Jints rock Rox and sweep to best record in baseball

The Giants had into Colorado needing one game to clinch the Uecker Division Championship.

Game 1 Mile High Stadium
The Giants came out roaring. Red Schoendienst and Don "Mandrake" Muellar both singled to start the game and Willie Mays stroked his 6th homer to give Ruben Gomez a 3-0 lead. Schoendienst added a solo homer in the second (2) to up the lead to 4-0. Then Ruben Gomez (2-3 4.64) decided to make a game of it. He gave up a two run single to Rockie pitcher Greg Harris (1-0, 4.70) in the second and two run homer to Charlie Hayes (9) in the third. Gomez liked that so much he gave Hayes another in the fifth (10). The Rockies would score three more in the seventh and 4 in the 8th. Valmy Thomas hit a meaningless homer in the 9th (2) for the Giants. Rockies 14 Giants 6.

Game 2 Mile High Stadium.
There must be something about the thin air in Colorado. Schoendienst led off the game with his 3rd homer of the season. The Rockies tied the score in the bottom of the 1st on a Dante Bichette sacrifice fly. Then Bichette grounded out to bring in another run in the 3rd. And then the roof fell in. The Giants tallied 13 times in the 4th. Bobby Thomson led off the innning with his 3rd homer. After three consecutive singles by Thomas, pticher Curt Barclay (6-0, 1.98) and Schoendienst to load the bases, Danny O'Connell hit his first homer of the season. Mays followed with a triple, Ray Jablonski was walked intentionally and Hank Sauer doubled both home. O'Connell would double home another run in the inning and Mays would single home two more. Mindful of Barclay's innings worked, he was removed after 6 and Al Worthington pitched three innings of one hit ball to earn his third save.
Giants 19 Rockies 2

Game 3 The Polo Grounds
The Giants had clinched a tie for the Division and now were looking to win it outright. Armando Reynoso, the Rockies most effective starter this season, would get the start. Ray Crone, who has a had rough season would start for the Giants. Unfortunately for the Rockies, Reynoso had to leave the game in the second inning with arm trouble with the score tied at 1. Bichette has another sacrifice fly in the first and Gail Harris answered with a run scoring single in the bottom of the first. The Rockies picked up another run in the third and again it was Bichette, but this time he actually had a hit. Charlie Hayes drove in a third run with a single in the fifth and that was enough of Crone for the Giants manager. When the sixth inning started, Stu Miller, the Giants most effective pitcher this season, took the mound. The Rockies much maligned bullpen had done a nice job since the second in holding down the Giants offense. But in the seventh, with two out and Thomas on first, Schoendienst tripled. Mueller followed with a single and the game was tied It would remain that way until the tenth. Schoendienst led off the inning with a single but lefty Mike Munoz got Muellar to hit into a double play. Righty Scott Fredrickson came into face Mays but walked him. Fredrickson (1-2, 6.14) tried to keep Mays close but it was like trying to grab smoke as Mays stole his league leading 12th base. Ray Jablonski then singled and Mays' legs churned around third to beat the throw and clinch the Division for the Giants. Stu Miller pitched five innings to earn the win (2-1, 0.52)
Giants 4 Rockies 3
--submitted by Tom "Crash" Davis--

