The Pastime Baseball League

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

Gotta hand it to St. Louis, they righted the ship just in time, and held on for the title. As for L.A., in the end they just weren't good enough. I used to love that about baseball, only the division champions(or league prior to 69') have the right to the post season. There should be no rewards for finishing 2nd, not after 154 games(or 162)

I'm loving the current setup. I've contemplated another round of expansion just because there's so many good players who, by the nature of the league setup, won't get to have much of a career here. But I don't want to add more teams without a wildcard, and right now it seems I have multiple good division races every season. So, at least for now, there won't be any more expansion.

As for St. Louis, it's another one of the great little nuances about this game. It's obviously not built into the game engine, but because baseball is the great game it is the situation, the sidebar to the whole stretch drive, just worked out spectacularly. They lose Tris Speaker to injury. Frank Smith, who developed last year and seemed poised for a big year this year goes down in his second start, returns in August for what should be a big boost down the stretch, and positively stinks. But the Tides persevere and just when it seems like they're about to gag away the division, Smith rights the ship, the team follows suit and they hold on. Great, great stuff.

As for L.A., if they can keep Cobb healthy for a full season their offense will be unstoppable. The idea of him, Brouthers and Charleston together is drool-worthy, to say nothing of Luke Easter, Dave Winfield and the rest of that group.

Now we come to the last day. Last season, Chicago blew the division in the final month, including losing the final series in Sacramento (though a four-game sweep at home against Indianapolis the week before is what really derailed them). That was the second pennant race the Hitmen lost. To blow a third would be crushing for the franchise, I think. It certainly seems clear that Chicago/Sacramento is the best rivalry in the PBL at the moment, though.

On to the last day of the season...or not

[EMSoccerCoach]

PENNANT RACE REPORT

Oct. 2, 2017

Northern League West
STANDINGS AT START OF DAY

Chicago Hitmen	87	74	.541	-
Sacramento Stingers	86	75	.535	1.0
Milwaukee Bangers	85	76	.529	2.0

Sometime around 2:30, things got very interesting. In Milwaukee, the Sacramento Stingers had hung a 3 spot on Smokey Joe Williams and the Bangers to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the 5th in a steady rain. Ryne Sandberg, Al Zarilla and Rich Gedman hit consecutive doubles, and Don Buford singled Gedman home and Sacramento couldn't help but watch the scoreboard.

The game in Chicago was moving slower, having just gone to the bottom of the 4th, when the rain in Milwaukee picked up. With it an official game now, the umpiring crew in Milwaukee was OK putting a halt to it, though in reality they knew that no matter how long it took the teams would be back on the field.

So Sacramento retreated to the clubhouse, where they immediately turned on the TV to see how things were going in Chicago, which at the time was deadlocked 1-1 with Indianapolis, who had thrown such a monkey wrench into Chicago's postseason hopes last year, sweeping them in a 4-game set there in late September to knock them from first place...to Sacramento's benefit. The Stingers hoped for a similar miracle yesterday, which could give them a shot in a one-game playoff today.

Then their hopes were dashed.

Chicago put up five runs in the bottom of the fourth off Leon Day and reliever Doc White, getting a 2-run single from Brett Butler, a SAC Fly from Frank Baker, an RBI double from Babe Ruth and a wild pitch that would bring Ruth home.

By the time the 79-minute rain delay ended in Milwaukee, the Hitmen led 9-1, having scored three more in the bottom of the fifth, getting RBI hits from U.L. Washington, Baker and Butler.

A dejected Sacramento squad took the field and hoped to battle back, but Sacramento manager Bobby Cox made the tough call to keep starter and ace Bob Veale on the bench, fearing the worst once Veale struggled to get loose before the game resumed.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis was clawing back in Chicago. They cut it to 9-3 in the 7th and 9-4 in the 8th.

Charley Radbourn came on to pitch the 9th for Chicago. He walked Larry Doby before allowing a 2-run homer to Lee Mazzilli to make it a 9-6 game. He then walked Stan Musial.

By the time Brandon Lyon was ready to come in for the save, Pedro Guerrero had hit a 420-foot bomb to center to make it a 9-8 game. In Milwaukee, even with the Bangers out of it, the crowd was abuzz at what was happening.

