NLDS: Brooklyn comes back to slip past Bucs in 5

The 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers come into this series exhausted and dragging from the emotional 4-game sweep against the Giants that was needed to get here – and coming from behind in the standings to leap frog 2 teams in the process to make these playoffs. The 1977 Pittsburgh Pirates come in as the favorite at Home and well-rested.

Game 1:
Pittsburgh began this series with its ace, John Candelaria – and the Dodgers, on the road, had to go with Ralph Branca, their #3 in the rotation, due to fatigue. However, the Dodgers drew first blood in the top half of the 3rd inning by scoring 2 runs off a SAC fly from Duke Snider and a Double from Roy Campanella. They scored again in the 4th inning off the bat of Andy Pafko, who hit a solo shot off the Candyman. In the 5th inning, the Dodgers struck the Candyman again with a Double from Jackie Robinson that was followed by a Single from Campanella. Behind 4-0 heading into the bottom half of the 5th inning, Pittsburgh began to fight back with a 2-run Triple from Al Oliver – who eventually scored on an Error. The Dodger lead was now cut to 4-3. But, Campanella Doubled and later scored on an Error too. In the bottom half of the 7 inning, Pittsburgh loaded the bases with no outs – and the Dodgers sacrificed a run to turn the Doubleplay and got out of the inning, still having a modest 5-4 lead. Pittsburgh then brought in Rich “Goose” Gossage to cool Brooklyn off – and it worked. Heading into the bottom of the 9th inning and cruisin’ to a victory, the Dodgers sat Branca down and brought in their closer, Clem Labine. However, Pittsburgh quickly had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Then, Labine threw a Wild Pitch to move the runners over. The stage was set for a Pittsburgh comeback-victory at Home. Labine calmed down to get Frank Tavares and then K’d Omar Moreno. With 2 outs, Oliver came thru with a Single to tie the game at 5-5. With runners on 1st and 3rd, Labine got out of the jam with a Phil Garner pop up. We are now heading into extra innings. During this extra session, Pittsburgh used Kent Tekulve, Grant Jackson, and Bruce Kison –while the Dodgers continued to ride Labine. Both teams pitched well and Offense was held scoreless thru the 10th, 11th, 12th, and the 13th innings. In the 14th inning, the Dodgers “broke the silence” when Kison Walked-in the winning run. The Dodgers brought in Bud Podbielan to shut the door, with a 1-2-3 inning.
Dodgers take Game 1 in another emotional game. Roy Campanella received game honors, by going 3-for-7 and getting 2 RBI’s.

Game 2:
For Game 2, Pittsburgh came flying out of the gate and shelled Dodger ace Don Newcombe by scoring 2 runs in the bottom half of the 1st inning on a 2-run blast from Bill Robinson – and another 4 runs in the bottom half of the 3rd inning on 5 straight hits that was capped by a Willie Stargell Double. The Dodgers put up a small fight against Pittsburgh’s Jerry Reuss by scoring 4 runs of their own in the top half of the 4th inning on 4 Singles. But, leading 6-4, Pittsburgh poured it on by scoring 2 more runs in the bottom half of the 5th inning on a Double from Dave Parker and a Single from Rennie Stennett.

That is how the score remained, and Pittsburgh took Game 2: 8-4 – with Newcombe giving up all 8 runs. It was a quick and painless victory for Pittsburgh, who “operated” on the Dodgers with steel precision. Bill Robinson took game honors – but a serious nod must go to Jerry Reuss, who pitched well, to hold down this Dodger team.

Game 3:
Heading into Brooklyn, Pittsburgh drew first blood in Game 3 by scoring a run on a SAC fly from Dave Parker in the top half of the 1st inning off Dodger Preacher Roe. Things got real quiet after that, as Roe matched Jim Rooker, who is a Cy Young candidate and went 7-0 during the regular season, pitch for pitch. In the bottom half of the 7th inning, the Dodgers got back into the game with a run to even things up when Roy Campanella hit a solo shot. With Rooker leading off the 8 inning, Pittsburgh risked taking out their most consistent pitcher by going with a DH – unfortunately Pittsburgh failed to score. Goose Gossage then came in for Pittsburgh to hold the Dodgers at bay, while Roe continued to hold off Pittsburgh – as another game went into extra innings. Roe held strong for 11 innings. In the 12th inning, Bud Podbielan came in for the Dodgers, but he surrendered 2 runs when Willie Stargell Doubled Home Rennie Stennett – and then Ken Macha Singled Home Stargell. Down 2 runs in the bottom half of the 12th inning, the Dodgers did manage a run when Jackie Robinson Tripled and Gil Hodges Doubled with 2 outs. But with Hodges standing on 2nd Base, the game ended when Grant Jackson got Andy Pafko to whiff.
Pittsburgh took Game 3: 4-3 – and now lead the series 2 games to 1. Jim Rooker took game honors, and it appears that fatigue is setting in for the Dodgers.

