‘Spos and Amazin’s split a pair

4/17 - Stadie Olympique
Expos 2, Mets 1
Falcone vs Sanderson

Andre Dawson singled to leadoff the bottom of the 6th, stole second, took third on a passed ball and scored on a Warren Cromartie sac fly to give the Expos a 2-1 lead that they protected like Ft. Knox.  Young Scott Sanderson threw 8 strong innings fro the win and Elias Sosa pitched a scoreless 9th for the save.

4/18
Mets 8, Expos 7

A wild and wacky see-saw battle saw the Expos score 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th to take a 1 run lead.  Relievers Stan Bahnsen and Rudy May were not up to the task of keeping the Amazin's at bay.  New York scored 2 in the top of the 9th on a 2 run single by hot dog Willie Montanez (3-4), who knocked in 4 of New York's 8 runs.  Bespectacled Skip Lockwood fanned 2 in a perfect 9th to earn his second save.

Reds sweep Braves in Short Set

Game 1 at Riverfront Stadium,

Cincinnati earned a big come from behind victory however it went into extras. The game was settled when George Foster crushed a 3-run walk off homerun off reliever Adrian Devine.  The clout was Foster's fourth of the infant season. The winning pitcher for Cincy was Dave Tomlin (1-0)...Reds 6...Braves 3 (10 innings)

Game 2,

Tom Terrific was just that in the finale of the short two game Set. Seaver went the distance to earn his second victory of the season. The right hander also helped himself at the plate with a booming homerun to right center field in the 5th inning. Seaver's homerun covered 436 feet!  The losing pitcher was knuckle ball artist Phil Niekro (0-1)....Reds 5....Braves 2.

Spos take 2 of 3 from Cubbies…Krukow tosses 1 hitter in finale.

Expos 1, Cubs 0 (11 inn)
Reuschel vs Grimsley

“The White Stuff…”

It took 11 innings to get a decision as Reuschel (9 IP) and Grimsley (8.1 IP) hooked up in a good ole fashioned pitcher's duel.  Ray Burris was brought on to pitch the 10th and did a great job getting out of trouble.  Woodie Fryman did the same for the Expos.  Tony Perez led off the home half of the 11th with a double.  Kid Carter took one in the ribs to put runners on 1st and 2nd.  Larry Parrish made a productive out by grounding weakly to second to advance the runners to 90 feet for Chris Speier, who lined out to Bucker at first.  With 2 out pinch hitter Jerry White smashed a single through the originator to score Perez and win the game for the Spos.  Fryman was credited with the win and Burris got hung with the loss.

Expos 6, Cubs 3
McGlothen vs Rogers

“Rogers and Hammertime”

Dave Kingman's RBI single in the top of the 8th gave the Cubbies a 3-2 lead, which wouldn't last long.  Montreal exploded for 4 unanswered runs in the bottom of the inning to double up the Cubs 6-3.  Steve Rogers, who looked for a time to be the hard luck loser persevered and got the complete game victory.  Reliever Donnie Moore, responsible for the 4 run eight, took the loss.  Back to back RBI doubles by Tony Perez and Ellis Valentine knocked in 3 of those 4 runs.  Kid Carter had a perfect day at the plate going 2 for 2 with 2 walks and a homer.

Cubs 4, Expos 0
Krukow vs B.Lee

“1 is the loneliest number…”

A two out double by "the Hawk", Andre Dawson, broke up Mike Krukow's no hit bid.  Dawson's two bagger did not phase the Polish Prince one bit.  Krukow didn't miss a beat and went the distance for a one hitter as he fanned 9.  Cub leadoff man Ivan DeJesus (3-5) was on base all day.  Billy Bucker hit his second homer of the young season with 2 out in the top of the first to start the scoring.  The Spaceman, Bill Lee started shaky giving up a solo run in each of the first 3 innings before setting down.

Dodgers Take Series from Astros in Stellar Pitching Duels

Game One: LA 4, Hou 1
W: Sutcliffe (1-0)
L: Ruhle (0-1)

Dave Lopes ignited the Dodger offense with a triple and two runs scored and Steve Garvey went 3-for-4 with a double and two ribbies, as LA took game one of a tough divisional matchup. LA starter Bob Welch had to leave the game after an inning but Rick Sutcliffe and Jerry Reuss held Astros bats at bay all day.

Game Two: LA 3, Hou 1 (10 innings)

W: Hough (1-0)
L: Sambito (1-1) (BS 1)
S: Rautzhan (1)

J.R. Richard was stellar for the 'Stros, mowing down LA hitters through eight innings with 13 strikeouts and leaving with a 1-0 lead, thanks to Bob Watson's first homer of the year (off LA starter Burt Hooton in the fifth). It looked like sure victory for Houston when closer Joe Sambito recorded the first two outs in the top of the ninth. But then Ron Cey drove a fastball to left for a tying homer. That proves to be a back breaker, as Sambito gave up two runs in the top of the 10th on a Davey Lopes home run.

Game Three: Hou 1, LA 0
W:K. Forsch (1-0)
L: Sutton (1-1)
S: Sambito (2)

Ken Forsch kept LA hitters off balance all day, only allowing three hits with no walks and two Ks in eight innings (for a gamescore of 78). Terry Puhl's two-out RBI single in the fifth was all the offense the Astros could muster off Don Sutton, who only allowed five hits through eight innings. But this time out, Sambito was perfect in the ninth inning to nail down his second save.

ChiSox Complete 2-Game Sweep over Blue Jays

GAME ONE – Chet Lemon and Jorge Orta (3 hits) smacked back-to-back doubles to highlight a 4-run 8^th for the ChiSox as Chicago wins its home opener 4-2. Ken Kravec earned the win.

