

So like, the Cleveland Indians come waltzing into Texas thinking they’re hot stuff, and guess what? They actually were. They completely destroyed the Rangers, 9-4, in Game 1. And of course, some guy named Raul Gonzalez decides he’s, like, Beyoncé with a bat—hits a homer, smacks a double, struts around the bases. Honestly? Kind of rude.

Then, in the fifth inning, Israel Fernandez is like, “Oh, I guess I’ll just be the hero now.” Boom. Two-run single. Cleveland suddenly flips the game like it’s one of those reality shows where everyone’s crying and throwing wine glasses.

Meanwhile, the Rangers… oh my god. Sad. Embarrassing. You had J. Tucker pitching like he was auditioning for a rom-com where the quirky loser just keeps messing everything up. ERA? Thirteen point five. That’s not baseball—that’s a crime.

But of course, the Rangers had a little drama. J. Norwood and D. Martinez hit solo shots, and for, like, a second you thought, “Ooh, maybe it’s a game.” But then Cleveland just stomped all over that hope like Dennis crushes my dreams on a daily basis.

So yeah—Cleveland’s up 1-0 in the series, and honestly, Texas is gonna need some kind of miracle makeover montage to not get completely swept here.

Oh, and the attendance was 47,834, which is insane because, like, if I was playing, you know that number would be at least doubled. People would be like, “Dee! Dee! Dee!” while I hit, like, a thousand home runs. But whatever.

Final Note: Player of the Game? Raul freaking Gonzalez. Ugh.

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Yo, Kansas City — congratulations on makin’ the playoffs for the first time in eight freakin’ years. Too bad you got smacked around like a tee-ball squad. The Orioles rolled up in your house, took your beer, slept with your sister, and left an 8–2 score on the scoreboard just to remind you who’s boss.

Salvatore freakin’ Valdez? Dude looked like Barry Bonds on HGH and Mountain Dew. Four hits, bomb, couple doubles, three runs scored — guy was basically hittin’ rockets while y’all Royals were still trying to figure out how to hold a glove. And let’s not forget Kazuhito Kawakami, just walkin’ up there in the first inning, wham-bam two-run shot, like he’s ordering sushi at a drive-thru. Quick 2–0. Ballgame basically over.

Your starter, Jesse Vadala? ERA sittin’ at 12.60 now. Twelve point six-oh! That ain’t a pitcher, that’s a freakin’ piñata. Every Oriole in the lineup had candy pouring out by the end of the fifth. And your offense? Four hits. That’s it. Four hits in front of 52,000 sad Midwestern faces. Only highlight was O. Vargas puttin’ one in the cheap seats, and that was it. Curtain closed.

So yeah — Kansas City waited eight long years to see October baseball. And it lasted… one game. Orioles up 1–0 in the series, probably gonna sweep these fools. That’s called major league baseball, baby.

Kenny Powers out.

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BOOMER: Alright, Carton, Game 2 in the NLDS — Phillies at Mets, and holy cow, the Mets came out and just laid the smackdown on Philly, 11-2. I mean, you saw it, right?

CARTON: Oh, I saw it, Boomer. And it’s Ricardo Contreras, the first baseman, just absolutely carrying the team. Three hits in three at-bats, a homer, a double, walks, gets hit by a pitch — I mean, this guy’s basically doing everything but pitching the game himself.

BOOMER: Yeah, and you gotta talk about Pedro Alicea — bottom of the fifth, three-run blast, right? That was the dagger, the “don’t even bother showing up tomorrow if you’re Philly” moment.

CARTON: Let’s be honest, Philly’s pitching was… rough. Grubbs and Tolo just couldn’t get anybody out. Combined for 11 runs and 13 hits allowed, 7 earned runs for Grubbs alone — that’s the kind of day that makes you want to throw your glove in the Hudson.

BOOMER: And the crowd, 39,626 at Citi Field — they got what they paid for. A playoff Mets team showing up and reminding everybody who owns New York baseball in October. Phillies? They’re scratching their heads trying to figure out how to get one run per inning, maybe.

CARTON: Game 3 moves back to Philly Thursday, but Boomer, the Mets have all the momentum. Contreras is on fire, Navarro shuts the door after Navarro’s five innings — Mets pitching, Mets hitting, Mets everything. Phillies are lucky they even got two runs.

BOOMER: Yeah, if you’re a Phillies fan, don’t look now — you’re in a 1-1 tie, but you just got punched in the mouth on the road. Mets are smelling blood, Carton, and I like their chances to take this series.

CARTON: And that’s the story in Queens today, folks — Mets come alive, Phillies get dominated, and the NLDS is officially heating up.

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The Cincinnati Reds bounced back in Game 2 of the Division Series, taking down the San Francisco Giants, 7-3, at Oracle Park. Center fielder Ricky Saucedo was the story of the afternoon, absolutely tearing the cover off the ball — two home runs, a triple, two walks, three RBIs, and two runs scored. I mean, this was a complete offensive showcase.

