Pirates slug their way past Atlanta

Game 1:  Pittsburgh 4  Atlanta 3 
              W- Blyleven (4-7)   L- Niekro (12-2)
              HR- Stennett (1), Burroughs (12)

Game 2:  Atlanta 10  Pittsburgh 9
              W- Mahler (1-4)   L- Candelaria (6-5)
              HR - Parker (18), Stargell (18), Burroughs (13), Horner (1)

Game 3:  Pittsburgh 9  Atlanta 7
              W- Bibby (5-2)   L- Hanna (2-5)
              HR - Stargell (19), Matthews (4)

Series summary:

Dave Parker continued his assualt on N.L. pitchers, as he drove in 10 runs in the 3 game series.
His 6 hits raised his average to an amazing .396 this season.
Willie Stargell also homered twice to get to 19 on the year.
Bert Blylven outdueled Phil Niekro in the first game, preventing the knuckleballer from getting his 13th win.
Though overshadowed a bit by the Pirates hitters, Jeff Burroughs has been doing all he can to try and carry his Braves team.  He hasn't gotten much help to date, but perhaps phenom callup Bob Horner can help.  Horner arrived with the team on Thursday and immediately entered the starting lineup at 3rd base.  He hit his first HR of the year in the second game, a no-doubter into the left field bleachers.




Stargell has an impressive 19 HRs on the season in only 157 ABs



Seaver and the Reds out duel Red Birds.

Cincinnati,
Game 1,
Tom Seaver was on his "A" game as he went the distance to earn his 7th win on the campaign.  Tom Terrific had a shut out until the ninth inning when George Hendrick hit a solo homerun. However, Seaver went on to retire the side for the triumph.  Dan Driessen hit two homeruns and Geronimo added another.  Reds 4...Cardinals 1.

Game 2,

Cincinnati scored two runs in the first inning on a RBI double by George Foster and a balk committed by Pete Vuckovich.  Bill Bonham went 8 innings to move to 5-2 on the year. Doug Bair pitched the ninth to nail down his 5th save.  Pete Rose added another run later in the game to seal the game. Reds 3...Cardinals 0.


Game 3,

Outfielder George Hendrick had a very good game as he hit 2 homeruns and drove in 3 runs to lead St. Louis passed the Big Red Machine to prevent the sweep.  Hendrick connected for his first homerun in the second inning off lefty starter Fred Norman. Big George later hit a 2-run homerun in the sixth inning to increase the red bird  lead to 4-0.  Silvio Martinez earned his first win of the year as he allowed one measly hit over 5.1 innings pitched. Martinez did have control problems with six free passes on the day which prevented him from staying in the game longer.  Mark Littell and Buddy Schultz worked the rest of the game in relief to finish off the Reds.  Cardinals 5....Reds 2.

Royals Rout ChiSox

Game 1 – Larry Gura (3-2) went the distance, yielding 1 run and 4 hits in a 2-1 Kansas City win.

Game 2 – Two teams going in opposite directions. KC wins 9-2 to make it 8 of 10. The White Sox have now lost 6 straight. Darrell Porter homered and drove in 3.

Game 3 – Clint Hurdle hit a 2-run home run to power the Royals to a 4-2 winner in the opener of a doubleheader.

Game 4 – Back and forth game won by KC 9-7. George Brett’s 3 hits and 2 RBI lead the way as Paul Splittorff (10-4) goes the full 9.

Big Red Machine Handles the Boys From Chi Town.

Cincinnati,
Game 1,
The Reds strike for 3 runs in the seventh to knot the game at 4 apiece. However, Chicago had the last laughs with 2 runs in the 11th inning on an Ivan DeJesus RBI double off the wall and a run scoring single by Heity Cruz to win it for Bruce Sutter(3-0)...Cubs 6...Reds 4. (11 innings)

Game 2,
South paw Fred Norman improved to 3-8 with a seven inning, one run performance. Pedro Borbon wrapped up the game in relief for his 2nd save of the year. Dennis Lamp (5-6) got hung with the loss despite pitching a complete game.  Reds 3....Cubs 2.