In that game, Gary Ward tied the game at 3 with a solo homer off Claudio Vargas in the 7th, right around the time Sacramento began to believe they still might have a shot.

Lyon struck out Nick Johnson for the first out. But Miller Huggins singled to put the tying run on base. Mike Easler then grounded into a force for the second out, bringing up Kent Hrbek as Indianapolis' - and more pointedly Sacramento's - final chance.

Hrbek fouled off a 2-2 pitch before watching a third strike at the knees that sent the Hitmen into euphoria, the crowd in Chicago into a frenzy, and the Stingers, despite their late-season push, into irrelevance.

They lost 4-3 in 10 innings in what ultimately proved a meaningless result.

[kenyan_cheena]

Wow!!!

Fantastic way to chronicle that final, dramatic day of the season, EM! Might have to borrow that style from you if my dynasty has a similar finish to the 1990 season. Great entertainment!

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Wow!!!

Fantastic way to chronicle that final, dramatic day of the season, EM! Might have to borrow that style from you if my dynasty has a similar finish to the 1990 season. Great entertainment!

Thanks...that was great. Between Veale starting, the rain delay letting them watch Chicago's result, the near comeback by Indianapolis...the game did the work, I just wrote it

[PhillieFever]

Terrific writing EM, it really was. It was one of the finest written dynasty posts that I've ever read. Great job.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Thanks, guys. This may be my favorite season so far, between the milestones and the pennant races. I hope the postseason matches the regular season.

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2017 STANDINGS

Northern League Standings
East	W	L	PCT	GB
Louisville Racers	94	68	.580	-
Boston Riders	83	79	.512	11.0
Charlotte Cougars	83	79	.512	11.0
Philadelphia Ringers	76	86	.469	18.0
New York Heroes	70	92	.432	24.0
West	W	L	PCT	GB
Chicago Hitmen	87	75	.537	-
Milwaukee Bangers	86	76	.531	1.0
Sacramento Stingers	86	76	.531	1.0
Wichita Brigade	77	85	.475	10.0
Indianapolis Engines	67	95	.414	20.0

Southern League Standings
East	W	L	PCT	GB
St. Louis Tides	91	71	.562	-
New Orleans Knights	88	74	.543	3.0
Alabama Airmen	83	79	.512	8.0
Orlando Orcas	76	86	.469	15.0
Memphis Strummers	68	94	.420	23.0
West	W	L	PCT	GB
Arizona Sandmen	102	60	.630	-
Los Angeles Idols	98	64	.605	4.0
Las Vegas Bosses	72	90	.444	30.0
San Antonio Sheriffs	72	90	.444	30.0
Oklahoma City Scorpions	61	101	.377	41.0

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2017 LEADERS

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2017 LEADERS

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES PREVIEWS




vs

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

CHICAGO LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG F. Baker .299 R. Connor .279 B. Campaneris .265 B. Ruth .247 C. Jones .213	Team Leaders HR B. Ruth 33 C. Jones 22 R. Connor 14 E. Delahanty 9 2 tied with 6	Team Leaders RBI B. Ruth 114 R. Connor 77 F. Baker 75 C. Jones 66 B. Campaneris 63
Team Leaders W D. Lemaster 19 L. Barker 16 B. Sanders 12 B. Lyon 11 J. Santana 8	Team Leaders ERA D. Lemaster 3.33 L. Barker 3.76 B. Sanders 4.07 J. Santana 4.44	Team Leaders K D. Lemaster 172 L. Barker 132 J. Santana 116 B. Sanders 108 R. May 54

Who's Hot? P Len Barker 6-1, 1.38 Last 9 games Who's Not?

Pitching Staff Role T Pitcher G GS W L SV ERA WHIP Status Starter R Ben Sanders 32 32 12 14 0 4.07 1.23 Rested Starter L Denny Lemaster 34 34 19 8 0 3.33 1.22 Tired Starter R Len Barker 33 33 16 11 0 3.76 1.33 Totally Exhausted Starter L Atlee Hammaker 10 2 1 1 0 3.47 1.50 Slightly Tired Spot Starter L Johan Santana 29 29 8 14 0 4.44 1.30 Rested Middle Reliever R Joe Bush 21 3 1 1 1 3.88 1.64 Slightly Tired Middle Reliever R Charley Radbourn 27 9 2 6 1 5.74 1.65 Rested Setup Reliever L Johan Santana 29 29 8 14 0 4.44 1.30 Rested Setup Reliever R Bob Caruthers 18 14 7 4 0 3.99 1.17 Rested Closer R Brandon Lyon 52 0 11 6 26 2.88 1.15 Tired