GAME TWO – Lamar Johnson (can’t you still picture him in those pajamas the Sox wore in the 70s?) went 3-for-3 and blasted a 2-run homer in the 2^nd to power the White Sox to a 3-1 victory and a series sweep of the Blue Jays. Mike Proly (1-0) pitched 7 strong for the win. Dewey Robinson nailed down the 2-inning save.

Brewers Battle Boston To A Draw

Game 1 Milwaukee 5 Boston 4

WP: Mike Caldwell (1-1, 4.24 ERA)
LP: Bill Campbell (1-1, 4.50 ERA)
GWRBI: Cecil Cooper

Milwaukee scores 2 in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs to take the first game of the homestand at County Stadium.   The Red Sox broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth when Rick Burleson singled to left scoring Dwight Evans from second.  But it was the Brewer 2 run rally in the bottom half that would give the game to the Crew.Cecil Cooper (1) and Ben Oglivie (2) went yard for the Brewers.  Mike Caldwell had a complete game victory.

Game 2 Boston 4 Milwaukee 1 10 innings

WP: Mike Torrez (1-1, 4.20 ERA , 4 Ks)
LP: Juan Castro (0-1, 16.20 ERA)
SV: Dick Drago (1)
GWRBI: Rick Burleson

The Brewers looked like shades of their 1978 self as the motto "if we aint hitting homers, we aint winning" played true in the 4-1 loss to Boston.  Red Sox pitching held Milwaukee to just 6 hits and kept every ball in the yard (allowing only 1 extra base hit) en route to their win on the road.  Fred Lynn's 2 run homer, his first of the year, broke open a 1 run tie in the top of the 10th inning.  The 3 run extra inning explosion was too much for the Brewers to overcome as relief pitcher, Dick Drago, put Milwaukee away in the bottom half of the inning.

The split keeps Boston one game ahead of Milwaukee in the standings at 3-2 and 2-3 respectively. 

O's bounce back to take two after dropping series opener to Yanks.

BALTIMORE, MD: After beginning the season taking 2 of 3 from the White Sox, the Orioles continued their home stand hosting the Yankees.  The Tuesday night series opener saw two lefties facing off.  Ron "Gator" Guidry for the Yankees and Scott McGregor for Baltimore.  The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.  Kiko Garcia singled past the diving Willie Randolph to start the inning.  Garcia advanced to second as Guidry crossed up Munson with the passed ball.  Rick Dempsey followed with a walk.  It looked like the rally would die as Dauer lined to left and New York leftfielder Roy While doubled up Dempsey who strayed too far off first.  However, Al Brumby clutched up and lined a single up the middle to plate Garcia. 

NETTLES BLAST GROUNDS BIRDS

The top of the fourth looked to be another quiet inning for McGregor as he retired the first two Yankee hitters.  "Sweet" Lou Piniella lined a shot that Belanger was only able to knock down.  Cliff Johnson then lined a double to left center with Piniella stopping at third.  Chambliss then went the other way with a base hit to left center, scoring Piniella and Johnson and giving New York a 2-1 lead.  Nettles followed that with a shot down the right field line extending the Yankee lead to 4-1.

The bottom of the sixth started promising for the Orioles.  Ken Singleton singled to left.  Doug DeCinces followed with a drive off the right center field wall as Singleton scored and DeCinces cruised into second with the double.  That was all for Baltimore as Guidry escaped further damage and Goose Goosage closed it out with two scoreless innings of relief.   New York 4  Baltimore 2   WP: Guidry 2-0  LP:  McGregor 0-1  Sv:  Goosage (1).  HR:  Nettles (1).

Game two of the series looked a lot like game one as the Orioles scored single runs in the second and third innings but the Yankees counted with runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth.  Baltimore tied it in the bottom of the sixth as DeCinces hard ground ball between first and second went to the wall.  Pat Kelly followed with a hard hit ball between first and second that Willie Randolph was only able to knock down allowing DeCinces to go to third.  Veteran Lee May then flied deep enough to left to plate DeCinces to tie the game at three.  New York quickly regained the lead as a leadoff triple in the top of the seventh by Mickey Rivers finally chased Oriole starter Jim Palmer.  Reliever Sammy Stewart was able to pop Willie Randolph up for the first out with Rivers still at third.  However, Munson then doubled off the right field wall scoring Rivers as the Yankees regained the lead 4-3.  One out later Nettles walked and then Chambliss singled extending the New York lead to 5-3.  In the bottom of the inning it was the Orioles turn to rally with two outs.  Belanger walked, Singleton singled to left with Belanger racing to third.  Eddie Murray then doubled to right center scoring with Belanger scoring and Singleton moving to third.  DeCinces followed with another double that drove in both Singleton and Murray as Baltimore regained the lead 6-5.  This finally chased Yankee starter Figueroa with Tidrow coming in.  After walking Pat Kelly intentionally, Terry Crowley came up to hit for Lee May, grounding a single between short and third to drive in DeCinces to extend the lead to 7-5.  Closer Don Stanhouse came in to retire the final three Yankee hitters.  WP: Stewart 1-0  LP:  Figueroa 0-2.  SV:  Stanhouse (1).

The series finale saw Orioles starter Mike Flanagan keep the Yankee hitters off balance.  Tossing the shutout as Baltimore won 2-0.  Belanger got Baltimore going with a one out triple in the bottom of the first.  Singleton then doubled down the first base line as Belanger scored easily.  While that would turn out to be all Flanagan would need the O's added another run in the bottom of the second.  Lee May began the inning reaching on an error.  Dempsey then singled to left center as May raced to third.  Garcia then grounded into a double play but May scored.  Flanagan allowed only seven hits, no walks, and four strikeouts.  WP: Flanagan 2-0  LP: John 1-1.