Game 3,
George Foster and Cesar Geronimo both connected for homeruns to led the Reds to victory.  Foster smacked his 14th homerun off Dave Roberts in the fourth inning while Geronimo banged a bases empty blast in the ninth to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Dan Driessen won the game in the tenth inning with a run scoring single to right off reliever Rick Reuschel. The winning tally was charged to Bruce Sutter who got hung with his first loss of the season. Doug Bair (3-0) was the winner for the Reds. George Foster was the hitting star with 3 RBI. Reds 5...Cubs 4. (10 innings)

Houston Keeps Hold on Second, Wins Series from Bucs

The Astros get blown out in the first game but come back with two pitching gems to win the series over the Pirates. Houston continues to put the pressure on first-place Los Angeles in a closer-than-expected race. The Astros are now 31-26, while the Bucs drop to 31-27.

Game 1: PIT 6, HOU 0

W: Candelaria (6-4)
L: Dixon (2-2)
MVP: Candelaria

The "Candyman" could, as John Candelaria overpowers Houston hitters in a CG win. Dave Parker continues in his bid for league MVP, driving in three runs and even stealing his seventh base. Parker flirts with .400 during the series but is now at .394 on the year.

Game 2: HOU 4, PIT 2

W: Bannister (3-2)
L: Bibby (4-2)
S: J. Niekro (1)
MVP: Sexton

SS Jimmy Sexton finally hits one out.

An improbable Astros win. The struggling youngster Floyd Bannister gets the win despite only going 5.2 innings, but Joe Niekro had his knuckler a'flutterin' as he shut down the Bucs the rest of the way. Just as improbably, normal Astros non-entities Jimmy Sexton (1) and Reggie Baldwin (2) both homer off loser Jim Bibby.

Game 3: HOU 2, PIT 1

W: Richard (6-3)
L: Robinson (6-6)
MVP: Richard

J.R. Richard is the man, striking out six and only allowing two hits in a CG victory. Joe Ferguson's homer (8) and Joe Cruz's base running (he steals three to give him 15 on the year) are keys to victory, as Cruz scores the eventual game winner after swiping second and coming home on an Art Howe single in the sixth.

Jays end 21 game losing streak - players and fans alike still confused over scheduling

In what I would say is the most illogical scheduling of games I have ever seen, the Jays finally managed to win a game to end their 21 game losing steak.

Monday - Day off for both Toronto and Minnesota.  Tuesday - Doubleheader between Toronto and Minnesota.  Minnesota leaves Toronto. Wednesday - Milwaukee comes to Toronto for a doubleheader.  Thursday - Milwaukee leaves town, doesn't play a game nor does Toronto.

In Game 1 - Dave Goltz pitched a 5 hit shutout as the Twins win 6-0.  Game 2 saw the Twins take a 7-3 victory.

The Jays losing streak hit 21 games.

Finally in Game 1 of the DH vs the Brew Crew, the Jays finally eeked out a win - barely.  Leading 4-3 in the Top of the 9th with 2 outs, Martinez hit a single.  Paul Molitor then came to the plate and smashed a triple to score Martinez and tie the game.  The Jays fans were prepared for the inevitable. But John Mayberry clubbed his second HR of the game in the bottom of the 10th to give the Jays a 5-4 win.

In Game 2, the Jays went back to their losing ways as Augustine threw a complete game victory.  Brewers win 3-2.

Thornton Thumps Tribe to Sweep

Game 1 – Andre Thornton’s (14) monster blast into the upper deck gave the Indians an early 2-run lead. A Jim Norris 2-run single in the 8^th put the cap on a 6-3 Cleveland win. Rick Waits (4-7) went the distance on the hill.

Game 2 – Thornton’s 2-run bomb in the 9^th was all the Tribe would need to sweep this short two-game set. Sid Monge and Jim Kern (4-2) combine on the 3-hit shutout as Wahoos win 2-0.