Pilots clinch division title, Schypinski doubles in final KOD AB

9/27 - Municipal Stadium - Kansas City, MO
GAME 1 - Pilots 6, A's 3
Joe Schultz's boys finally got to "pound those Budweiser's" in a celebratory mode as they clinched the division title. Big Gene Brabender (5-1, 2.81) tossed 7 2/3 innings of 3 run ball. The Pilots opened the scoring in the first when who else but Tommy Harper walked and stole second. John Donaldson, who had 3 RBI's on the day singled him home to break the ice. It looked like KC's starter, Artie Portocarrero (2-3, 5.13) was settling into a groove when Seattle exploded for 3 runs in the top of the 5th. Portocarrero got himself in trouble by walking 3 of the first 4 batters he faced. On the day he'd give up 8 intentional passes in as many innings of work. Harper and Donaldson delivered RBI singles and Seattle was comfortably up 4-1...or so they thought. In the 6th the A's mounted their own attack by dropping 3 runs of their own on Brabender. Portocarrero helped his own cause by singling with one out. Suitcase, Harry Simpson, fanned for the second out and the inning looked to be nothing special until Vic Power slammed a tape measure shot to left to make it 4-2. Brabender was obviously unnerved and the old pro Enos "country" Slaughter took full advantage of it with a homer of his own to cut Seattle's lead to 4-3. The next 2 innings were tension filled for the Pilots who were hoping to win this game and clinch early in order to rest their weary starters. The top of the 9th would be a pleasant gift for the Pilots who had 2 outs when the most unlikely candidate to get a hit, Ray Oyler, blooped a single to right. Mike Hegan, who was pinch hitting for the pitcher, worked out a hard fought walk from an 0-2 count. The next 2 batters followed suit and were issued free passes to force in a run. Tommy Davis singled in a second run and just like that a tenuous 1 run lead was now a 6-3 game. Diego Segui came on in the 9th to earn his 6th save of the season as the Budweiser began to flow.

9/28
GAME 2 - A's 6, Pilots 5
As a reward for clinching all but 2 of the Pilot regulars (Harper & Mincher) got the day off. Marty Pattin tweaked his shoulder in the 2nd inning and by virtue of precautionary measures he too got the day off. Rookie Skip Lockwood pitched 6 uninspired innings in relief and yielded 5 runs, but the Pilots were still tied going into the bottom of the 9th when the Suitcase Harry Simpson (3-5 on the day) doubled home Suder for a walk off win. Rookie Danny Walton went 3 for 4 for the Pilots and increased his average to .429 in limited action.

9/29 - Sicks Stadium - Seattle, WA
GAME 3 - Pilots 17, A's 8
Mike Marshall went the distance and pitched rather well until his mates exploded for 11 runs in the 6th and he flat out lost interest. Vic Raschi tossed 5 decent innings for KC and left up 3-2. KC's dreadful bullpen corp of Harrington and Fricano were torched for 15 runs in just 2 innings of combined work. In a game that had numerous hitting stars reserve Dick Simpson stood out with a 3 for 5, 5 RBI day. He also had a grand slam that pretty much blew the cabin doors of the KC A's. Jerry Schypinski ended his KOD career with a pinch hit double in the 6th. The Pilots will await the outcome of the Royals/Twins play in game to see who they will host in the ALDS.

KC earns a date with destiny vs MIN

9/27 - Municipal Stadium - Kansas City, MO
GAME 1 - Royals 9, Mariners 1
KC needed to take a minimum of 2 games to tie Minnesota for the final wild card slot. This 9-1 laugher was just what the doctor ordered. Mike Hedlund was 2 outs away from a complete game shutout. he did notch the victory and fanned 11 M's along the way. Sweet Lou Piniella went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI's. Joe Foy was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI's.

9/28
GAME 2 - Royals 2, Mariners 1
Gary Wheelock and Wally Bunker hooked up for this pitcher's duel. Bunker cracked first when Bob Stinson went deep with a solo shot in the 6th with 2 out. Rick Honeycutt came on to close it out, but couldn't get the job done. Buck Martinez pinch hit for Jerry Adair and singled. Joe Foy followed suit, as did Pat Kelly to load the bases. Lou Piniella, who has built a reputation on being clutch, fanned for the second out and Honeycutt looked to have weathered the storm. Unfortunately for Honeycutt he lost his control and walked the next two batters (Mike Fiore and Bob Oliver) to give away the game. KC clinched at least a tie with the Twins for the Wild Card.

9/29 - Kingdome - Seattle, WA
GAME 3 - Mariners 2, Royals 1
Tension began to mount as this game took on a post season atmosphere. Runs were at a premium and pitching continued to dominate as it had the day before. Both teams traded solo runs in the 6th and that's how it stood until the 11th inning when KC starter Dick Drago finally began to show some fatigue. Rupert Jones led the inning off with a single and Bob Stinson followed that with a walk. Dan Meyer grounded out to advanced the runners to second and third with one out, so Bill Stein was given an intentional pass to load the bases and create a force everywhere. Jose "don't call me Joan" Baez fanned on 4 pitches for the second out. With lefty Steve Jones already warm in the pen, KC decided to stick with Drago vs the light hitting Craig Reynolds, who dropped a parachute over Jerry Adair's head to plate the winning run. The M's got to play spoiler and by virtue of a coin flip KC will get to host Minnesota in a winner take all play in game for the Wild Card and a chance to play the Pilots in the opening round best of 5 series.