Game 4:
Desperate to ignite the team, the Dodger Manager pulled a bold move by exposing his bullpen and putting Clem Labine on the mound to square off against Bruce Kison. The move appeared to pay off, as Labine held even with Kison – and both pitchers were on fire. Kison held the Dodgers scoreless and surrendered just 3 hits in 6 innings, and Labine surrendered just 2 hits in those same 6 innings. In the top half of the 7th inning, Pittsburgh made their move – and scored 3 runs that was capped by a 2-run shot by Ed Ott. Things looked bleak for the Dodgers, as Pittsburgh was looking to close out the series with this 3-0 lead. But, they may have made a mistake by prematurely taking out Kison, who was pitching a masterpiece, for a DH. So, in comes Grant Jackson to start the 8th inning for Pittsburgh. Being at Home, and with the series on the line, the Dodgers jumped all over Jackson, who Walked the bases loaded, with 1 out. Jackson got the 2nd out when Billy Cox hit a SAC fly to score Gil Hodges, and it cut the lead to 3-1. With 2 outs and Labine set to bat, the Dodgers went to their bench for Cal Abrams, who was quiet all season. This is the time when heroes rise to the occasion and legends are made……Abrams stepped to the plate and smacked a 3-run jack off Jackson to take a 4-3 lead. The crowd went wild. Goose Gossage then came in for Jackson to close out the inning for Pittsburgh, but the damage was done. Bud Podbielan came in for the Dodgers, as he sought to redeem himself for the prior loss, and he shut Pittsburgh down in the 8th and 9th innings.
The Dodgers take Game 4: 4-3 – in another emotional victory to force a Game 5. Bud Podbielan took game honors for shutting Pittsburgh down, but he should split game honors with Cal Abrams.

Game 5:
With Game 5 on the line and back at Home, Pittsburgh went back to their ace, John Candelaria – while the Dodgers countered with Ralph Branca again, setting the stage for a rematch of Game 1. But, the Dodgers did not take long to make a statement, as they jumped to a quick 4-0 lead in the very 1st inning off the Candyman with 5 Singles and a Walk. Branca did his part for the Dodgers, as he scattered 6 hits and held Pittsburgh scoreless thru 7 innings. In the bottom half of the 8th inning, Pittsburgh fought back by loading the bases in time to have Dave Parker clear the pads with a 3-run Double. The Dodgers held firm and left Branca in the game, and he got out of the jam to retain a 4-3 lead. The Candyman, Kent Tekulve, and Goose Gossage held the Dodgers scoreless for the last 8 innings, but that 1st inning was all the Dodgers needed – and Branca pitched a complete game victory for the Dodgers, as he retired Pittsburgh 1-2-3 in the 9th inning.
Dodgers win the series on the road !!!
Ralph Branca took game honors, rightfully so, as he helped the Dodgers win Game 5 and win the series 3 games to 2. In doing so, Branca earned series MVP for winning Game 1 and Game 5. There was no clear hero on Offense for the Dodgers, as everyone played a small role in the team effort. The turning point in this series would have been the 3-run jack from Cal Abrams in that 7th inning of Game 4, as the Dodgers faced elimination, to take the lead and force Game 5.
--submitted by Georges Bseraini--

ALDS: Game 5 theatrics in Anaheim

GAME 5 - Angel Stadium - Boston 5, LA-Anaheim 3 - Boston wins series 3 games to 2

Due to network scheduling issues this game was put on hold for 3 days. The Sawx flew out to the coast feeling like they let one get away, but not closing it out in 4 games at home in Fenway. The Halos had captured all the momentum and looked to pull off the upset on their home turf. Boston went to their act, Mel Parnell who entered the game 6-3. The Halos tapped Paul Byrd who was their starter for game 1. The Angles struck first when Chone Figgins led off the bottom of the 1st with a big triple. DaVanon walked and a big inning looked to be in the making until Vlad hit into a run scoring DP. Certainly Parnell was happy to yield on the 1 run. That run was looming large until Boston tied it up in the 5th when Bobby Doerr hit a 422 foot solo shot to dead center.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the 6th when Bengie Molina blasted a solo shot of his own to make it 2-1. The bottom of the 7th saw Orlando Cabrera lead off with a double and Jeff DaVanon single him home two batters later. Anaheim had themselves a nice 3-1 lead with only 6 outs left to be recorded. Byrd was flat out keeping the Bosox batters off balance, sans the Doerr homer.

