May 21, 1984 - Beantown and Beanings

Game #509 - Cleveland Indians, 5 @ Boston Red Sox, 1

There were only four games played in the real 1984 on this date.  I appreciate these light schedule days because it makes me feel like I'm finishing this season faster than I really am!

Steve Comer walked Wad Boggs and Dwight Evans in the bottom of the first, and Boggs eventually scored on a Jim Rice sacrifice fly.  But Cleveland bounced back in the top of the fifth.  Julio Franco, who is hitting everything pitched at him lately, roped a single and then part-time catcher Chris Bando jacked a two run dong to give the Tribe the lead.  (I hate using the word "dong" for home runs.  I feel like everyone is right now.)  Bob Stanley relieved Bruce Hurst but he leaked three more runs and Believeland took home the victory.

Winning Pitcher - Steve Comer
Losing Pitcher - Bruce Hurst
Save - Ernie Camacho
Player of the Game - Chris Bando, 3-5, HR, 2RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Wade Boggs, Jim Rice

Game #510 - Chicago White Sox, 8 @ Kansas City Royals, 1

This game left both teams black and blue.

There were two runners on with only one out when Frank Wills surrendered a bloop hit that caused Steve Balboni and Pat Sheridan to collide!  Both runners scored and Balboni and Sheridan join George Brett on the IR thanks to the dreaded "Z" injury card.

Frank Wills beaned Rudy Law in the fourth after giving up a lead-off double to Tom Paciorek.  Then he plunked Greg Luzinski in the top of the fifth and I pulled him on principle.  But White Sox starter Floyd Bannister exacted revenge by hitting the first batter he faced in the bottom of the next inning!  In real life that would have been a brawl for sure, but in Statis Pro...you just keep playing.  Chicago continued to batter the ball as the Royals dropped the game and two more position players.

Winning Pitcher - Floyd Bannister
Losing Pitcher - Frank Wills
Player of the Game - Bannister, 8IP, 8K's, R

May 20, 1984 - Futbol Saturday

My Fall has been full of soccer games on Saturdays.  Today, for instance, featured four games among my three daughters, and two trips to the soccer complex that is 30 minutes away.  But somehow...I've got the May 20th stats updated and the latest two games posted!

Game #507 - Philadelphia Phillies, 3 @ San Francisco Giants, 6

The Giants are so injury-riddled and toothless because of it that I find myself rooting for them each an every game.  Usually to no avail.  And this one had a rough start when lead-off hitter Von Hayes blasted a solo homer off Mike Krukow.  But the Giants sent eight hitters to the plate and pecked and pawed Jerry Koosman for three runs to give them a 3-1 lead.

By the top of the seventh the Phillies had tied things up when John Wockenfuss plated Ivan DeJesus with an RBI single.  The game stayed tied heading into the bottom of the ninth.  Al Holland was on the mound for a second inning of work (Adam Miller before there was Adam Miller!) but pinch-hitter Gene Richards singled to start things off.  John Rabb struck out but Johnnie LeMaster singled too!  With two on and one out, Steve Nicosia replaced Duane Kuiper.  He dug in and LAUNCHED A WALK-OFF, THREE-RUN HOMER!!!

Winning Pitcher - Gary LaVelle
Losing Pitcher - Al Holland
Player of the Game - Nicosia
Hall of Famers in the Game - Mike Schmidt

Game #508 - Cincinnati Reds, 0 @ St. Louis Cardinals

Here's some late breaking news:  the Cardinals are still seemingly winning every game this season.  This time, Joaquin Andujar tossed his first shutout of the season, limiting the Reds to six hits.  Andy VanSlyke had two RBI and a double to lead the red bird offense.

Winning Pitcher - Joaquin Andujar
Losing Pitcher - Mario Soto
Player of the Game - Andujar

May 20, 1984 - Bench Pressed

Game #505 - Atlanta Braves, 4 @ Pittsburgh Pirates, 3

Rick Camp and John Candelaria were the starters for this one, and both pitched extremely well.  In fact, the game was scoreless after six innings of play.  But the bases were loaded in the top of the seventh when Brad Komminsk grounded into a force out at secon that plated Dale Murphy.  The Pirates tied it up when they too had the bases loaded and Ron Wotus laid down a suicide-squeeze to score Jim Morrison.  Lee Lacy came in to pinch hit and stumbled into a fielder's choice that allowed Bill Madlock to cross home plate to give the Pirates the lead.

The Braves rallied back in the thanks to a RBI double by Albert Hall.  They scored two more in the ninth thanks in part to a Gerald Perry pinch hit, which they would eventually need because Pittsburgh scored once more in the bottom of the ninth in their failed comeback.

Winning Pitcher - Steve Bedrosian
Losing Pitcher - Don Robinson
Player of the Game - Gerald Perry, 1-1, SB, R

Game # 506 - New York Mets, 7 @ San Diego Padres, 8 (10 innings)

The Padres were enjoying a 2-1 lead when starter Andy Hawkins walked three straight batters to start the sixth.  Hawkins hit the showers but two runs would eventually score.  Greg Booker allowed two more runs in the seventh, thanks in part to a Time Flannery error.  By the time the ninth inning rolled around the Mets were up 7-3, but the Padres weren't done.  A two-run, pinch-hit homer by Bobby Brown got them within two, and four batter later Tony Gwynn roped a line drive to plate two more - tie game!  In the bottom of the tenth Graig Nettles doubled off Tom Gorman and Carmelo Martinez walked.  Steve Garvey flied out softly to left field but Bobby Brown, still in the game, delivered the walk-off single to win the game!!!