Catchers # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 20 S Biz Mackey C 119 394 110 5 41 65 56 21 .279 .365 .393 45 R Heinie Peitz C 69 203 51 6 34 25 20 28 .251 .317 .394

Infielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 19 L Roger Connor 1B 146 559 156 14 77 71 69 75 .279 .359 .431 21 R Bert Campaneris SS 156 619 164 4 63 78 33 88 .265 .310 .376 40 L Frank Baker 3B 157 635 190 6 75 91 52 34 .299 .350 .392 30 S U L Washington 2B 91 300 83 5 37 37 21 33 .277 .322 .390 76 R Buck O'Neill 1B 82 257 61 3 39 28 21 31 .237 .300 .327 19 S Garry Templeton SS 39 101 31 1 10 12 1 14 .307 .320 .515 21 S Horace Clarke 2B 57 159 49 0 18 29 12 4 .308 .351 .365

Outfielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 13 L Babe Ruth RF 157 635 157 33 114 87 64 134 .247 .317 .446 83 R Charley Jones LF 127 511 109 22 66 64 38 141 .213 .268 .384 10 R Jose Cardenal CF 86 227 52 2 31 24 20 25 .229 .290 .300 14 R Ed Delahanty LF 105 335 82 9 51 49 21 64 .245 .287 .421 71 L Patsy Dougherty LF 70 217 63 0 25 26 17 30 .290 .346 .327 22 L Brett Butler CF 100 329 94 2 33 52 54 23 .286 .385 .368

LOUISVILLE LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG J. Jackson .362 J. Mumphrey .337 R. Ashburn .329 G. Richards .301 S. Burgess .290	Team Leaders HR R. Petrocelli 26 S. Burgess 12 B. Leonard 12 J. Lefebvre 10 R. Ashburn 9	Team Leaders RBI R. Petrocelli 115 J. Jackson 100 S. Burgess 93 R. Ashburn 83 J. Lefebvre 83
Team Leaders W M. Harris 21 R. Foster 17 M. Lolich 15 E. Volquez 14 E. Santana 12	Team Leaders ERA M. Harris 2.90 E. Volquez 3.68 R. Foster 3.86 E. Santana 4.30 M. Lolich 4.39	Team Leaders K M. Harris 202 E. Volquez 152 M. Lolich 146 R. Foster 94 E. Santana 75

Who's Hot? SS Robin Yount .409, 1 HR Last 25 games Who's Not?

Pitching Staff Role T Pitcher G GS W L SV ERA WHIP Status Starter L Mickey Harris 34 34 21 5 0 2.90 1.12 Rested Starter R Edinson Volquez 32 32 14 10 0 3.68 1.23 Slightly Tired Starter L Mickey Lolich 32 32 15 13 0 4.39 1.30 Rested Starter R Rube Foster 39 20 17 8 0 3.86 1.31 Totally Exhausted Spot Starter R Roy Oswalt 38 6 4 4 5 4.52 1.30 Tired Middle Reliever R Bill Hands 35 9 5 8 3 4.71 1.58 Rested Middle Reliever L John Donaldson 5 0 0 1 0 4.05 2.10 Rested Setup Reliever R Dave Rozema 32 0 1 1 4 4.37 1.29 Tired Setup Reliever R Roy Oswalt 38 6 4 4 5 4.52 1.30 Tired Closer R Brad Lidge 47 0 4 7 27 4.25 1.39 Rested

Catchers # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 7 L Smoky Burgess C 141 555 161 12 93 72 67 16 .290 .360 .411 43 S Biff Pocoroba C 23 78 15 2 7 10 5 6 .192 .238 .282

Infielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 5 S Jim Lefebvre 3B 157 619 177 10 83 83 76 68 .286 .360 .378 61 R Bill Dahlen 2B 58 140 35 2 16 24 16 25 .250 .331 .329 38 R Rico Petrocelli SS 156 604 144 26 115 87 70 108 .238 .316 .416 4 R Hans Lobert SS 112 322 94 2 41 49 19 22 .292 .333 .416 10 L Buck Leonard 1B 143 526 150 12 75 69 54 46 .285 .350 .411 82 R Robin Yount SS 42 57 20 1 11 16 4 9 .351 .393 .632 33 L Nellie Fox 2B 85 251 63 0 25 27 13 12 .251 .297 .315

Outfielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 26 L Joe Jackson LF 148 619 224 5 100 90 45 42 .362 .406 .481 1 L Richie Ashburn CF 156 653 215 9 83 125 78 29 .329 .397 .444 29 L Gene Richards RF 144 499 150 5 65 75 47 63 .301 .360 .411 29 S Jerry Mumphrey RF 132 511 172 8 71 83 39 42 .337 .383 .485 66 L Clyde Milan CF 20 28 9 1 5 4 0 0 .321 .345 .464 15 L Claudell Washington RF 35 77 27 1 12 10 5 7 .351 .390 .442

SEASON SERIES: Louisville won 8 of 10

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES PREVIEWS



vs

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

ST. LOUIS LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG R. Staub .333 T. Speaker .308 D. Snider .300 P. Suder .279	Team Leaders HR R. Staub 23 D. Snider 22 P. Suder 11 D. Higham 7 F. Lynn 7	Team Leaders RBI R. Staub 111 D. Snider 109 P. Suder 66 D. Higham 61 F. Lynn 55
Team Leaders W V. Trucks 19 B. Arroyo 18 T. Bond 16 V. Zambrano 10 H. Pennock 8	Team Leaders ERA V. Trucks 3.44 T. Bond 3.51 B. Arroyo 3.81	Team Leaders K 2 tied with 167 T. Bond 167 V. Trucks 167 B. Arroyo 118 H. Pennock 69

Who's Hot? P Joe Sambito 10 SV, 1.13 Last 14 games Who's Not?

Pitching Staff Role T Pitcher G GS W L SV ERA WHIP Status Starter R Virgil Trucks 35 35 19 9 0 3.44 1.31 Totally Exhausted Starter R Tommy Bond 34 33 16 9 1 3.51 1.13 Rested Starter R Bronson Arroyo 31 31 18 8 0 3.81 1.32 Rested Starter R Frank Smith 9 9 3 6 0 6.99 1.99 Slightly Tired Middle Reliever R Victor Zambrano 44 5 10 9 1 6.35 1.57 Rested Middle Reliever R Mike Morgan 47 0 2 6 0 5.35 1.66 Rested Setup Reliever L Joe Hoerner 37 0 4 0 4 2.04 1.23 Rested Setup Reliever L Herb Pennock 28 20 8 8 1 3.83 1.21 Rested Closer L Joe Sambito 49 0 4 1 31 1.54 1.27 Rested

Catchers # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 32 L Dick Higham C 120 449 120 7 61 60 29 59 .267 .311 .399 4 R Doggie Miller C 93 243 61 6 38 38 24 17 .251 .320 .407

Infielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 40 L Johnny Evers 2B 105 384 102 2 28 55 54 11 .266 .367 .359 10 R Pete Suder SS 152 584 163 11 66 86 30 35 .279 .325 .396 51 R Dan Uggla SS 13 29 5 1 5 5 4 6 .172 .273 .379 9 R Hal Chase 3B 101 261 68 3 36 30 6 31 .261 .281 .360 23 L Ed Kranepool 1B 25 85 24 0 9 11 4 4 .282 .315 .353 20 R Willie Randolph 2B 93 294 72 1 30 38 28 23 .245 .312 .316

Outfielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 6 L Duke Snider CF 155 630 189 22 109 93 44 89 .300 .347 .478 18 R Tommy Harper RF 65 209 45 3 16 23 12 29 .215 .259 .330 54 L Carl Crawford LF 18 42 15 0 5 6 0 10 .357 .357 .405 20 L Fred Lynn RF 124 306 97 7 55 45 24 27 .317 .366 .448 50 R Jack Manning RF 27 59 13 0 7 8 3 10 .220 .270 .339 13 L Art Shamsky RF 12 30 4 0 2 1 0 4 .133 .129 .167 2 R Barry Bonnell RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000