Amazin's take 2 of 3 from Houston

9/23 - Colt's Stadium - Houston, TX
GAME 1 - Mets 4, Colt 45's 3 (11 inn)
Diminutive left Al Jackson battled Jim Golden. Both starters gave up 3 runs in 7 innings of work. Neither figured into the decision. In the 11th inning the Metsies managed to score a run off of reliever Jim Umbricht when Joe Pignatano singled home Jim Hickman with the bases loaded. Umbricht battled pinch hitter Gene Woodling and was rewarded with a line out DP that doubled up Felix Mantilla. When Richie Ashburn grounded out to short the Colt 45's looked to have some momentum going into the home half of the inning down by 1. The Mets called upon lefty Ken MacKenzie to save victory. Pinch hitter Jim Pendleton lined to Frank Thomas in left for the first out. Al Spangler grounded out to second and Bob Moorhead came on to get the final out in a righty vs right matchup against Bob Aspromonte.

9/24
GAME 2 - Mets 3, Colt 45's 1
Houston broke the ice with a solo run in the bottom of the 2nd when Bob Aspromonte hit a solo shot. As fate would have it that would be the only run the Colt 45's would score off of the putrid Met pitching staff. After the 4th a huge downpour hit Colt Stadium for about 45 minutes. When play resumed Met starter Bob Moorhead was gone. Houston tried to stretch their starter, Hal Woodeshick, and it just didn't work. Between Woodeshick and reliever Tiefenauer the Mets were able to cash in to the tune of 3 runs. Felix Mantilla and Frank Thomas both doubled home runs and Charlie Neal ended the scoring by singling home veteran Gil Hodges. Craig Anderson came on for the Mets and tossed 3 scoreless innings before being lifted in the 8th. The Mets manager played mix and match the rest of the way balancing righty vs lefty substitutions to corral the Colts. Bob Miller got the final 2 outs for the save.

9/25 - Polo Grounds - New York, NY
GAME 3 - Colt 45's 9, Mets 5
The Amazin's carried a 3-2 lead into the 6th when Jay Hook got torched for 4 runs. The following inning the Colts racked Vinegar Bend Mizell for 3 more runs. New York batted back and eventually chased Houston's starter Turk Farrell (6-2, 3.30) from the hill. With the score 8-4 in the 8th and the bases loaded Jim Umbricht was brought on to face slugger Frank Thomas with the bases loaded. Thomas walked and a run scored, but his team needed the long ball, which Jim Hickman could not provide as Richie Ashburn got nailed at the plate trying to tag up on Hickman's medium fly to Carl Warwick in center. Houston added an insurance run in the 9th when Roman Mejias led off with his second homer in a row and his 7th of the season. Warwick also stroked two homers as the porous Met pitching finally caught up to them.

Jints sweep bums...edge closer to div title

Game 1 at the Polo Grounds - Giants 7 Dodgers 1
The Giants jumped on Don Drysdale in the first. Red Schoendienst led off with a walk and was doubled home by Don "Mandrake" Mueller. Willie Mays singled him to third and then stole second. Ray Jablonski gronded to score one run and then Hank Sauer grounded out to score Mays. Schoendienst (1), Jablonski (6) and Gail Harris (6) all hit solo homers for the Giants. The only Dodger run came on Don Drysdale's (1-2, 4.44) first homer of the season. Clay Barclay (5-0, 2.22) went 7 and two thirds innings for the win.

Game 2 at the Polo Grounds - Giants 5 Dodgers 0
In the bottom of the second, with the bases full, Stan Williams (2-2, 2.15) threw a wild pitch and then Daryl Spencer singled home another run. That would be all the Giants would need as Roger Monzant (1-1, 1.93) and Al Worthington (3rd save, 2.93) would combine to shutout the Dodgers on 5 hits.