Then in the top of the 8th it all came crashing down. Scott Shields was called on to relieve Paul Byrd, who to that point had only thrown 78 pitches. The Angels formula all year had been to get to the 8th and bring in Shields, then go to K-rod in the 9th. This time the formula didn't work. Shields walked Doerr, then Al Zarilla doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Birdie Tebbetts singled home Doerr to make it 3-2. Pitcher Mel Parnell, batting instead of the DH (because he hits better than the Boston bench guys), singled to help his own cause to tie up the game and put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Pesky walked to load the bases and that was it for Shields. Escobar was hurried in and he walked Bill Goodman to put Boston up 4-3. Still there was nobody out and the Bosox truly looked to break it open. Escobar came up big by fanning DiMaggio and the great T.S. Williams before inducing Stephens to ground out weakly to Figgins at 3rd. Escobar kept his team in it and gave them a chance.

In the bottom of the inning Molina doubled with one out. Izturis came in to pinch run as Finley walked to make it 1st and 2nd. Parnell threw a sinker and Robb Quinlan blasted a one hopper to the slick fielding Billy Goodman at first, who turned a nifty 3-6-3 DP to crush the Angels chances in the 8th. The top of the 9th saw Al Zarilla hit a monster shot into the waterfall in center to make it 5-3. Reliever Esteban Yan yielded that clout with one out. Cabrera, Kennedy and Figgins went down easily in the bottom of the 9th as Mel Parnell went the distance to close out the series. The cruel fates of the baseball gods, which usually turn on the boys from Beantown did the exact opposite. Boston's manager was quoted after the contest as saying, "We really lucked out...we've been a resilient bunch all year, but this was a lot to ask of a team, yet somehow they were able to come through.

Angels manager D.Zaner was stunned. He said he would rather lose 8-0 than this way. The Orange County media immediately began second guessing him after the game for removing Byrd in favor of Shields. How fickle the press and the fans are. That same formula worked all season and this reporter is 100% sure that if he left Byrd in and he got bombed those same geniuses would be second guessing that move. All in all the Angels had a great comeback season, where they caught the Brewers on the final day of the season and one a nail biting play in game to even make the post season. A weary Boston team be taking the train to Philadelphia for the ALCS, which opens Saturday night.

ALDS: '32 A's Sweep '61 Tigers in 3

[GAME 1 - Shibe Park - PHA 4, DET 3 - 10 inn] - A's up 1 game to 0
Lefty Grove and Jim Bunning were tasked with controlling two star studded lineups. Giving up 3 runs in regulation to either of these lineups is nothing to be ashamed of. Bunning tired and was replaced by Fox who yielded a walkoff homer to Al Simmons in the 10 with one out to put the A's up 1 game to 0 in this ALDS.

[GAME 2 - Shibe Park - PHA 5, DET 4] - A's up 2 games to 0
The second game was a bit more high scoring than the first, but again the results were the same. Philly was able to best Detroit by 1 run and go up 2 games to none in this best of 5 series. Both starters (Don Mossi - Det and Al Freitas - PHA) were barely pedestrian. Detroit tied the game at 4 apiece when Norm Cash singled home Jake Wood in the top of the 7th. Sadly for Motown, future HOF'er Al Kaline hit into a DP prior to Cash's at bat and took his squad out of the big inning. The Mackmen answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning when their HOF'er, Jimmie Foxx, blasted one deep into the night. Detroit threatened in the 9th and ace Lefty Grove was called on to get 1 out and save the game. The loss put the Tigers on the brink of elimination.


