June 12, 1984 - Grandpa FTW

I've mentioned this in the past, but my Dad is who got me into Statis Pro Baseball 30+ years ago.  I remember the Christmas morning I opened the game.  It came with the 1985 season in the box.  But all the player cards were attached to each other via perforated card stock.  My Dad started reading the directions as I meticulously tore the cards out.  It caused our dining room table to be covered in paper dust from the constant ripping.

In those early days I would always use my beloved Orioles and my Dad would use his Los Angeles Dodgers.  I always thought I had the superior lineup, but more times than not, he found a way to beat me.  More than one Fast Action Card turned up in favor of Ken Landreaux in particular.  Ken killed me back in the day!

I only mention all of this because my Dad was in town for Thanksgiving and, thanks to an aggressive playing schedule before he arrived, I made sure the Dodgers were up next so I could force him to play with me.  He "reluctantly" agreed but soon got into the spirit, cracking jokes about how Mike Marshall used to lumber around the base paths or Greg Brock's gorgeous blond hair. As things turned out, we got to play a pretty epic game...

Game #765 - San Francisco Giants, 1 @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 2 (12 innings!)

My Dad had Bob Welch on the mound and I countered with Mike Krukow.  Jack Clark lined a double in the top of the first but got stranded at second.  Steve Sax singled in the bottom half of the inning but the Dodgers couldn't push him across home.

In the bottom of the second Mike Marshall reached second base on a Joel Youngblood fielding error (no wonder given his E10 rating).  Two batters later Candy Maldonado cracked a single and Marshall beat the throw to the plate.  Maldonado was then thrown out at second in a failed hit and run from my nemesis, Ken Landreaux.

And after that...it was nothing but goose eggs.  Krukow lasted seven innings only giving up the unearned run in the second.  Welch, meanwhile, held the Giants to four hits through eight.  In the top of the ninth the Giants were down to their last three outs and my Dad kept Welch on the mound in true Tommy Lasorda fashion.  With one out Jeff Leonard came up and launched a solo homer to tie the game!  I sprung up from my seat and did a one-flap-down run around the kitchen.  Gary LaVelle walked the lead-off batter in the bottom of the ninth but the Dodgers didn't score and we were on to extra innings!

My Dad brought in Orel Hershiser in the tenth and he got three quick outs.  Greg Minton did the same, lasting two innings of relief.  In the top of the 12th Hershiser was still on the mound but got into trouble.  Al Oliver walked and moved to second on a Bob Brenly single with one out.  Scot Thompson grounded into a fielder's choice that moved Oliver to third.  But John Rabb flew out to strand the runner and we moved to the bottom of the inning.

Frank Williams took over from Minton and, by his own fielding error, allowed Maldonado to reach base.  Maldonado moved to third on a hit and run from, you guessed it, Ken Landreaux (my Dad is obsessed with the hit and run in Statis Pro).  That brought up Steve Yeager, who entered the game in the tenth on a double switch.  Yeager poked a walk-off single to win the game!  Dad was happy and I was happy for him.

Winning Pitcher - Orel Hershiser
Losing Pitcher - Frank Williams
Player of the Game - Steve Yeager, 1-1, GWRBI, BB

Game #766 - Baltimore Orioles, 2 @ Milwaukee Brewers, 1

Scott McGregor and Mike Caldwell faced off in this one, and both did quite well for themselves.  Through five innings neither team scored.  McGregor was aided by three double plays.  In fact, the Brewers would hit into them six times in the game, which seems close to a record for the season.

A Jim Gantner error allowed Ken Singleton to reach in the sixth, and he eventually scored on a Todd Cruz single to give the O's the lead.  But the Brewers tied it up again in the bottom half of the inning.  Cecil Cooper singled home Ted Simmons, who was three for three on the day.

It was still 1-1 in the top of the ninth.  Bob McClure was on for Milwaukee but, with two outs, allowed a John Shelby single.  Shelby moved to second on a wild pitch, and then Gary Roenicke singled him home for the lead.  Tippy Martinez relieved McGregor in the ninth and got the save.

