Blog Archive

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Cincinnati SWEEPS Baltimore to Capture World Series Crown


The Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Reds squared off in the 1970 Series.
  Both teams had defeated powerful opponents in the League Championship 
Series, and both featured powerful offenses (Cincinnati was first in the majors
 in OPS, Baltimore fifth), strong pitching (Baltimore first in ERA, Cincinnati 
eight.

Game 1 (Gary Nolan vs Jim Palmer)

Cincinnati jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd as Bench, Helms, and Concepcion
 strung together hits off Palmer. Cincinnati would make the lead 5-0 in the top 
of the 7th, as Tolan singled, stole second, and scored on a Bench single. Lee 
May then hit a 2-run homer to clear the bases.


Baltimore threatened in the bottom of the 7th, as two singles and a walk to 
lead off the inning chased Nolan. Wayne Granger was summoned from the 
Reds pen to face Davey Johnson with the bases loaded and no outs. Johnson 
would drive in a run with a sac fly, but Mark Belanger grounded into a double 
play to end the threat.


Baltimore would get one more run in the bottom of the 8th, but never seriously 
challenged again.

WP: Nolan LP: Palmer S: Granger
HR: May

 Game 2 (Tony Cloninger vs Dave McNally)

 Neither team scored in the first 3 innings, but the Reds broke out for 6 runs in 
the top of the 4th. Tony Perez led off the inning with a home run. After Bench 
struck out, Lee May doubled, Hal McRae singled, and Tommy Helms popped 
out, Dave Concepcion came to the plate with two on and two out. The Reds 
offense then exploded, as Concepcion doubled, pitcher Cloninger singled, 
Rose singled, Tolan singled, and Perez capped off the sequence with another 
single. The inning ended with the Reds on top 6-0. The Reds held on to win 7-3.

WP: Cloninger LP: McNally S: Gullett
HR: Perez

Game 3 (Tony Cloninger vs Dave McNally)

The Reds once again jumped on Orioles’ pitching early, as Rose and Perez 
scored on a Bench double in the bottom of the 1st. Cincinnati added 4 more 
in the bottom of the 3rd as Bench hit a 3-run homer followed by a Lee May 
solo shot. Cincinnati scratched out another run in the 4th, and added 3 more 
in the 8th as Tolan singled Woodward home and Perez followed with a 2-run 
homer. Davey Johnson hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 9th, but the Orioles
 never really threatened in this one.

WP: McGlothlin LP: Cuellar
HR: Perez, Bench, May, D. Johnson

Game 4 (Gary Nolan vs Jim Palmer)

The Reds again jumped out to an early lead, as Perez, May, and Carbo singles 
sandwiched a Bench walk to generate 2 runs. The Reds added another run in the 
3rd as Perez once again homered.


The Orioles would now bow out quietly in this one, however. In the top of the 6th, 
Don Buford singled, Boog Powell doubled, and Frank Robinson doubled them both
 home to make the score Reds 3 Orioles 2. The Orioles added another 2 runs in the
 top of the 7th to take the lead against Reds reliever Don Gullett. The Reds tied the 
game in the bottom of the 7th, as pinch hitter Pat Corrales singled home May with 
the tying run.


The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th. Against Orioles reliever Eddie 
Watt, Perez doubled to lead of the inning. Bench was intentionally walked. Lee May
 struck out, followed by a walk to Jimmy Stewart. With the bases loaded, Reds 
manager Schneider was forced to send up pitcher Jim McGlothlin as a pinch hitter 
due to an empty bench. McGlothlin predictably struck out, bringing Woody Woodward 
to the plate with two outs. Woodward forced a walk to complete the Reds sweep.

WP: Wilcox LP: Watt
HR: Perez


Series MVP was Tony Perez, who hit 3 home runs in 4 games to go along with a .450 
average and 6 RBIs.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Baltimore Trumps Twins in ALCS 3-2

The Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles battled to the end but the O's hung on to move to the World Series with a 3-2 win.  It is the second year in a row the both teams faced each other for the right to move on to to the big show.  Baltimore looked like they may sweep Minnesota by winning games 1 (4-2) and 2 (6-3) on the road and having to travel back to Memorial Stadium for game 3 left Oriole fans feeling like it was a done deal for their team.  However, Minnesota captured the next two games (3-1 and 4-1) leaving the Baltimore faithful feeling stunned.  But the Baltimore bats came alive in game 5 rocking out 15 hits and 9 runs to capture the ALCS title.

In 1969 the Orioles defeated the Twins 3-1, only to end up losing to Pittsburgh in the World Series.  This time Baltimore will face Cincinnati for the right to wear baseballs elusive crown.