ARIZONA LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG M. Hargrove .304 S. Thompson .298 R. Jones .280 J. McGraw .272 H. Walker .270	Team Leaders HR S. Thompson 20 R. Jones 16 G. Soto 10 J. McGraw 9 3 tied with 8	Team Leaders RBI R. Jones 87 S. Thompson 86 M. Hargrove 84 H. Walker 79 G. Soto 77
Team Leaders W D. Leonard 23 M. LaCoss 19 J. Verlander 16 D. Casey 13 H. Coveleski 8	Team Leaders ERA M. LaCoss 2.77 J. Verlander 3.20 D. Leonard 3.29 D. Casey 3.40	Team Leaders K J. Verlander 172 D. Leonard 151 D. Casey 124 M. LaCoss 80 S. Paige 63

Who's Hot? P Jose Valverde 15 SV, 0.82 Last 21 games P Randy Choate 2 SV, 1.08 Last 13 games P Harry Coveleski 4-1, 1.31 Last 8 games 2B John McGraw .440, 2 HR Last 7 games 3B Larry Gardner .400, 1 HR Last 8 games Who's Not?

Pitching Staff Role T Pitcher G GS W L SV ERA WHIP Status Starter R Mike LaCoss 33 33 19 12 0 2.77 1.24 Rested Starter L Dutch Leonard 33 33 23 9 0 3.29 1.18 Slightly Tired Starter R Justin Verlander 31 31 16 8 0 3.20 1.15 Exhausted Starter L Harry Coveleski 18 16 8 7 0 3.46 1.23 Totally Exhausted Spot Starter L Dan Casey 30 26 13 12 0 3.40 1.31 Rested Middle Reliever R Satchel Paige 26 7 3 5 4 3.95 1.37 Rested Middle Reliever R Clark Griffith 37 0 4 1 2 5.59 1.56 Rested Setup Reliever L Dan Casey 30 26 13 12 0 3.40 1.31 Rested Setup Reliever L Randy Choate 26 0 2 1 5 1.59 1.09 Rested Closer R Jose Valverde 48 0 6 3 29 2.42 1.04 Rested

Catchers # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 34 R Geovany Soto C 143 559 131 10 77 65 60 147 .234 .312 .343 60 R Mike Grady C 34 94 15 2 7 16 8 12 .160 .223 .223

Infielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 40 L John McGraw 2B 130 493 134 9 50 91 89 50 .272 .386 .371 3 R Phil Garner 2B 84 223 61 2 23 30 17 23 .274 .321 .390 14 L Larry Gardner 3B 115 380 108 1 65 52 35 12 .284 .345 .376 21 R Willie Wells SS 105 347 88 8 48 38 18 76 .254 .299 .386 28 S Wes Parker 1B 111 356 107 6 42 56 29 46 .301 .357 .452 6 R Whitey Kurowski 3B 5 11 3 0 1 1 2 2 .273 .385 .273

Outfielders # B Player Pos G AB H HR RBI R BB K .AVG OBP SLG 42 L Harry Walker LF 138 540 146 8 79 81 71 25 .270 .351 .376 31 L Ruppert Jones CF 156 596 167 16 87 86 56 112 .280 .343 .435 23 R Irish Meusel RF 63 202 53 2 26 27 3 45 .262 .273 .371 22 L Mike Hargrove LF 159 598 182 8 84 84 75 35 .304 .383 .416 43 R Jason Bay LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 17 R Rube Bressler LF 19 44 11 0 6 8 4 7 .250 .313 .386 50 R Mickey Stanley CF 22 62 15 2 8 8 3 4 .242 .277 .371

SEASON SERIES: Arizona won 9 of 10

[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

[kenyan_cheena]

Great start to the postseason, on both fronts!

[PhillieFever]

Despite losing game one, Louisville to me seems like a much better team than Chicago, and I fully expect them to bounce back. In the west, I feel the same way about Arizona, they are the much better team. That said, one team will most likely be upset, which one?....

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Great start to the postseason, on both fronts!

Ha...thought you would like that.

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

Despite losing game one, Louisville to me seems like a much better team than Chicago, and I fully expect them to bounce back. In the west, I feel the same way about Arizona, they are the much better team. That said, one team will most likely be upset, which one?....

