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.

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.

Cincinnati defeats Chicago in 5 games

Cincinnati downs the Cubs in five hard-fought games to advance to the 1970 ARAIG World Series. The difference was Cincinnati's pitching, which held the Cubs' powerful offense to one run or fewer in three of the five games. Of course, the Reds' hitters also played their part, blasting nine home runs in the series.

The Cubs had a great year, nonetheless. Picked to be an also-ran in the NL East, they rose from six games in back of the Mets on Sept. 1 to win the division by a game. Then, by taking the favored Reds to the brink, they at least proved that they belonged with the big boys.

The Reds look to be a tough team to beat in the series, with the great Rose, Perez, Bench, Lee May and others and pitching led by Gary Nolan, Jim Merritt and Jim McGlothlin (with Clay Carroll and Don Gullett in the pen) that is also worth its mettle.

Here's a recap:

Game One: Cubs' ace Fergie Jenkins came to play, striking out 13 Reds while his counterpart, Gary Nolan, couldn't find the strike zone. Nolan walked six before departing in the fifth inning. The Cubs walked to a 5-1 lead early, in large part due to a three run third that featured two Nolan walks and a scorching single from Randy Hundley that plated two. But Jenkins also gave it back late, as Tony Perez wallopped a three run homer in the seventh that made it 5-4. But Jenkins then settled down for the complete game win. While the Reds outhit the Cubs 10-6, the Chicagoans take Game One 5-4.

Game Two: Cincinnati strikes back with a vengeance, scorching four home runs in the easy win. Jim Merritt keeps Cubs hitters at bay all day, shutting them out through six, while Clay Carroll comes in and continues to overpower the North Siders. Milt Pappas isn't bad for Chicago, only giving up three runs in the first seven innings, two on solo homers from Pete Rose and Lee May. But when reliever Jim Colburn comes in, the floodgates open, as the Reds score six in the eighth to pour it on. The final: Reds, 9, Cubs 1. 
Game Three: Cincinnati plates a pair of runs in both the second and sixth to provide the difference in this one. Reds' starter Jim McGlothlin is sharp, only allowing three Cubs hits in 6.1 innings. McGlothlin also hits a key RBI triple and subsequently scores to provide the early cushion. Cubs' 21-game winner Bill Hands is not so effective, giving up four runs and seven hits (while walking five) in six innings. Chicago barely threatens, as Gullett again pitches masterfully late in 2.1 innings of shutdown ball. Reds 4, Cubs 1.  

Game Four: Needing a win to stay alive, the Cubs go with youngster Kenny Holtzman, and he delivers with 7.2 innings of gritty work against a hard-hitting lineup. This one was a seesaw affair. Cincy takes an early 3-0 lead behind pitcher Tony Cloninger, as Hal McRae homers and Bobby Tolan doubles and later scores. But the Cubs come back with four in the fifth, led by a triple from Don Kessinger down the right field line that plates two and is followed by Cloninger's departure. The Cubs get two more in the eighth, as Kessinger drives home both runs with a single, for a 6-3 lead. But then Cincinnati responds on a Tolan RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 6-4.

But the Cubs get some insurance in the top of the ninth as Joe Pepitone smacks a two run shot, his third of the series, to make it 8-4. The Reds come back with two more in the bottom of the ninth and have runners on first and second with one out, but the Cubs' Larry Gura gets Rose to ground into a DP to end it. Cubs 8, Reds 6.

Game Five: A game one rematch between Nolan and Jenkins. Nolan is on his game this time,  only allowing three hits and striking out seven in seven innings. While Jenkins is also sharp, he is victimized by a Perez run scoring double in the first and a two out single, after a wild pitch, that scores another in the fourth, as the Reds take a 2-0 lead. The Cubs again can't get any hitting done against Reds pitching, however, as Wayne Granger pitches shutout ball in the eighth and ninth. Meanwhile, Johnny Bench and Lee May go yard against Jenkins in the eighth to increase the Cincinnati lead to 4-0 and ice the game. The Reds take the series by shutting out the Cubs in the finale. Final in game five: Reds, 4, Cubs 0.

Thanks to Bill Schneider for getting these in tonight, and congrats to piloting his Reds' squad to the World Series. 