The key moment came in the top of the fourth with one out, when Saucedo lined a run-scoring triple off Ryan Grater to put Cincinnati ahead 2-1. From there, the Reds never looked back, forcing a 1-1 tie in the best-of-five series.

Cincinnati pitching was solid overall. Jon Landaverde went six strong innings, allowing just two runs while striking out seven. Tied together with Plascencia’s two-inning save, the Reds bullpen held the Giants at bay when it counted. For San Francisco, Grater struggled, giving up five runs over five and two-thirds innings, and the Giants just couldn’t find an answer at the plate when it mattered.

Ricky Saucedo called it “a collective effort,” and that’s exactly what it was. The Reds got timely hits across the lineup — Dunham, Ojeda, Castaneda — all contributing to a balanced attack.

The series now shifts back to Cincinnati for Game 3 at Great American Ball Park on Thursday. If you’re a Reds fan, you’re walking away from this one with some optimism. Saucedo’s swing alone gives you a lot to chew on heading into the next game.

Attendance for today: 43,935 under clear skies with a mild 10 mph wind blowing right to left — perfect conditions for a slugfest.

Player of the Game: Ricky Saucedo. No debate there.

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Oh! Oh! Oh! Listen to me! The texas rangers just knocked the cleveland indians down, 2-1, and it’s like… they’re laughing in your face, cleveland! I mean, come on! One run for the indians! One run! And texas—texas comes back in the bottom of the eighth—jung-hoon kim hits a solo homer! A solo homer! The fans go wild! Wild!
Chris neidich goes seven innings—seven! Six hits, one run, and he’s like, “yeah, i just stayed out of the middle of the plate!” outta the middle?! This is the playoffs! The middle of the plate is where you want to be! Oh!

And cleveland—oh, they try! P. Kresse, i. Fernandez, j. Satiago—no! No hits! Nothing! Zip! Nada! Texas just locks it down!

Bottom line, folks: Texas 2, cleveland 1! Series tied 1-1! The next game? Friday! Jacobs field! Bring your popcorn, bring your energy, bring your voices, ‘cause this is getting real! Oh!

Player of the game? Chris neidich! The guy’s on fire! I mean, he’s throwing heat, he’s getting strikeouts, and he’s making it look easy! Oh! Oh! Oh!

Folks, i tell ya—the playoffs! They’re here! And if you’re a fan of good baseball, this is what you wait for! Oh! Oh! Oh!

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And here we go! From Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City… the Orioles are on a mission! Kevin Johnson on the mound, absolute precision, seven innings of shutout ball… FOUR HITS, FOUR STRIKEOUTS, ZERO RUNS! That’s dominance, folks. The Royals? They couldn’t catch a break if it was gift-wrapped and handed to them on a silver platter!

And Baltimore’s bats are buzzing—Salvatore Valdez with a triple to start things off! J. Hyland with a clutch home run in the fifth! B. Hemphill, R. Reid, P. Huerta… everybody contributing! Four runs, nine hits, clean defense—no errors! The Orioles are rolling!

Kansas City could only muster six hits, couldn’t scratch a run across, and the pitching of Johnson just stifled them. The Royals are now facing a 2-0 hole in this best-of-five Division Series. If Baltimore keeps this up, it’s going to be a long trip back home for Kansas City.

Game 3 is set for Friday at Camden Yards in Baltimore, and you can bet the Orioles will be looking to put the Royals on ice. Kevin Johnson? Player of the Game, and frankly, if he keeps pitching like that, the Royals won’t know what hit them.

Orioles 4, Royals 0… clean, sharp, and a statement made. Gary Thorne here saying, Baltimore keeps rolling!

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Joe DeCamara: Alright, Phillies fans, settle in! Citizens Bank Park is buzzing today as your Philadelphia Phillies take on the New York Mets in Game 3 of this Division Series. And boy, oh boy, it was an offensive explosion from the home team!

Jon Ritchie: Absolutely, Joe. Vince Brown was the guy you couldn’t take your eyes off today. The DH went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, drove in three, and scored three times. He’s single-handedly keeping the Phillies alive in this series!

Joe: And don’t sleep on the rest of the lineup. Worboys with three hits and two RBIs, Porch adding two hits and a run scored, Branscome doing his thing at shortstop—two singles, two RBIs. The Phillies just kept piling it on, 13 runs, 12 hits, clean on defense, no errors.

Jon: Yeah, the Mets tried to hang around, a few bright spots—Alicea with a home run and three RBIs, Huerta with a pair of RBIs—but overall, they just couldn’t contain this Phillies offense. E. Hoelzle on the mound for Philly did enough, 7.1 innings, five runs allowed, six strikeouts. He managed to keep them just enough in check to let the bats do the talking.

