Series Recaps:

 Wrigley Field | 4/28-4/30
SF Giants (1962) 1962-SF (7-5) 4th   @   CHC 1961-CHI (6-5) 5th
12 L-Billy Pierce (1-0, 0.00)   @   5 R-Glen Hobbie (0-2, 3.21)  
7 R-Juan Marichal (3-0, 1.33)   @   5 R-Don Cardwell  (1-0, 2.25)
5 R-Gaylord Perry (0-2, 8.53)   @   2 L-Dick Ellsworth (0-1, 5.95)

Scouting Report:
Giants: Come into this series red hot (all puns intended) after taking 3 of 4 in Cincy.  The Giants barely lost the final game of the 4 game set, 9-8.  Billy Pierce is making his second start of the year after tossing a CG shutout vs STL.  Marichal is sizzling hot.  He's 3-0 and his ERA is below the interstate.  Young Gaylord Perry will start the 3rd game.  He's been struggling and might just get farmed out if he doesn't have a decent performance..

Cubs: The Cubs are one of the feel good stories in the league.  Pundits predicted a sub .500 record for them, but the North Siders are 6-5 and look sound.  After taking 2 of 3 from Philly the Cubs will hope for some Wrigley Field magic vs SF.  Glen Hobbie starts the first game and has a great 3.21 ERA.  Unfortunately the Cubs haven't hit for him, so he's 0-2.  The "ace" Don Cardwell will face SF's ace, Juan Marichal, in what looks to be a great pitching match-up.  Lefty Dick Ellsworth, who has had trouble finding the plate hopes to get his first win vs his equally challenged opponent, Gaylord Perry.

Series Results:
Giants 3, Cubs 0: The offensive power of the Giants was just too much for the Cubbies as SF swept this series 3 games to 0.  In the opener SF knocked CHI starter, Glen Hobbie out of the box in the 1st with 6 runs.  Reliever Jack Curtis didn't fair much better as he too was touched for 6 runs.  the Cubs scored a few runs late, but still lost 12-5.  San Fran had 6 homers in the game. Game 2 saw the Giants spot the Cubs a 4 run lead, only to take it away and win 7-5.  Turning point in the game occurred when the Cubs elected to intentionally walk Felipe Alou to face .232 hitting catcher Ed Bailey who promptly deposited a Don Cardwell pitch deep into the right field bleachers for 3 runs and the lead in the 7th.  Young stretch McCovey stepped off the bench as a pinch hitter and delivered the long ball for a key insurance run.  Marichal went to 4-0 despite giving up 5 runs.  Game 3 saw the Cubs make 3 successive errors in the 7th to hand SF the game and a series sweep.  Gaylord Perry rebounded nicely for the Giants and gave up 1 run in 6 innings.  Felipe Alou hit his 7th HR of the season off of Cubs' hard luck starter Dick Ellsworth.

Boxscores:
San Francisco Beats Chicago 12-5, Pagan With 2 HRs
San Francisco Upends Chicago 7-5
San Francisco Beats Chicago 5-2

Managers:
Giants (Marvin Sik), Cubs (Marc Weiss)

 

   County Stadium | 4/28-4/30
PIT 1960-PIT (9-3) 1st   @   MIL 1960-MIL (4-7) 7th
7 R-Bob Friend (2-1, 2.08)   @   1 R-Bob Buhl (1-1, 2.81)  
1 R-Bennie Daniels (0-1, 10.00)   @   6 R-Lew Burdette  (0-0, 6.75)
4 R-Vern Law (3-0, 1.00)   @   0 R-Carl Willey (0-2, 6.89)

Scouting Report:
Pirates: The Bucs sit a 1/2 game up on the rest of the Senior Circuit.  They are coming off a huge series where they took 3 of 4 from the hapless Metsies.  6 of the Pirates everyday starters are hitting over .300.  Clemente and Maz are both hitting over .350.  Bob Friend who goes in game 1 is pitching great.  Vern law (game 3) is pitching lights out.  Spot starter Bennie Daniels has struggled and he looks to be the weak link in their rotation and possibly Milwaukee's best shot to get a win in the series..

Braves: Milwaukee has underachieved.  Part of the reason has to be #2 starter Lew Burdette who is winless in 2 tries with a huge ERA.  Bob Buhl (game 1) has been solid.  Carl Willey has been pitiful and looks to be overmatched going against Vern Law.  The Braves dropped 2 of 3 to the Dodgers coming into this series.  The tri-fecta of Aaron-Mathews-Adcock is has been crushing the ball, but the table setters have not been getting on to produce runs.

Series Results:
Pirates 2, Braves 1: The better pitcher held serve in this series.  Game 1 looked to be a good match-up on paper, but Bob Friend was masterful and Bob Buhl was miserable.  Game 2 saw a young Bennie Daniels show his immaturity as Lew Burdette was the master.  The Braves scored early and often.  Vern Law shut the door on Milwaukee in game 3 and took this series 2 games to 1.  Dan Holm, who managed the Braves was to be quoted after the game, "Thank God for Bennie Daniels...or we might not have won a game".  Dr. Strangeglove, Dick Stuart, took his hitting streak to 13 games by series end.  Pittsburgh moved to within a half game of LA for 1st.