GAME 3 - Tiger Stadium - PHA 2, DET 1] - A's win series 3 games to 0
For 5 innings Walberg (PHA) and Foytack (DET) dueled in the sun and did not allow a run. The 6th inning saw all the scoring on the day, when Rube Walberg led off the inning with a single. After McNair flew out to Bruton in center, Mule Haas walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with oue out. Jimmie Foxx lined out to Boros at third and the Tigers looked to be out of it until Al Simmons struck again. Instead of a homer, Simmons doubled into the gap in left center to score both Walberg and Haas. Walberg was able to make both of those runs stand up as he led the A's to a victory and series sweep. Detroit scored their lone run in the bottom of the 6th, when Jake Wood led off the home half of the inning with a solo home run. Bill Bruton followed Wood's homer with a single, but never came around to score. Detroit threatened again in the 8th when pinch hitter Morton led off with a double, but the next two batters (Wood and Bruton) failed to advance him. Kaline walked in an obvious attempt to pitch around him, but Norm Cash...who had been oh, so clutch all season, fanned to end the inning. Walberg had little trouble with the Tigers in the 9th as he went the distance.

'Fraid-Knott...Halos tie up series, force Game 5

[GAME 4 - Fenway Park - LAA 6, BOS 4] - Series tied 2 apiece.
Up 2 games to 1 and looking to close out the series on their home turf the Red Sox went to game 1 winner Ellis Kinder. The Halos countered with Bart Colon, who would be making his first appearance in the series. From the outset Kinder did not look sharp on short rest. The Angels struck first with 2 in the vistors half of the second. Darin Erstad doubled home Anderson and Izturis singled Erstad home with 2 outs. Juan Rivera's solo shot off of Kinder put the Angels up 3-0 in the 4th, but Boston posted 2 of their own that inning to make it 3-2. Doerr doubled home Williams, who again walked and advanced on a passed ball charged to Molina. Al Zarilla singled home Doerr, but could not score on Birdie Tebbetts 2 out blooper. Chone Figgins hit a solo shot with one out in the 5th to put the Halos back up by 2. Heading into the bottom of the 9th LA-Anaheim was up 6-2. A Dom DiMaggio solo shot and back to back doubles by Stephens and Doerr made it interesting, but K-Rod came on in the 9th to close it out and send the series back to the West Coast all knotted at 2 apiece with a decisive game 5 looming.

Will they ever Vern ? Boston goes up 2 games to 1

[GAME 3 - Fenway Park - BOS 5, LAA 4] - Red Sox lead series 2-1
The Angels drew first blood in the opening stanza when Cabrera doubled and Garrett Anderson singled him home with a clutch two out knock off of Joe Dobson. Boston struck back with 2 in the second when Billy Goodman and Dom DiMaggio had clutch 2 out RBI singles as well. The Halos went up 3-2 by posting 2 in the 4th when Bengie Molina and Adam Kennedy had RBI singles. Not to be outdone the Bosox touched Angel starter John "hard luck" Lackey for 3 runs to take a 5-3 lead. Vern Stephens, who time and time again has had to hit after Williams has walked, had a 2 out single to plate Goodman and DiMaggio. Doerr followed it up with an RBI single to score Williams who was again intentionally passed. The Angels made it interesting by scoring a run in the 7th. Mel Parnell was brought on to get the final 2 outs in the 9th and he did just that by fanning Figgins and pinch hitter Jerry DaVanon.

O-Yeah ! - Angels tie series at 1 each

[GAME 2 - Angel Stadium - LAA 7, BOS 3] - Series Tied 1-1
Red Sox starter Mel Parnell had nothing as the Angel offense came to life. Down 1-0 in the 4th the Angels posted all 7 of their runs in a 4 inning span. Starter Jarred Washburn kept his record unblemished as he went the distance and scattered 3 runs. Orlando Cabrera's 1 out triple knocked in 2 in the 5th to put the Angels on top and get the offense rolling. Cabrera was the catalyst in the 7th innning as well when he singled, stole second and scored on Chone Figgins triple.

Kinder-locked...Boston wins opener

[GAME 1 - Angel Stadium - BOS 5, LAA 1] - Boston up 1-0
Ellis Kinder was tossing goose eggs until the Angels scored a solo run in the 7th. Paul Byrd was not as lucky as he yielded 4 of Boston's 5 runs. The Sawx scored 3 big runs in the 3rd and never looked back. Ted Williams was given and intentional pass with 2 outs to load the bases. Vern Stephens followed him with a line shot single to left to score Johnny Pesky and Billy Goodman. For good measure Bobby Doerr singled home Williams. Kinder went the distance to notch the win. Angels reliever Ervin Santana left the game with tightness in the shoulder after throwing only 5 pitches in the 7th.