Game 3 at Memorial Coliseum. - Giants 3 Dodgers 2
The Dodgers would finally score first in this series, picking up a run in the fifth on a single by Johnny Roseboro and a double by Duke Snider. In the 7th, with the bases full, Spencer grounded out to bring home one run and then Johnny Antonelli singled home another to give himself a 2-1 lead. Antonelli would be pinchhit for in the top of the ninth and the Giants left the game in the hands of Marv Grissom. But Charlie Neal hit a homer (5) in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game. Clem Labine (2-2, 2.57) walked Danny O'Connell and Mays to lead off the 10th but looked to have gotten himself out of trouble when Jablonski hit into a fast double play. But Hank Sauer came through with a double to score O'Connell. In the bottom of the 10th, Grissom (2-1, 2.63) followed Labine's lead in walking the first two Dodgers, Peewee Reese and Gil Hodges. Stu Miller was quickly summoned from the bullpen and he got the next three Dodger hitters on fly outs to end the game and earn the save (3rd save, 0.62)

The Giants will close out the season with Colorado, looking to clinch the Uecker Division Title.
--submitted by Tom "Crash" Davis--

Pilots land some lucky breaks over Nats

9/23 - Griffith Stadium - Washington, D.C.
GAME 1 - Senators 3, Pilots 1
Bennie Daniels stiffled the Pilots all day. The lone blemish was a solo shot by Tommy Harper in the 5th. The Nats scored in the two quick runs (1 each) in the first 2 innings to stake Daniels to a lead. In the first Pilot starter, Fred Talbot, decided to give away more free passes than a nerd serving as a hall monitor. The final walk, to Hinton, with the bases loaded platted Danny O'Connell. In the second Bob Johnson scored on a Gene Green fielder's choice. Dhuck Hinton hit a solo shot in the 5th to finish the scoring as Daniels cruised to a complete game victory.

9/24
GAME 2 - Pilots 8, Senators 7
The Nats jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead of the marginally effective Diego Segui. Two RBI singles by Jim King and Hinton staked Gabe Gabler to a lead, which he would quickly relinquish in the 3rd when Mr. Clutch, Tommy Davis singled home John Kennedy and Tommy Harper. The top of the 4th saw the floodgates open up as the Pilots plated 5 and chased Gabler from the hill. At that point the game looked over, but with teams of this magnitude games are NEVER over. With a 7-3 lead in the 8th the Pilots looked assured to win, but that was until Bob Locker forgot how to get anyone out. With 2 out Jim Bouton was called on to put out the fire, but all he could do was toss more kerosene on it in the form of a game tying RBI double by Danny O'Connell. With the score knotted at 7 Tommy Davis led of the top of the 9th with a liner off of replacement third sacker Harry Bright, which he turned into a circus and landed Davis on first and Bright a big E-5. Reliever Dave Sisler lost track of Davis, who easily pilfered second. He then lost track of the hitter Don Mincher, who wound up walking. With runners on 1st and 2nd Wayne Comer layed down a perfect sac bunt to move them both into scoring position. Rightfielder Mike Hegan was then give an intentional pass in hopes of getting an inning ending DP. Steve Hovley was called upon to pinch hit and he delivered a long sac fly to right to put the Pilots up 8-7. Dooley Womack, who replaced Bouton in the 8th, was able to get the first 2 batters out easily. Gary "Ding Dong" Bell was called upon to nail the final out and he did just that. Hinton lined out to Mincher at first and the Pilots took this wild and wacky contest by 1.