Boxscores:
Pittsburgh Beats Milwaukee 7-1
Milwaukee Tops Pittsburgh 6-1
Law Blanks Milwaukee 4-0

Managers:
Braves (Dan Holm), Pirates (Marc Weiss)

 

   Crosley Field | 4/28-4/30
LAD 1964-PHI (6-6) 6th   @   CIN 1961-CIN (4-9) 9th
3 R-Ray Culp (1-1, 9.00)   @   2 R-Joey Jay (0-2, 5.40)  
2 R-Art Mahaffey (1-0, 1.59)   @   3 R-Jay Hook (1-0, 3.86)
10 L-Dennis Bennett (1-2, 4.67)   @   2 R-Bob Purkey (1-2, 6.41)

Scouting Report:
Phillies: The Phils have played .500 ball so far.  Pitching has been feast or famine and the hitting has come only from Tony Taylor, Johnny Callison or Richie Allen.  The starters need to pick it up vs Cincy powerful lineup.

Reds: Frank Robinson is hitting .520 and is the main reason the Reds aren't in the basement (the Mets might be the other reason).  1st game starter Joey Jay hasn't gotten anyone out since spring training and veteran Bob Purkey (game 3) might not have gotten anyone out since last September.  Look for the bats to come alive and some home cooking at Crosley field to help out as well.

Series Results:
Phillies 2, Reds 1: Games 1/2 were pitching duels.  The Reds accused the Phillies of some gamesmanship, because they flip-flopped their starters in these games.  The rubber match saw Bob Purkey breakdown even further for Cincy and Philly's hitting stick come alive.

Boxscores:
Philadelphia Edges Cincinnati 3-2
Cincinnati Edges Philadelphia 3-2
Philadelphia Pounds Cincinnati 10-2

Managers:
Reds (CPU), Phillies (CPU)

 

  Sportsman Park | 4/28-4/29
NYM 1962-NYM (3-10) 10th   @   STL 1964-STL (4-8) 8th
  R-Jay Hook (2-0, 2.50)   @     R-Ernie Broglio (0-2, 3.06)  
L-Al Jackson (0-2, 6.75)   @   R-Bob Gibson 0-3, 5.64)

Scouting Report:
Mets: The Amazins' have been anything but amazing.  After going 2-5 on their homestand they head to the road, where they have only won 1 game.  Their lone pitching brightspot (Jay Hook 2-0) starts the opener of the Series.  Diminutive lefty, Al Jackson goes in game 2.  The Met bats, other than Felix Mantilla, are stone cold.  Don Zimmer heads into this series hitting .049 (41 AB's).  Rumor has it the Mets just might release the former Dodger if he doesn't get it going..

Cardinals: The Cards are mirred in a deep funk.  At 4-8 they are closer to the cellar than they are to the penthouse.  Most puzzling to all is the ineffectiveness of ace Bob Gibson who is 0-3 with a huge ERA.  Game 1 starter, in this mini 2 game set is Ernie Broglio who is winless as well, more so because the Cards haven't hit for him than bad pitching.  Curt Flood (.291) is the only everyday player approaching .300.  Backup backstop Bob Uecker was heard to comment, "as a team we are hitting like a team of Ueckers".

Series Results:
Cards 2, Mets 0: Game 1 saw the Amazins' jump out to a 4 run lead off of Cardinal starter Ernie Broglio.  Unfortunately for the Mets, Jay Hook was hittable and the Cards rallied back to win 6-5.  NY's defense was terrible and the Cards found it had as many holes as swiss cheese.  Game 2 saw the Mets again jump out to a lead only to see the floodgates open in the 7th when the Cards scored 7 (all unearned) as the Mets made 3 successive errors.

Boxscores:
St. Louis Edges New York (N) 6-5
St. Louis Tops New York (N) 10-4

Managers:
Cards (Howie Fortel), Mets (Marc Weiss)

 

 

   Colt Stadium | 4/28-4/30
LA 1963-LA (9-4) 2nd     @   HOU 1962-HOU (9-4) 2nd
5 R-Don Drysdale (3-0, 1.78)   @   3 L-Bobby Shantz (2-0, 0.53)  
3 L-Sandy Koufax (3-0, 2.42)   @   0 R-Dave Giusti (0-0, 16.50)
4 L-John Podres (1-2, 4.50)   @   2 L-Hal Woodeshick (0-1, 3.50

Scouting Report:
Dodgers: The Dodgers dropped the first game of the 4 game set the upstart Colts as Bob Miller didn't have it.  Games 2/3 feature Drysdale and Koufax and that spell trouble with a capital "T" for the Colts.  Maury Wills hasn't been able to get on track stealing bases, but he is hitting .469 with 5 Ribbies since returning from the DL.

Colt 45's: No one saw this coming this soon.  The Colt 45's are no pop gun.  In fact they are a magnum force.  After beating the Dodgers in game 1 they moved into a tie for 2nd place.  Lefty starter Bobby Shantz has been unhittable.  His 0.53 ERA is tops in the league.  The bats have come through in timely fashion to score big runs.  4 starters are hitting over .300, with Norm Larker hitting .450.  Depending on the outcome of the final 3 games of this series we will see if Houston is for real.

Series Results:
Dodgers 3, Colt 45's 1: The Dodgers served notice to the upstart expansion Colt 45's that they are the team to beat.  The Colts took the series opener, but the Dodgers swept the next 3 behind their big 3 arms, Drysdale, Koufax and Podres.  Double D dueled Bobby Shantz in game 2, until Bobby lost his control and the Dodgers made him pay.  Game 3 saw Koufax in dominant fashion as he tossed a complete game shutout gem.  The final game saw 1955 World Series MVP Johnny Podres summon up all his powers from the past in an 11 strikeout performance.  The Dodgers moved into 1st a half game ahead of the Pirates.

Boxscores:
Houston Beats Los Angeles (N) 10-4
Los Angeles (N) Upends Houston 5-3
Koufax Blanks Houston 3-0
Los Angeles (N) Beats Houston 4-2, Podres Whiffs 11

Managers:
Colt 45's (CPU), Dodgers (Marc Weiss)