1970 Great Eight League

Game #18.

Boston 6 Cincinnati 4

WP-Gary Peters (3-1) LP- Jim Merritt (0-2)

HR- Pete Rose (1)

Boston won the matchup of the league’s two best teams, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 4 to 2. The Red Sox scored first, after getting three straight singles off Jim Merritt, in the top of the fifth. They extended their lead by scoring five times in the eighth, highlighted by Carl Yastrzemski’s rbi triple and a Tony Conigliaro double. Peters ran out of gas in the bottom of the eighth, allowing three straight walks, then a sacrifice fly from Bobby Tolan. At that point, Gary Wagner took over for Boston. Pete Rose stepped in and clubbed a three-run home run, pulling the Reds within two, but that was as close as they would come. Peters notched the win, with Wagner picking up a save.

New York 1 Baltimore 4

WP- Dave McNally (2-0) LP- Mel Stottlemeyer (1-3)

HR- Boog Powell (2). Elrod Hendricks (1)

Dave McNally notched a complete game win by beating the Yankees, 4 to 1. He gave up just four hits, walked two and struck out seven. Boog Powell had the best day at the plate, with a home run, single and a walk. He also scored twice and knocked in a pair of runs.

Oakland 12 Minnesota 5

WP- Chuck Dobson (1-0) LP- Jim Katt (1-1)

HR- Frank Fernandez 2 (2), Reggie Jackson (4), Don Mincher (2); Tony Oliva (3)

Last place Oakland shocked the Twins with a 12 to 5 pasting. Reserve catcher, Frank Fernandez smacked a pair of homers and also singled twice and walked. He drove in five of the twelve Athletic runs. If Oakland can get their offensive output to even half of this on a consistent basis, they will be dangerous.

Pittsburgh 7 Los Angeles 1

WP- Steve Blass (1-2) LP-Claude Osteen (0-2)

HR- Bob Robertson (2)

Steve Blass worked seven innings in leading Pittsburgh to an easy win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7 to 1. Gene Clines was the table setter at the top of the order, going 3 for 5, with two doubles and a single. He scored all three times he was on base. Bob Robertson had a two-run homer and two singles. L. A. could only muster one run, that coming on a Maury Wills sac fly, which scored Tom Haller. More frustrating for the Dodgers was the fact they left the bases loaded twice.

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Game 18 Recap:

Boston won the battle of the Titans. Their win over Cincinnati gives them a two-game advantage in the standings. Baltimore’s win over the N.Y. Yankees puts them in a tie for second place with the Reds. After winning six in a row, the Yankees have lost two straight and are right at .500. The Dodgers and Twins have each lost their last two games and have dropped below the .500 mark. The last place Athletics shocked the league by putting up 12 runs in a single game, the highest output yet this season for any team. Frank Fernandez’s multi-homer game was a big reason why. Pittsburgh got a strong win over the Dodgers, behind Steve Blass. They have won two in a row and continue to try and climb the standings ladder.