Louisville is very, very solid. Chicago is prone to slumps, such as the start of September that almost derailed them. Connor, despite his milestones this year, actually had an off season. Ruth had power numbers but his average collapsed below .250. And Charley Jones has power but doesn't get on base. Against good pitching, a team like that could struggle to generate runs (though they scored 9 in game one!). A lot rides on Sanders and if Len Barker can keep up his late season surge.

In the South, I hate that Speaker and Staub are out for St. Louis, and really hate that Sam Thompson is out for Arizona. Stuab is probably back this series, but Speaker won't return until the PBL Championship if the Tides make it that far. Thompson is done for the year. But the Sandmen are really deep and have great pitching. Even without a real power threat I think they survive. The Tides blew their chance to ratchet up the pressure there in Game One.

We'll see.

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




vs

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

Game Two: Denny LeMaster (19-8, 3.33) goes for Chicago against Edinson Volquez (14-10, 3.68).

Both pitchers are on their game, but it's Chicago that strikes first. Jose Cardenal took a Volquez fastball over the rightfield wall to give the Hitmen a 1-0 lead.

Volquez got back to work, and LeMaster was sharp for the third and fourth. But in the fifth, his control left him.

After retiring the first two batters, LeMaster walked Richie Ashburn on 9 pitches. Jim Lefebvre was hit by a pitch. Then Joe Jackson walked to load the bases. Then Rico Petrocelli walked on four pitches. Three walks and a hit batsman yielded a run for Louisville and we were tied.

Washington doubled to start the top of the 6th. Two batters later, Patsy Dougherty singled to bring him in and LeMaster had the chance to put the bizarre fifth behind him.

Jerry Mumphrey singled to lead off the 6th. But LeMaster got through it. Ashburn singled to start the 7th...but LeMaster got through that, too.

Volquez was fine the rest of the way, leaving the pressure on LeMaster.

He would throw a perfect 8th, and closer Brandon Lyon would throw a 1-2-3 ninth for the Hitmen to give them a 2-0 lead in the series. They now get three games at home with the hope of finishing the series in friendly territory.

Chicago 2, Louisville 1 (Chicago leads series 2-0)

vs

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

Game Two: Bronson Arroyo (18-8, 3.81) goes for the Tides against Dutch Leonard (23-9, 3.29).

After a brutal, crushing Game One defeat, many thought the Tides would be crippled.

That didn't last.

Three batters into the game, after Duke Snider launched a 435-foot blast to center, the Tides were up 3-0, and there was a bounce in their collective step.

The bottom of the first, which caused three unearned runs after yet another error, this one by Arroyo, saw Arizona score four runs, the big blow being Ruppert Jones' two-run double. And so, after one inning, Arizona led 4-3.

In the third, Dan Uggla blasted a homer off Leonard to lift St. Louis back from trouble, tying the game at 4.

In the bottom of the third, St. Louis' defense proved costly. Errors by Pete Suder and Hal Chase led to another run when Chase missed an easy grounder to allow a run to score and make it 5-4 Arizona.

Mike Hargrove hit an RBI single for Arizona in the bottom of the 4th, and Larry Gardner did the same in the 5th - his coming off Joe Hoerner, who relieved Arroyo, the make it 7-4 Arizona, and St. Louis seemed to be having the series slip away from them.

In the top of the 7th, Tommy Harper tripled off Satchel Paige, who relieved Dutch Leonard after a 42 minute rain delay in the 6th. Dick Higham doubled Harper home to make it 7-5. Clark Griffith came on, and promptly walked Johnny Evers. That set the stage for Willie Randolph, who yanked a 3-run shot down the rightfield line to put St. Louis on top 8-7, and again restore St. Louis' faith they could win.

The game stayed that way until the 9th, when Arizona brought in Randy Choate to relieve. He faced five batters, walking three and retiring two. Dan Casey then came in to relieve him, only to have Fred Lynn greet him with a 2-run single to give the Tides some cushion and a 10-7 lead.

Joe Sambito came in to try and close it out for the Tides. Ruppert Jones grounded out to lead off the inning. Then Wes Parker singled. Next, Willie Wells did the same. Irish Meusel came up next and repeated the feat. Parker came around to score, only to have Tommy Harper reverse the poor-defense trend, gunning him down at home.

It wasn't over yet, though,

John McGraw followed up with a single, bringing Wells around to score, cutting the score to 10-8.