Winning Pitcher - Goose Gossage
Losing Pitcher - Tom Gorman
Player of the Game - Bobby Brown, 2-2, HR, 3RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Gwynn, Goose Gossage

May 20, 1984 - All About that Bass, 'bout that Bass, No Triples

Game #503 - Houston Astros, 5 @ Chicago Cubs, 3 (11 innings)

On paper this didn't look like it would be much of a contest.  Joe Niekro of the Astros has been one of the best pitchers in the NL this season while Rick Reuschel was uncharacteristically bad in the real 1984, but it was the Cubs who would score the first three runs in the game.  In the bottom of the third Ryne Sandberg knocked in Larry Bowa with a single.  In the fifth Gary Mattews, newly off the disabled list, plated Bob Dernier.  And in the sixth, Keith Moreland added a homer to make it 3-0.

Meanwhile, Rick Reuschel was bobbing and weaving through the Houston lineup.  He had induced the double plays to help his cause, but the wheels finally came off in the seventh.  Four straight singles and an RBI ground out made it a tie ball game.  It would stay that way after nine innings, which meant free baseball!

In the top of the ninth there were two outs when Alan Ashby singled off Tim Stoddard.  Up to the plate came Kevin Bass...and he parked it for two!  The Cubs wouldn't counter in the bottom half of the inning and Houston wins AGAIN.

Winning Pitcher - Bill Dawley
Losing Pitcher - Tim Stoddard
Save - Julio Solano
Player of the Game - Kevin Bass, 2-5, HR, 2RBI, 2R's
Hall of Famers in the Game - Ryne Sandberg

Game #504 - Montreal Expos, 2 @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 0

Starters Bill Gullickson and Alejandro Pena both lasted seven scoreless innings before being pulled for pinch-hitters.  Jeff Reardon and Pat Zachry each tossed a scoreless eighth inning.  In the top of the ninth the infamous Tom Niedenfuer took the mound.  With one out Tim Raines singled.  Terry Francona took a hit and run signal and poked a single, moving Raines to third.  That's when Raines took the game into his own hands.  For only the second time in 500+ Statis Pro games this season...I attempted to steal home with a player!  And sure enough...RAINES DID IT!  Two batters later Tim Wallach TRIPLED to make it 2-0!!!  That's all Gary Lucas would need to record the save.

Winning Pitcher - Jeff Reardon
Losing Pitcher - Tom Niedenfuer
Save - Gary Lucas
Player of the Game - Raines, 1-4, R, HE STOLE FREAKIN' HOME PLATE!
Hall of Famers in the Game - Gary Carter

May 20th, 1984 - The AL East tightens

Game #501  - California Angels, 0 @ New York Yankees, 2

Geoff Zahn of the Angels and Joe Cowley of the Yankees squared off in this one and both pitchers were straight-dueling!  In the bottom of the second the Yankees drew first blood, though.  Back to back doubles by Don Baylor and Lou Piniella gave them a slim 1-0 lead.

Cowley was mowing down California.  In fact, he didn't give up his first hit until the top of the fourth with two outs.  Fred Lynn singled and then Brian Downing doubled but they were stranded when Reggie Jackson struck out.

In the bottom of the fifth New York scored again.  Butch Wynegar was on third and Willie Randolph on second (his first game back off the DL!) when Dave Winfield singled to plate Wynegar.  That was all the runs that would score for the game as both starters went the distance but Cowley emerged victorious.

Winning Pitcher - Joe Cowley
Losing Pitcher - Geoff Zahn
Player of the Game - Cowley, CG SHO, 10K's, 5H's
Hall of Famers in the Game - Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield

Game #502 - Chicago White Sox, 6 @ Toronto Blue Jays, 5

With the Yankees winning the pressure was on for Toronto to stay ahead of them in the standings.  They were down 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, though, when they staged a comeback.  They scored three runs, first on a bases-loaded single by Tony Fernandez and then a two-RBI single by Ernie Whitt.  Dave Collins added a solo homer in the fifth to extend their lead to 4-2.

But in the top of the sixth Greg Luzinski went yard to pull the White Sox within one.  George Bell walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to again give Toronto a two run cushion at 5-3.  But in the top of the seventh reliever Roy Lee Jackson got into a mess of trouble, including a double by pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston to tie the game and then an RBI single by Julio Cruz to put Chicago ahead.  In the bottom of the ninth Lloyd Moseby singled with two outs, bringing George Bell to the plate.  He took Bert Roberge pitch to the warning track in left field, but Harold Baines caught it to end the game!

Winning Pitcher - Juan Agosto
Losing Pitcher - Roy Lee Jackson
Save - Bret Roberge
Player of the Game - Jerry Hairston, PH 2B, 2RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tom Seaver