Winning Pitcher - Scott McGregor
Losing Pitcher - Bob McClure
Save - Tippy Martinez
Player of the Game - Gary Roenicke, 2-3, 2B, RBI, 2BBs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount

June 12, 1984 - Expos, Reds Prevail

Game #763 - Montreal Expos, 2 @ Chicago Cubs, 1

The Cubs have made me an insecure Statis Pro player.

In the real 1984 they were the first place team in the NL East and nearly made it to the World Series.  But in Statis Pro they've been in the basement for a good while now, thanks in part to a huge losing streak earlier in the season. 

On paper I thought this was a slam dunk.  We had a 2-5 rated Steve Rogers facing off against a 2-7 rated Dennis Eckersley and an Expos lineup that only had two noteworthy hitters (Tim Raines and Gary Carter).

Alas...another Cubs loss!

Eckersley allowed the first three batters to reach base in the first and then walked Gary Carter for the first run of the game.  He got out of the jam only allowing that single run, and a Gary Matthews solo homer in the bottom of the first tied the game up again. 

And that would be all the scoring until the seventh inning because both Eckersley and Rogers had the offense on lock-down.  The dam broke in the top of the seventh when Eck walked lead off hitter Pete Rose.  Rose moved to second two batters later on a Rogers sacrifice bunt.  With two outs Bryan Little doubled to plate Rose and that was enough to give Rogers and the Expos the win.  You're killing me, Chicago.

Winning Pitcher - Steve Rogers
Losing Pitcher - Dennis Eckersley
Save - Jeff Reardon
Player of the Game - Rogers, 8IP, 3Hs, 2BBs, 4Ks, ER
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter, Ryne Sandberg, Dennis Eckersley

Game #764 - Cincinnati Reds, 12 @ Houston Astros, 6

I have to give this Reds team credit - they've hung around .500 ball in a competitive NL West despite a starting pitching rotation that features Mario Soto and not much else.

The Reds scored right away in the top of the first when Duane Walker doubled and later crossed home plate on a Wayne Krenchicki single.  They added two more runs in the second thanks to a Cesar Cedeno double that scored Brad Gulden and pitcher Jeff Russell (who doubled twice in the game!). 

The Astros, though, tied the game in the bottom of the third.  Terry Puhl hit a two-run homer and Jerry Mumphrey later scored on a bases loaded walk to Mark Bailey.

The fourth inning was yet another explosive frame.  Dan Driessen hit a bases loaded double to score two for the Reds.  But in the bottom half of the inning Jose Cruz went big fly to plate three runs and give Houston a 6-5 lead.

The Red suffered a tough injury collision in the game when Ron Oester and Cedeno ran into each other.  Both are headed to the DL, but Oester's replacement, Tom Foley, scored in the fifth on a Walker single to tie the game. 

The Reds pulled ahead for good in the top of the seventh.  Joe Sambito got tagged for four runs, including a three-run homer from Duane Walker, who destroyed the Houston pitching.  Meanwhile, Bill Scherrer, John Franco, and Tom Hume combined for six innings of scoreless relief.

Winning Pitcher - Bill Scherrer
Losing Pitcher - Joe Sambito
Player of the Game - Duane Walker, 4-5, 2 2Bs, HR, 5RBI, BB, 3Rs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Perez

June 12, 1984 - Gobble Gobble

Game #761 - New York Yankees, 6 @ Boston Red Sox, 3

Oil Can Boyd, who has been one of the best starters in the Statis Pro League, got tagged early in this one.  Butch Wynegar came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the first and roped a single to score Don Mattingly and Don Baylor.

Joe Cowley was the Yankees starter and cobbled together a shaky start until the bottom of the third.  Tony Armas doubled to plate Wade Boggs but Dwight Evans also scored when Steve Kemp bobbled the ball in right field.

The score was still tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth.  Cowley loaded the bases and then got lifted for Bob Shirley.  Jackie Gutierrez grounded out but Rich Gedman scored on the play.  That lead only lasted until the top of the seventh.  Kemp doubled home Tim Foli, who is starting at second for the injured Willie Randolph.