Mike Grady came up with runners on second and third. But Sambito got Grady to lift a lazy fly to center...questionable with the Tides' six errors in two games...but Snider secured it and the Tides, despite all their flaws, were back in the series.

St. Louis 10, Arizona 8 (series tied 1-1)

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




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

Game Three: As the series returns to Chicago, Mickey Lolich (15-13, 4.39) - who went 4-1 last postseason - tries to give Louisville hope against the Hitmen's Len Barker (16-11, 3.76), who was September's Northern League Pitcher of the Month.

Of course, this is October.

But after two innings, the Hitmen led 4-0 and a 3-0 series lead seemed in hand. A Lolich wild pitch in the first scored Frank Baker. Then, in the second, Ed Delahanty hit an RBI single and Baker added a 2-run double.

In the top of the third, Nellie Fox led off with a walk. Richie Ashburn then doubled to bring Fox home and make it a 4-1 game. Joe Jackson then singled and Ashburn tore around third. But Charley Jones made a perfect throw to the plate to cut him down. Smokey Burgess and Rico Petrocelli would walk to load the bases. But Buck Leonard struck out, and it seemed the lost rally would linger over Louisville.

In the fifth, though, Jackson doubled and Burgess singled him home to make it 4-2. Petrocelli doubled but the slow-footed Burgess couldn't score. Leonard's subsequent groundout did the job, and at 4-3 we had a game.

From there pitching took over. Louisville didn't get another hit through the 8th, by which time Mickey Lolich had come out with a shoulder injury and Bill Hands had relieved him admirably.

So when it went to the top of the 9th, it was a 1-run ballgame turned over to Chicago closer Brandon Lyon. What started out tense devolved into the absurd.

Six walks, five hits and a wild pitch - split between Lyon and Joe Bush - yielded a 10-run ninth inning for Louisville and a 13-4, come-from-behind win that kept them from the brink of elimination, and could play an incredible role in the rest of this series mentally.

Louisville 13, Chicago 4 (Chicago leads series 2-1)

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

Game Three: As the series heads to St. Louis, the Tides send Virgil Trucks (19-9, 3.44) to the hill against Arizona's Justin Verlander (16-8, 3.20). But the Tides get an extra bump as Rusty Staub (.333-23-111) returns to action after an abdominal strain kept him out for two weeks.

And in the bottom of the first, Staub let everyone know he was back with a 2-out double into the gap. That would be followed by a Duke Snider home run to put the Tides up 2-0 in this pivotal Game Three.

Johnny Evers added an RBI single in the second for the Tides, scoring Ed Kranepool, to make it 3-0.

Arizona checked in the fifth, when an Irish Meusel groundout brought home Wes Parker to cut it to 3-1. Verlander was in a groove, not allowing a hit between Evers' single and Pete Suder's 2-out single in the bottom of the sixth, a half inning after a Ruppert Jones single brought home Mike Hargrove to make it a 3-2 St. Louis lead. That was set up by a Hargrove single on which he went to second on an error by Staub in right, then went to third on a wild pitch, the Tides' defense again biting them.

Trucks was solid, though, and came out to throw the top of the 8th. But back-to-back doubles from Larry Gardner and Hargrove made it a 3-3 tie.

Neither side could crack it open through nine, so it was on to free baseball.

Herb Pennock came on in relief of Trucks, and walked Hargrove to start the inning. Harry Walker then singled before Geovany Soto struck out for the first out. Ruppert Jones grounded out to first, moving the runners over. Then Wes Parker slapped one in the hole. Suder dove and knocked it down but had no play, and the Sandmen had a 4-3 lead.

Willie Wells then came up and improved to 7-for-15 in the series, crushing his second homer of the series - a three-run jack to blow the game open to 7-4.

Jose Valverde came on for the Sandmen to close it out and, as he did 29 times during the regular season, he did so successfully, giving the Sandmen the win and control of the series.

Arizona 7, St. Louis 4 (10 innings) - Arizona leads series 2-1

[kenyan_cheena]

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

They had a 3-0 series lead in their grasp...will it cost them? Still two games at home.

[PhillieFever]

Game 4 in the East should be very interesting. Losing a game like that in the 9th is terribly deflating. In the West, Arizona has seemingly taken control, and may not lose another game.