9/25 - Sicks Stadium - Seattle, WA
GAME 3 - Pilots 4, Senators 3
Unlike other sports, which are played weekly or 2 or 3 times a week baseball is played everyday, and with that a player has a chance to atone for the sins of his previous performance rather quickly. It is a game of redeeming qualities. Today Jim "Ball 4" Bouton experience just that sort of metamorphosis. Yesterday he took part in blowing a 4 run lead, which thankfully his mates recovered from. Today he had the opportunity to hold down the fort and save the day until his offense could get on track. The Pilots jumped out quickly to a 2 run lead that they carried until the 6th. John Kennedy hit a solo shot in the 2nd and Tommy Davis singled home Tommy Harper, who just prior swiped another bases to add to his league leading total. Pilot spot starter Bob Meyer was the victim of some timely Senator hitting and a crucial Harper error. Meyer ran out of gas and didn't finish out the 6th. His 5 scoreless innings were erased by 2 runs in the 6th. The game stayed tied until the top of the 7th when John O'Donoghue was victimized by a 2 out Wayne Comer error in center off a single by Hinton, which scored Bob Johnson all the way from first. Clouds of darkness are commonplace in Seattle, but this cloud looked to be the one to rain on the Pilots pennant chances. Neither team scored in the 8th. Bouton, who had come on in relief of O'D, got 2 quick outs in the 9th before yielding a long double to Hinton that barely missed going out. A wild pitch allowed Hinton to move to 3rd with 2 outs. A hit by Danny O'Connell, would have given the Nats a much needed insurance run. The ground out back to the box did not. The Pilots entered the bottom of the 9th needing a run to tie. Washington starter Joe McClain was on a roll of 5 scoreless innings. Nobody was up in the Washington pen. Kennedy led off and weakly grounded out to 3rd. Mike Hegan was summoned to pinch hit for Bouton and he had an excellent 7 pitch at bat that culminated with a clean single to right. Tommy Harper followed with a rope down the left field line that ended up in an easy two bagger, which put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one down. Up stepped lefty John Donaldson, who did not miss a beat. On McClain's first offering Donaldson jumped all over it and hit a one hopper off the right center wall to score both runners and win the game for the Pilots.

Spoiler Spos take 2 of 3 from Bravos

9/23 - Braves Field - Boston - MA
GAME 1 - Expos 5, Braves 1
Jerry Robinson pitched the game of his life and Elroy Face turned back father time to finish it. The Expos exploded for 3 runs in the 2nd off of J.Wilson, when banjo hitting Bobby Wine hit a 3 run shot out of the 8th hole. Wine recorded his 4th RBI of the day with a sac fly in the 4th as the Expos won this one easily.

9/24
GAME 2 - Braves 6, Expos 1
Boston turned the tables on Montreal and won this one easily behind 6 solid innings from young Lew Burdette. Jester came on in the 7th and recorded the rare 3 inning save, where no runners reached base. The Expos lone run came on a Coco Laboy sac fly in the 1st. Boston finally got on the board with 2 in the 4th, 1 in the 5th, 2 in the 6th and 1 in the 7th off of Bill Stoneman who accomplished little more than eating up innings. Rookie Eddie Mathews was 3 for 4 with an RBI.

9/25 - Jarry Parc - Montreal - QC
GAME 3 - Expos 4, Braves 3
Warren Spahn pitched well enough to win, but a 3 run hiccup in the 4th did him in. Rusty Staub and Coco Laboy led off with singles and moved over to third on Mack Jones' sac bunt. Bob Baily hit a warning track shot to right to score Staub and make it 2-1 BSN. Catcher John Brand (3-4) Singled home Laboy and went to second on the throw to the plate. Wine singled home Brand 3 pitches later to put the 'spos up 3-2. With 2 outs in the top of the 5th Boston tied the game up. Sam Jethroe singled and promptly stole second. Johnny Logan's opposite field single to right scored Jethroe easily. The game remained tied until the bottom of the 6th when Montreal went ahead for good. Mack Jones singled and stole 2nd with 2 outs. Bobby Wine was intentionally passed, in order to face Mike Wegener, Montreal's pitcher. Manny Mota, like so many times in his career, was summoned from the bench to pinch hit in a key situation. Mota delivered a frozen rope to center to score Jones. Howie Reed pitched two scoreless innings and Dan McGinn closed it out with some suspense. After walking the first 2 Braves in the 9th (Mathews & Torgeson), Bob Thorpe bunted to push the runners up 90 feet. McGinn got a key strike out by fanning Paul Burris and Billy Reed grounded weakly to second to end it as the resurgent Expos took their second series in a row as they gamefully play the role of spoiler.