The score was still tied in the top of the ninth when Mark Clear relieved John Henry Johnson.  He promptly walked Kemp, gave up a double to Victor Mata, and then a THREE-RUN HOMER TO DONNIE BASEBALL!!!  Dave Righetti got three outs in the bottom of the ninths and the Yankees won.  Thhhhhhheeeeeeee Yankees won!

Winning Pitcher - Bob Shirley
Losing Pitcher - Mark Clear
Save - Dave Righetti
Player of the Game - Don Mattingly, 3-5, HR, 3RBI, 2Rs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Wade Boggs, Jim Rice

Game #762 - Chicago White Sox, 8 @ California Angels, 1

Everything went right for the Pale Hose while everything went wrong for California.

The Angels actually scored the first run of the game when Doug DeCinces doubled home Rod Carew.  But after that Tom Seaver locked things down!  He lasted eight innings, only giving up four hits while striking out six.  Carlton Fisk had a big day, collecting four RBI that included a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

The Angels got bit by the injury bug.  Gary Pettis laid out trying to catch a Harold Baines liner and will now miss the next six games.  Dick Schofield crashed into the wall behind third base on a Scooter Fletcher foul ball and he'll be down for ten games.  Tommy John couldn't finish the fifth, allowing four unearned runs thanks to a DeCinces error.  It was ugly all around for California.

Winning Pitcher - Tom Seaver
Losing Pitcher - Tommy John
Player of the Game - Tom Terrific
Hall of Famers in the Game - Carlton Fisk, Tom Seaver, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson

June 11, 1984 - T'n'T

Game #759 - Oakland A's, 2 @ Texas Rangers, 5

Carney Lansford roped a two-out double in the top of the first inning off Charlie Hough, and then Dwayne Murphy singled  him home to give Oakland and early 1-0 lead.  It didn't last!  In the bottom half of the inning Curt Young faced Larry Parrish with runners on second and third.  Parrish dropped a single to plate both Buddy Bell and Gary Ward and take the lead, 2-1.

From there Texas put on a solo home run derby.  George Wright went deep in the fourth, Billy Sample in the fifth, and Parrish in the sixth.  Curt Young lasted through the seventh despite the barrage.  Hough, meanwhile, pitched eight innings while only giving up two runs, despite nine hits allowed and five walks.  He managed to get out of all the danger he got himself into.  That included two outfield assists from Ward and Wright.

Winning Pitcher - Charlie Hough
Losing Pitcher - Curt Young
Save - Tom Henke
Player of the Game - Larry Parrish, 2-4, HR, R, 3RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan

Game #760 - Detroit Tigers, 6 @ Toronto Blue Jays 8

This was the start of another pivotal series between the top two teams in the AL East.  Despite their enormous lead in the real 1984 season, the Statis Pro Tigers have been trailing the Blue Jays by about three games for awhile now.

The Tigers scored a run in the first on consecutive errors in center field by the usually stellar Lloyd Moseby. Toronto tied it up in the bottom of the third when George Bell grounded into a bases loaded fielder's choice. 

In the bottom of the sixth Juan Berenguer fell off a cliff as he allowed four straight singles to the Blue Jays.  Auerelio Lopez came in for relief but allowed all three inherited runners to score as the Toronto lineup batted around in the inning and scored five runs.

Detroit started clawing back in the seventh, though.  Ruppert Jones took Luis Leal deep for a solo homer to start the inning and, a few batters later, Sweet Lou Whitaker blasted his own two-run bomb.  Lopez was still pitching in the bottom of the seventh and he allowed two more Toronto runs, including a solo homer from Willie Upshaw.  The Tigers scored twice more in the eighth to get within two runs of a tie game but Jim Acker kept the ninth inning scoreless despite four Tigers reaching base.

Winning Pitcher - Luis Leal
Losing Pitcher - Juan Berenguer
Save - Jim Acker
Player of the Game - Damaso Garcia, 2-3, BB, RBI, 2Rs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Alan Trammell

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

Rest in Peace - Ken Howell

Sad news, Statis Pro fans.  Ken Howell passed away.  He was just 57 years old.  1984 was his rookie year, where he logged effective innings out of the bullpen.  Thoughts and prayers to his family, fans, and teammates.