League Championship Series - Coming Soon!

Week 27 - League Championship Series
Date	1970 Schedule	Home Manager

ALCS
3-Oct	Baltimore @ Minnesota	Kurt Schaden
4-Oct	Baltimore @ Minnesota	Kurt Schaden
5-Oct	Minnesota @ Baltimore	Brian Macri
6-Oct	Minnesota @ Baltimore	Brian Macri
7-Oct	Minnesota @ Baltimore	Brian Macri
NLCS
3-Oct	Cincinnati @ Chicago(N)	Joe Pryweller
4-Oct	Cincinnati @ Chicago(N)	Joe Pryweller
5-Oct	Chicago(N) @ Cincinnati	Bill Schneider
6-Oct	Chicago(N) @ Cincinnati	Bill Schneider
7-Oct	Chicago(N) @ Cincinnati	Bill Schneider

Redbirds Stun Jints with Sweep

August 14, 1970 (Game #1) at St. Louis – Jose Cardenal (7) blasted a solo HR in the B8 off Juan Marichal (7-10) to lift the Cardinals to a 5-4 win in the lid-lifter of a dog-days double dipper. Frank Linzy (1-3) earned his first W of the year. Willie McCovey and Lou Brock added 3 hits apiece for their respective ball clubs.

August 14, 1970 (Game #2) at St. Louis – Joe Torre (10) highlighted a 3-run 6^th inning for the Redbirds with a 2-run home run to lead them to a 4-3 win and DH sweep. Jerry Reuss (4-5) got the win the Chuck Taylor (5) notching the save.

August 15, 1970 at St. Louis – Nelson Briles (2-8) pitched 8 shaky innings, but got some 9^th inning help from Frank Bertaina (1) as St. Louis won 9-6. The Redbirds overcame home runs and 3 RBI each from Willie Mays (23) and Ken Henderson (11).

August 16, 1970 at St. Louis – Dick Allen doubled in a pair of runs in the B7 to lead St. Louis to a 3-2 win and a sweep of the series. Tom Hilgendorf (1-0) notched the win in relief with Taylor (6) getting his second save of the series. 

Redbirds Roast Friars

August 11, 1970 at St. Louis – It may have been a “meaningless” game in the standings, but don’t tell that to the batters on these two clubs. They combined for 37 hits in a wild 13-10 St. Louis win. Jose Cardenal (5-2-5-5), Joe Torre (5-2-4-0) and Dick Allen (5-3-3-3) paced the Redbirds (19 team hits). Dave Campbell (5-3-4-0), Cito Gaston (5-2-3-2) and Ollie Brown (5-1-3-4) led the Padres (18 team hits).

August 12, 1970 at St. Louis – Bob Gibson (16-7) fanned 12 through 7 2/3 IP to lead the Cardinals to an 8-2 victory. Cardenal again led the offense with 2 hits and 3 RBI.

August 13, 1970 at St. Louis – Al Ferrara and Ollie Brown drove in 3 runs apiece as San Diego salvaged the final game 8-7. Clay Kirby (6-15) was the winner on the hill. Jack Baldshun (1) earned the save.

Cardinals win 3 "Meaningless" Games

August 7, 1970 at St. Louis – Dan McGinn (6-10) pitched a CG, 7-hit shutout and Jim Fairey went 4-5 as Montreal whitewashed the Cardinals 8-0.

August 8, 1970 at St. Louis – Harry Parker (1-0) and Frank Linzy (2) returned the favor on Les Expos, blanking them 2-0 to even the series. Lou Brock and Ed Crosby had RBI hits

August 9, 1970 (Game #1) at St. Louis – Lou Brock bolted for the plate just as soon as 2B Gary Sutherland released his throw to 1B to retire Crosby. Brock’s speed was the difference as he led off the B10 with a triple, then defied the drawn in infield. His daring led to a 5-4 Cardinals win. John Bateman (17,18) accounted for all of the Expos runs with a pair of 2-run homers.

August 9, 1970 (Game #2) at St. Louis – Ed Crosby had 3 hits and drove in 2 to lead St. Louis to a 7-2 victory, a sweep of the steamy (99 degrees) Sunday DH and a win in the series. Jerry Reuss (3-5) tossed 8 innings for the W.