November 16, 2018

June 11, 1984 - Backbreaking Losses

Game #757 - St. Louis Cardinals, 8 @ Philadelphia Phillies, 6

The Cardinals have the best record in Statis Pro and it's not even really close.  The first inning was a typical example of what this team does.  They reeled off four straight singles before starter Steve Carlton walked Lonnie Smith with the bases loaded.  Tom Nieto nearly drove in two more runs two batter later, but Sixto Lezcano threw out Tommy Herr at the plate.  St. Louis were up 3-0 before the Phillies got back to the dugout.

Ozzie Smith added a 2-RBI double in the top of the third to extend their lead to five runs.  Mike Schmidt put the first Philadelphia run on the board with a solo homer in the fourth, and went deep again in the sixth for two more runs. 

By the bottom of the eighth St. Louis was up 8-4 but reliever Ricky Horton allowed two runs and all of a sudden it was a ball game again.  Bruce Sutter slammed the door shut in the ninth, though, and the Cards went home winners.

Winning Pitcher - Dave LaPoint
Losing Pitcher - Steve Carlton
Save - Bruce Sutter
Player of the Game - Ozzie Smith, 2-5, 2 2Bs, 2Rs, 2RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton

Game #758 - Atlanta Braves, 4 @ San Diego Padres, 2 (13 innings!)

The Padres jumped out early on the Braves when Kevin McReynolds took Rick Camp deep for a two-run bomb in the first.  The Braves tied the game in the top of the seventh, though, when Dale Murphy singled home Glen Hubbard.  The Padres loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but couldn't push a run across so the game stayed knotted at 2-2.

Goose Gossage worked his second scoreless inning in the top of the ninth while Steve Bedrosian did the same for Atlanta in the bottom half of the frame and that meant one thing:  FREE BASEBALL!

Greg Booker took over for San Diego in the tenth and, despite looking a little shaky, he went three innings without surrendering a run.  Donnie Moore pitched outstanding, also going three innings deep while striking out four and not allowing a base runner.

The Padres were down to their last reliever in the top of the thirteenth.  Andy Hawkins, recently demoted to the back of the pen, came in and, after allowing a lead off single, Claudell Washington ripped an RBI triple two batters later.  Washington then scored on a Murphy RBI and Atlanta had a two run lead heading into the bottom of the 13th.  Terry Forster allowed a single to Tony Gwynn but McReynolds grounded into a double play to end the game.

Winning Pitcher - Donnie Moore
Losing Pitcher - Andy Hawkins
Save - Terry Forster
Player of the Game - Claudell Washington, 3-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2Rs, 2BBs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Gwynn, Goose Gossage

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