June 11, 1984 - Victory for the Visitors

Game #755 - Baltimore Orioles, 4 @ Milwaukee Brewers, 3

Chuck Porter and Mike Flanagan faced off in this one, but it was Porter who relented first.  In the top of the second the Orioles sent eight batters to the box and Jim Dwyer, Wayne Gross, and John Lowenstein all crossed home to give the O's a 3-0 lead.

Flanagan, meanwhile, was electric.  He hadn't allowed a walk or a hit until the ninth place batter, Ted Simmons, hit his first homer of the year in the bottom of the third. 

It stayed 3-1 until the sixth.  Jim Dwyer doubled and, two batters later, Rick Dempsey singled him home.  That run proved valuable, because in the bottom of the eighth Flanagan was still on the mound when Jim "Gumby" Gantner singled and then Charlie Moore homered to bring the Brew Crew within a run of tying the game.  Sammy Stewart relieved Flanny and got the last five outs to save the day for Baltimore.

Winning Pitcher - Mike Flanagan
Losing Pitcher - Chuck Porter
Save - Sammy Stewart
Player of the Game - Stewart, 1.2 IP, 2Ks, BB
Hall of Famers in the Game - Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount

Game #756 - Pittsburgh Pirates, 6 @ New York Mets, 4 (10 innings)

It was a scoreless game in the bottom of the second when Mookie Wilson singled and then stole second base.  Tony Pena uncorked a wild throw on the attempt, which moved Mookie to third.  Two batters later Mike Fitzgerald singled off Larry McWilliams for the unearned run.

The Pirates struck revenge in the top of the third, though.  Denny Gonzalez singled and later scored on a Marvelle Wynne triple.  Wynne then scored on a Lee Lacy single and the Pirates were on top 2-1.

The Mets knotted the game in the fourth inning.  Hubie Brooks singled and, two batters later, Ron Gardenhire launched a deep double to plate Brooks.  It stayed tied at 2-2 until the top of the sixth.  With Walt Terrell still on the mound, the Pirates had runners on second and third with two outs.  Dale Berra, who has been below the Mendoza line all season, dug in and stroked a key single, scoring both Pirates and giving Pittsburgh a two run lead.

It was ironic, then, that in the bottom of the eighth, still holding a one run lead, that a Berra error at short allowed Fitzgerald to score and tie the game.  Neither team produced a runner in the ninth so that meant one thing:  FREE BASEBALL!

Brent Gaff was in his third inning of relief in the top of the tenth when he walked Lee Lacy to lead off the inning.  Two batters later Jason Thompson gripped it and ripped it, sending the ball over the right field fence to give the Pirates the lead.  Don Robinson, also in his third inning of work, got three outs in the bottom of the tenth and the Jolly Roger waved over Shea Stadium.

Winning Pitcher - Don Robinson
Losing Pitcher - Brent Gaff
Player of the Game - Jason Thompson, 1-4, HR, 2RBI, BB, 2Rs

June 11, 1984 - Lefties Dominate the NL West

Game #753 - Cincinnati Reds, 2 @ Houston Astros, 6

Mario Soto took the mound for the Reds and Bob Knepper was handed the ball for Houston, and both pitchers were dominant early.  In fact, through the first four innings, it was all goose eggs on the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the fifth, though, Houston finally came up big.  Craig Reynolds reached on an error with one out and then moved to third on a Ray Knight double.  That brought up Mark Bailey he launched his first homer of the year, good for three RBI.

The sixth and seventh innings were uneventful but the Reds finally put some runs on the board in the eighth when Cesar Cedeno took Knepper deep for a two-run blast.  But Houston picked up three insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning to guarantee the win.