Joe: That’s right, Jon. Mets manager Lamar Craig said it best: “We lost, we’ll deal with it.” But the series isn’t over yet. Phillies now have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five. Game 4, same park, tomorrow—if the Phillies keep swinging like this, it’s going to be a long day for New York.

Jon: And the fans know it! Attendance of nearly 39,000 today, atmosphere electric. Phillies 13, Mets 5—Vince Brown, Player of the Game, and Philly is one win away from the League Championship Series.

Joe: Hang on tight, folks… this series is heating up, and the Phillies are making sure you’re paying attention!

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**“Well, if you’re just joining us, it was not the Giants’ day in Cincinnati. The Reds win it by a final score of 10 to 5, and quite frankly, it wasn’t as close as that score might indicate.

The Giants jumped out early, putting four runs on the board in the top of the first, highlighted by a two-run shot from Chris Alfonso. But give this Reds club credit — they never blinked. Ruben Soto answered right back in the bottom half with a two-run homer, and from there, it was all Cincinnati.

The big blow came in the fourth inning. Jon Dunham ripped a two-run triple off Mario Martinez to put the Reds in front for good, and the home team never looked back. Add in a two-run homer by young shortstop Alex Candelaria in the fifth, and that was your ballgame.

Martinez just didn’t have it for San Francisco — six runs in less than four innings — and the bullpen didn’t fare much better. Meanwhile, Alex Miranda gutted it out for the Reds, gave them six-plus innings, and handed it over to the pen with the lead intact.

The Reds out-hit the Giants twelve to seven, and they out-played them in just about every facet. Player of the Game? That’s Ruben Soto — a home run, two runs driven in, and a steady hand at second base.

So, with this win, Cincinnati now takes a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five series. They’ll have a chance to wrap it up tomorrow afternoon right here at Great American Ball Park.

Once again, the final score: Reds 10, Giants 5. This is Marty Brennaman.”**

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Pat Summerall:
“Major League Baseball.
Texas Rangers. Cleveland Indians.
October seventeenth. Nineteen nineteen.
At Jacobs Field… Texas seven. Cleveland four.
The Rangers win. They lead the series. Two games to one.
Antonio Mendoza. Seven innings. Four hits. One run. He struck out eight. The difference in the game.”

John Madden:
“Yeah, and here’s the thing, Pat — when you’ve got a pitcher like Mendoza, he’s not just throwing the ball, he’s attacking hitters. Boom! You look at his fastball, in, out, up, down, he kept ‘em guessing all night. That’s how you win playoff games. You don’t nibble, you attack. And he did!”

Pat Summerall:
“Six runs in the sixth. Rangers in control.”

John Madden:
“Right, and look at that inning, Pat. Cleveland had errors, they had walks, and Texas just said — okay, thanks very much, we’ll take it. You give a team six runs in one frame? Forget it. Game’s over right there. And see this — Contreras, Norwood — they drove in the big runs. That’s playoff baseball. You cash in.”

Pat Summerall:
“Cleveland. Three in the ninth. Too little. Too late. Final score. Texas seven. Cleveland four.”
John Madden:

“Yeah, and if you’re Cleveland, you can’t kick the ball around like that. Five errors? Five?! You do that in October, you’re going home. Boom. Simple as that.”

Pat Summerall:
“Game Four. Tomorrow. In Cleveland.”

John Madden:
“And I’ll tell you what, Pat — tomorrow is do or die. Cleveland’s backs are against the wall. And if Mendoza set the tone today? Somebody for the Indians has gotta match it. Otherwise, Texas is moving on.”

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Baltimore Orioles: 7th ALCS appearance
1902 1903 1904 1907 1915 1917 1919

“Back, back, back, back… GONE!”
Chris Berman voice:

The Baltimore Orioles, the Birds of Prey, flap their wings and fly their way into history! For the seventh time—count ’em, seven—they’re heading to the American League Championship Series. That’s 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1915, 1917, and now 1919! Talk about a century-old highlight reel.

They sweep away the Kansas City Royals like leaves in October. A tidy 3–0.

Today? A 4–2 win where Sal “The Sultan of Swing” Valdez did a little bit of everything—hitting .462 for the series, scoring runs, making pitchers sweat.

And how about Sal Cantu on the mound? Seven innings of pure “You. Shall. Not. Pass.” He was mowing ‘em down like Sunday grass.

And don’t sleep on Jordan Rizo—“Can you Rizo me now? Good!”—with a solo shot that set the tone in the second inning.

So the Orioles? They sit back, prop their feet up, and wait for the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians to figure out who wants the other ticket to this ALCS dance.

Final Berman flourish:
The Baltimore Orioles—back to the big stage, back to chasing glory. And right now, they look like a team that could go… all… the… way!

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