Winning Pitcher - Bob Knepper
Losing Pitcher - Mario Soto
Player of the Game - Mark Bailey, 1-3, HR, 3RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Perez

Game #754 - San Fransisco Giants, 1 @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 6

Fernandomania was in full effect in this game.  Valenzuela struck out the first two batters he faced.  Meanwhile, in the bottom of the first, LA posted an early 3-0 lead thanks in large part to a two-run bomb from Pedro Guerrero.  Guerrero is showing signs of finally heating up after a dismal start to the Statis Pro season.

Valenzuela picked up two more K's in the second and another in the third and I started to think something special was going on.  I wasn't disappointed!  In the fourth inning he fanned another two Giants and then he struck out the side in the fifth!!!  The Statis Pro single game strike out record so far is 15, by Steve Carlton, and it looked like he might fly by that.  But he "only" got one strike out in each of his last four frames to fall short of 15 by just one.  What a game!!!

Winning Pitcher - Fernando Valenzuela
Losing Pitcher - Mark Davis
Player of the Game - Fernandomania, 14Ks, CG, 1R, 4Hs, 3BBs

June 11, 1984 - Walk-Offs and Dominant Wins

Game #751 - New York Yankees, 6 @ Boston Red Sox, 7

Funny enough, I played this game on the night the Boston Red Sox won the World Series...#foreshadowing

Boston took and early 1-0 lead in the first when Tony Armas singled home Wade Boggs after he doubled to lead off.  An RBI single by Jim Rice in the third and a solo homer by Reid Nichols in the fourth extended their advantage to 3-0.

In the top of the fifth, though, New York finally tagged rookie hurler Roger Clemens for some runs.  Back to back RBI singles by Roy Smalley and Bobby Meacham cut into Boston lead, leaving the Yankees trailing by just one run.  Tony Armas, though, made up for the damage with a two-run bomb off Ron Guidry, who gave up a whopping total of twelve hits across his six innings of work.

It remained 5-2 Boston until the top of the eighth.  That's when Bob Stanley took the mound to pitch the last two innings of the game.  It did not go well!  With two outs and two runners on, Don Mattingly and Victor Mata had back to back hits to plate two runs.  Then, with Steve Kemp at bat, Jackie Gutierrez booted a ball that allowed Mattingly and Mata to score and give New York the lead, 6-5!!!

Jay Howell, one of the best relievers of the Statis Pro season, was on the mound for Boston's last chance in the bottom of the ninth.  He issued back to back walks to Wade Boggs and Dwight Evans, just his second and third walks on the season.  They eached advanced a base when Jim Rice made it to first on a fielding error by Roy Smalley.  With the bases loaded and the infield in, Tony Armas grounded into a force out at home plate.  That kept the bases juiced with still only one out.  But Howell got Mike Easler to strike out, so Boston was down to their last hitter.  Jerry Remy, a left handed hitter, subbed in for Marty Barrett, a righty just like Howell.  And the beloved future announcer came through with a single to center!  Evans scored...Mata threw home as Jim Rice rounded third...and he scored safely too!  Remy had a pinch hit, two-RBI, walk-off single!!!

Winning Pitcher - Bob Stanley
Losing Pitcher - Jay Howell
Player of the Game - Jerry Remy of course!
Hall of Famers in the Game - Wade Boggs, Jim Rice

Game #752 - Montreal Expos, 9 @ Chicago Cubs, 0

This game got ugly early.  Dick Ruthven, starting for the Cubbies, got roughed up for three runs in the top of the ninth.  That included a bases loaded walk of Tim Wallach as well as a two-RBI single from Wallace Johnson.  The Expos went on to score nine total runs in the game.  Andre Dawson came a double short of being the first Statis Pro hitter with a cycle on the season and was one of three Expos with two runs scored (Tim Raines and Gary Carter were the others).

Meanwhile, the real story of the game was Dave Palmer.  He didn't allow a base runner until there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth and he walked Ruthven.  He didn't permit a  hit until there were two outs in the fifth - I was starting to get excited about a potential no-hitter!  Palmer went the distance while only allowing three total hits and two walks...not to mention his 11 K's on the day!

Winning Pitcher - Dave Palmer
Losing Pitcher - Dick Ruthven
Player of the Game - Palmer
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tim Raines, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Ryne Sandberg